BigLift Shipping Completes Challenging Shipments for US Steel Corporation

Last week, BigLift Shipping finished the last of two challenging shipments on its vessels Happy Diamond and Happy Dover for the US Steel Corporation in Clairton, Pennsylvania, from Lubeck (Germany), to Mobile (USA).

Challenges were the fact that the loading was placed inside the hold with only centimeters spare on each side and the necessity to give an outreach of 21 mtrs for the lifting of machines, weighing about 350 mts.

The loading consisted of several Coke Oven Machines for the US Steel Corporation in Clairton, Pennsylvania. Client for the shipments was ThyssenKrupp Uhde in co-operation with Pan Projects, Bremen. Pan Projects has arranged the on-carriage of the loading to Clairton.

Because of the sensitive parts on the machines, all cargo had to be loaded under deck of the vessel. The largest modules – two Coal Pusher Machines (27.6 x 17.6 x 8.79 mtrs – 350 mts) – fitted inside the hold with only centimeters spare on each side.

Due to limited water depth at the LMG yard in Lubeck, Germany, it was not possible to directly moor the large Happy D vessels alongside the quay. The vessels therefore temporarily discharged nearly all her tweendecks at another location, prior to berthing at LMG. Herewith her draft was reduced such that a safe clearance between river bottom and keel was guaranteed.

In order to ensure the water depth was enough, spacer barges were arranged between the vessels and the quay. The total width of these spacer barges was 14 mtrs, resulting in a necessary outreach to lift the cargo from the quay to a staggering 21 mtrs, while the water depth was 6,7 mtrs only. Thanks to the large lifting height and capacity of the ship’s cranes, even the largest and heaviest modules could be lifted from the quay.

Since the lifting lugs were located well inside the modules, where access with the usual grommets and shackles was impossible, the BigLift operational and CAD departments, together with ThijssenKrupp Uhde, found some innovative solutions to lift the cargo.

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Source: BigLift, July 17, 2012