GMA Garnet Group has announced the inauguration of their newly refurbished dock at their processing plant in Coos Bay, Oregon. The significant milestone saw GMA Americas’ president Rod Liebeck and his team welcome the first deep draft vessel in nearly 25 years to their upgraded dock.

The vessel, named “Azteca”, arrived with the first load of 30,000 tonnes of top-quality garnet sourced directly from GMA’s South African offtake, strengthening their supply chain and confirming their commitment to their West Coast business partners.

The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate this inaugural ship offload. The ceremony was attended by local dignitaries, representatives from GMA, and members of the business community.

During the ceremony, Rod Liebeck addressed the crowd and commented that the occasion marked a “very significant day for GMA Garnet Group
and the community of Coos Bay”.

He went on to add that “Coos Bay is very significant for us from a West Coast point of view. Thinking ahead another 20 years, it’s still going, and going well.”

GMA CEO Grant Cox also highlighted the importance of this occasion, thanking both the GMA Americas team and local Coos Bay businesses for their support.

“Great to see this day come after all the planning and efforts of many. Well done to GMA’s Coos Bay team and our local Coos Bay business partners, assisting stakeholders and broader GMA Americas team for making this happen,” he said.

Vessel “Azteca” arrives at Coos Bay port.

“We look forward to many more shipments to this berth in the years to come for what is an important driver of economic activity for the community of Coos Bay, as well as another building block of GMA’s enhanced supply chain in the USA.”

The refurbished dock will allow GMA to receive larger vessels, which will increase the efficiency of their operations and enhance their ability to meet the needs of their West Coast customers.

The inauguration of the dock is a major investment in GMA’s future and our commitment to the Coos Bay community.