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Imperial Sugar Company yesterday updated the status of its project to rebuild its Port Wentworth, Georgia refinery, which was extensively damaged in an industrial accident and explosion in February 2008.

The company reported that all granulated refined sugar packaging lines were now installed and operating. Imperial also confirmed that brown and powdered sugar lines are expected to complete installation and commissioning later this month.

The refinery, which began shipping bulk sugar in late July, operated at about 55 percent of normal capacity in October as it continues to ramp up production with the installation of new lines.

John Sheptor, Imperial’s President and CEO, said the effort to bring the Port Wentworth facility back to full production was going well.

“We continue to make good progress toward restoring the Port Wentworth refinery to its full capacities this fall. I’m proud of the manner in which our team has worked through the start-up challenges which are inevitable in a project of this size and complexity,” Sheptor said. “To complete the construction project in just over a year’s time is a testament to the skill and dedication of our associates and contractors.”

Additionally, Imperial’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per common share.

Imperial reported that through October 31, it had spent approximately $182 million of the estimated $210 million to $225 million construction costs. The company received $19 million of advances under the property insurance policy in September and an additional $6 million in October, bringing the total advances under the claim to $300 million.

The sugar producer also said that as of Oct. 31, it had cash balances of $73 million and available, undrawn revolving credit capacity of $18 million, after deducting $60 million of borrowings and $7 million of letters of credit outstanding under that facility.