Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-headquartered Vantage Logistics is a member of the IFLN Global Projects Network, a group of like-minded cargo agents involved in the movement of outsize project cargo shipments. It recently handled the overland movement of eight GE 3.4MW wind turbines from the port of Cam Ranh in Vietnam’s Khanh Hoa province to a job site in Ninh Thuan province.

Each turbine set included the turbine head (or nacelle), various tower sections, tower base, blades and various other large and heavy parts.

The cargo represented a total volume of 34,192 cubic meters; the heaviest individual pieces (the nacelles) weighed in at 98.8 tons and measured a formidable 9.8m by 4.2m by 4m. The turbines will support Adani Green Energy’s huge wind power project in central Vietnam.

Vantage undertook the master list application, Customs clearance, the preparation of storage areas as required at the job site, the movement of the turbines by truck to their destination and crane operation for loading and discharging as required.

Project delegation director Truong Thi Ngoc Thuy, known as Kathy, explains that – for Vietnam – this is wind power ‘peak season’; yet for handling the movement of outsize project cargo to support this sector there is a lack of experienced personnel locally available, as well as a lack of appropriate means of transport for heavy and outsize freight and a shortage of the large cranes needed for loading and unloading.

To add to these challenges, the port of discharge of the shipment was jammed with cargo for other wind power projects.

Given that Vantage’s customer had set a deadline of just a month for the cargo to reach its destination, there were plenty of challenges for the forwarder’s team to overcome.

It went about it by:

• Consulting with authorities at the port of discharge to minimize the effects of the congestion at the port
• Constructing temporary yards to store goods near the job site, in order to save time and transportation costs
• Liaising with the appropriate Vietnamese Customs Department on Customs clearance and post-inspection
• Putting in place the appropriate resources such as transport equipment, lifting and unloading equipment and cranes
• Bringing together experienced and professional personnel for the job, including construction engineers, transportation engineers, project managers at construction sites and ports, vehicle dispatchers and health and safety managers

A total of 92 truck journeys were required to haul the turbines from Cam Ranh to the job site. A combination of multi-axle low-bed trailers were employed to move the equipment, in addition to 52m extendable trailers.

Because of the weight and size of the loads, Vantage had to apply for specific permissions from the relevant local authorities. It also had to undertake road surveys, strengthen patches of road and relocate electricity pylons, lights, road signs and even house fences in order for the trucks to safely negotiate the route.

The turbines were moved between May and June this year, with all the cargo arriving safely as scheduled.

This job represented the first time that Vantage had been chosen as a subcontractor by Adani, and the customer was delighted with the forwarder’s performance. Indeed, Adani has confirmed that, “The subcontract works performed by Vantage Logistics Corporation have been done [to] high standards of professionalism, quality and dedication which met our very tight delivery schedule.”

 

 

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