Specialist girder frame trailer solves challenging transformer delivery

Mammoet was approached by Maersk Project Logistics to support with the inland transportation of a very large and heavy transformer from Hitachi Energy’s factory in Ludvika, Sweden.

Typically, these components are transported by rail; however, this new larger capacity transformer was too heavy, and so an alternative solution had to be found.

Collaborating with Maersk Project Logistics and Hitachi Energy, Mammoet suggested using its high-capacity girder frame trailer, the AL600, to get the transformer from factory to port. 

The frame spread the load over a greater distance, safeguarding road surfaces, and reduced the overall height of the transport to minimise disruption and civil work to prepare the route.

Close collaboration from the start

Because the large transformer exceeded the weight limit for rail transport in Sweden - road was the only viable option. Engineers at Mammoet proposed a solution that involved a configuration of conventional trailers combined with its high-capacity girder frame trailer, the AL600.

The AL600 allows extremely heavy cargoes to be transported inches off the ground, making it perfect for overcoming overhead obstructions, such as low bridges and power lines.

It was more than powerful enough to perform the job but needed to be slightly modified to meet the stringent lashing requirements of Hitachi Energy. This resulted in the design and fabrication of a specialist adapter for the frame.

Engineers from both sides came together, with Mammoet designing the adapter and Hitachi adjusting the design of the transformer so that it would interface smoothly.

Maersk Project Logistics managed all the requirements with respect to overall project management ocean transport routing and road preparation, with Mammoet assisting by providing supporting data for the required permits.

At one stage, Mammoet engineers assessed a section of the route near oak trees. A scan of the area was taken, and, from this, they assessed what adjustments needed to be made to avoid their removal.

100 meters over 130 kilometers 

As space inside the facility was limited, the girder frame was driven into the loading area on 2 x 14 lines of Mammoet Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), as these offered greater maneuverability.

The transformer was then lifted into the frame using a 500t crane. Once the cargo was outside, the SPMTs were swapped for 2 x 19 lines of conventional trailers.

These conventional trailers were pulled by two prime movers and a hydraulic drive system, which gave extra power to the front six trailer axles, preventing the need for more trucks.

The convoy stretched nearly 100 meters in length and weighed more than 800 tonnes. Over two nights, it made the 130km journey from Ludvika to Koping Port.

One of the biggest challenges on the route was at the very start. Near the Hitachi factory are two railway lines with no road crossing. To pass the tracks, a temporary passage had to be created to connect the two roads at either side. 

“This was also one of the biggest challenges when it came to the schedule,” explains William Soeters, project manager at Mammoet.“We had a time window of just three hours to get everything prepared, for the convoy to pass the tracks, and then remove all the materials to allow access for the trains. Had this been missed, it would have caused significant disruption.”

When the convoy arrived at Koping Port, the AL600 was partly dismantled and several of the conventional trailers were decoupled.

The remaining trailers then loaded the transformer onto the vessel, via a RoRo operation, and remained onboard for a one-day sailing to the larger Swedish port of Norrköping.

At Norrköping Port, the transformer was offloaded and driven to a laydown area until it was collected by a heavy-lift vessel bound for China.

For this second load-out operation, the transformer was picked up and driven to the quayside, allowing the heavy-lift vessel to lift it on board using its crane. 

This project demonstrates how Mammoet’s engineers can problem solve and create solutions to achieve feats that weren’t previously possible.

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