Pink modules for the red continent

The challenge: Oversized and overweight

Totalling over 60,000 freight tonnes, the shipment consisted of 62 modules that needed to be moved from Dalian, China, to a mining site near Newman, Australia. As a committed supporter of breast cancer awareness, the mine owner encouraged its suppliers to paint everything on site pink – from hard hats to dump trucks – and our client’s modules were no exception.

For the project to be successful, there were a few unbendable requirements: all modules had to be loaded and shipped within two months. Furthermore, special arrangements for ground transport were required. The cargo measured up to 15 m in width but needed to travel about 400 km on a single lane highway from the point of discharge in Port Hedland to the mine site. Extensive route surveys, customs documentations and, of course, adherence to strict on-site requirements were crucial to this task.

To pull it off, a great deal of planning and coordination were needed.

Our solution: Down to the last detail

In total, we prepared and loaded three vessels, with the heaviest lift being 211 mt. To ensure the safe and timely movement of such heavy, oversized shipments, we took a series of precise steps. We liaised closely with Chinese customs and port authorities and carried out an extensive lift engineering review. We developed a detailed traffic management plan with local road authorities in Australia to allow the oversized cargo to travel the 400 km under difficult road conditions. In addition, we drew up a staging plan with local port authorities in Australia and adhered to the country’s strict biosecurity requirements.

The results: Pretty in pink

Even though the scheduling was especially tight and conditions challenging, our logistics planning was effective, and we delivered the modules safely to the mine site, where our team celebrated the project’s success amidst the mining site’s pink parade.