Again we started our day by driving to Limassol, and arrived at nine thirty to Vasiliko. There were three representatives from VTTI and another two representatives from the Vasiliko cement company.
The cement company hosted this meeting and we got to listen to what they go through everyday to complete the process of making cement. Originally limestone, and potentially several other types of natural materials, is harvested and transferred to the power plant to be ground up to a flour like consistency. I’m going to fast forward a bit because there are too many steps, but after the flour like material is combined with other materials, heated, and cooled in the powerplant, the finishing product ends of being cement (not to be confused with concrete, which cement is a component to). One of the first questions that popped into my mind is how do they get the energy to complete this cement making process repeatedly. In short they use fossil fuels as well as alternative energy sources such as trash, tires, wood, meat bones, etc. One of the presenters mentioned how there is a big focus on improving efficiency in the plants as well as sustainability.
The other company VTTV is a storage facility for oil. They do not own the oil, they are just the middle man for any oil that comes through the island. There company has more of a focus on storing the oil so that is can later be distributed by vessel to other countries. They are the second and third steps in a very simplified supply chain: Production of the oil, storage, transportation, pipelines, and finally to the customer.
After the meeting we got to tour the control room, and then some more of the facility by bus. Next we headed to a fish tavern and had an enormous lunch. I enjoyed being able to try many foods I haven’t before. We left lunch and visited the Hala Sultan Tekke after eating. I was surprised when we were told that this mosque was the third most important mosque for Muslim’s. We then roamed around Larnaca and also visited the St. Lazarous church, which had very unique and detailed architecture.
I enjoyed every experience today and I also loved being able to finish it off by going to a restaurant that had a soccer celebration and live music.
