Iceland

Below, we introduce a 2011 project during which we provided intermodal transport (ocean and local overland transport) for a transformer to be used in an aluminum refinery plant in Iceland.

The project involved the intermodal transport of a large-scale transformer from Japan for use in the construction of an aluminum refinery plant in Iceland.
The main unit of the transformer weighed 262 tons (equivalent to the weight of a jumbo jet). As such, ocean transport from the loading port to the port of discharge required that we charter a dedicated vessel with sufficient lifting capacity for heavy cargo.
However, as there was no transport equipment in-country that could support a load as heavy as 262 tons, local overland transport from the port of discharge to the aluminum refinery plant required that we secure specialized equipment known as a SPMT (Self-Propelled Module Transporter – see photo) from Germany.
Before the transformer reached the port of discharge, we transported the SPMT to Iceland and assembled an array with 20 axles in parallel. The transformer was unloaded directly from the vessel onto the SPMT and transported to its final delivery site.

The size of the operation is evident from the photo. With the transformer loaded on top of the SPMT, the entire structure was more than nine meters in height. As a result, during actual transport, public roads were completely shut down and the SPMT was surrounded in front and back by security vehicles. This large-scale transport project also required all service gates and other obstructions along the route to be removed beforehand.

Structurally, the transformer is highly susceptible to damage from external shock. We conducted multiple careful meetings with all relevant parties and exercised extreme caution. As a result, we successfully transported the transformer without incident or delay.

South Carolina, USA

In May 2013, we were contracted to oversee the local overland transport of substation equipment to South Carolina, USA. Including two transformers weighing 153 tons each, this project called for the transport of equipment with a total load weight of approximately 1,300 FT.

The weight, width, and height all exceeded the limits for receiving approval from relevant authorities to transport the equipment over land via a trailer. As such, we unloaded the cargo directly from the vessel onto railway freight cars at the port nearest to the final delivery site. From the port, the cargo traveled nearly 60km via rail to its final delivery site.
Once the freight car arrived at the facility of the final delivery site, instead of using a mobile crane, we used hydraulics to lift the transformer main units and slide them over rails onto a SPMT (Self-Propelled Module Transporter) that was aligned horizontally along the freight car (jack and slide method). From there, the equipment was moved inside the plant.