185,000-kilos Units Transported from Finland
By Simon West
UTC Overseas has successfully completed a large multimodal delivery of nine generation sets weighing 185,000 kilos apiece for a coal-to-gas conversion project at a power plant in Bremen.
The gensets, each measuring 14.5 by 5.4 by 5 meters, were shipped by multipurpose carrier from Vaasa in western Finland down through the Baltic Sea and on to the Port of Bremen’s Neustadter Hafen, home to Europe’s largest terminal for general and heavy-lift cargo.
The units were loaded on to three barges for the final leg of their journey down the Weser River. The logistics specialist’s Bremen and Helsinki teams were tasked with managing the move.
“The job at the plant, from start to finish, was originally estimated to take nine days,” said Sven Binder, UTC general manager projects. “With advanced planning and mapping of proper procedures, it was completed in six days. This allowed our client to begin installing additional modules, pipes and other equipment earlier than expected.”
Preparations for the move began a year in advance, with UTC’s project team drawing up an in-depth transport plan covering locations, equipment, weather and risks.
Once at the plant, the gensets were offloaded from the barges onto a site-owned pier, which had been reinforced to support the cargo’s weight. The units were lifted by two 500-tonne cranes onto a self-propelled modular transporter, or SPMT, then driven up a ramp with a 6 percent incline to the plant.
A new, unique lifting system, developed by UTC and partner Riga, was employed to lower the gensets onto their foundations within millimetres of the required specifications.
“Close cooperation and constant communication between UTC Germany, UTC Finland, the customer and the consignee allowed us to work swiftly and efficiently,” said Ralf Boese, UTC general manager of European Heavy and Special Transport Division.
“Precise planning and thorough risk assessments, taking into account all contingencies, allowed the UTC team to keep the cargo moving like clockwork through each phase of this challenging transport. The result was a job well done, completed ahead of schedule, and a happy customer.”
