Transport

One of the key factors that enable NBPOL to operate successfully is an efficient transport operation. The company owns, operates and maintains its own transport fleet, which includes trucks, prime movers, earthmoving equipment, tractors and commercial vehicles.

For crop recovery, NBPOL uses two different styles of trucks. The first is a tipping truck fitted with a folding arm crane and scale, which collects FFB that has been loaded into harvesting nets. This system of crop recovery is predominantly used for smallholder crops. The second type of truck used in crop recovery is fitted with a demountable bin. These bins are left at predetermined points within the plantations and are loaded using the company's in field collection system. Currently there are 50 crop recovery trucks in the NBPOL fleet, with each truck having a carrying capacity of approximately 15 tonnes.

Unlike FFB, Palm products are transported using prime mover trucks and semi-trailer tankers, which have a carrying capacity of up to 34,000 litres of product. The company has eleven prime mover semi trailer/tanker combinations in the current fleet.

In order to keep this local fleet operational and well maintained, workshops are located at three strategic points in the company's overall operational area. These are Mosa, Kapiura and Healla, with Mosa being the central purchasing and stock holding location. These workshops are responsible for the ongoing maintenance and repairs to over a 1,000 pieces of fleet and plant equipment.

To assist with the development and maintenance of the oil palm operations, the transport department also provides the company with heavy earthmoving equipment including dozers, excavators, front-end loaders, graders and compaction rollers. Utilising the company's crusher plant, the transport department is also responsible for the supply of road base and construction materials required by NBPOL. The materials produced from the crusher plant are not only used by NBPOL but also assist in the maintenance of government roads and infrastructure.

Bulk Storage

NBPOL also own modern product storage facilities at the main wharf facilities in the town, Kimbe. These facilities have the capacity to hold 16,500 tonnes of crude palm oil, 3,000 tonnes of palm kernel oil, 1,500 tonnes of palm kernel expeller, 5,000 tonnes of Refined Bleached & Deodorised (RBD) palm olein, 2,000 tonnes of RBD palm oil, 2,000 tonnes of RBD palm stearin and 500 tonnes of palm fatty acid distillate.