For the Projects Division at Haeger & Schmidt Logistics (HSL), the exceptional is the normal. Almost every transport is unique. This also applied to two transformers, each weighing an impressive 283 t and measuring 11.82 x 3.82 x 4.58 m. These were to be transported from Mönchengladbach to the Klixbüll substation in Schleswig-Holstein at the beginning of August this year. The pre-carriage from Mönchengladbach to the port of Krefeld, as well as the onward carriage to the final destination, was carried out directly by the client, the heavy haulage company Baumann from Bornheim.
HSL then took over in Krefeld. The transshipment in Krefeld was carried out by the parent company Felbermayr with the help of the crawler crane stationed there and the coaster MV “H&S Wisdom”, which was provided by HSW Logistics, came to take over. The planning, coordination and monitoring of the interfaces was supervised by the HSL Projects Division and so it was literally a strong group effort. In the end, this was even completed by the involvement of the company BEST Logistics, which organized the slinging personnel and the removal of the load securing during unloading in Apenrade for the customer.
The main leg was to be via Rotterdam to Apenrade on the east coast of Denmark. “Apenrade is the nearest port where appropriate weights can be unloaded by mobile crane and only about 60 km by road from Klixbüll,” reports Fabian Bartels of HSL-Division Projects. However, the local conditions in Apenrade brought about an unusual manoeuvre that the captain of the “H&S Wisdom” had to perform twice.
Bartels explains: “Due to the high unit weight of the transformers in connection with the small crane capacity available in Apenrade, the transformers had to be loaded offset to the ship’s side in Krefeld. Therefore, the ship had to turn after loading the first transformer in Krefeld and repeat the same manoeuvre when unloading in Apenrade.”
Since the possibilities for securing cargo in Krefeld and the surrounding area are very limited and highly expensive, the coaster made a stopover in Rotterdam. There, the transformers were properly secured for the crossing to Denmark. Overall, it was a successful project for the Projects Division team. All of the customer’s timelines and requirements were met.