Altius, a member of the Project Logistics Alliance representing Spain, Argentina, and Bolivia, has successfully completed the Huelva FORCE (HU4) project. Conducting this complex operation involved the transportation of 40 cargo units, totaling 6,400 CBM and 925 tons. Among the units were six heavy-lift components, including cold boxes and exchangers, with maximum unitary dimensions of 31 meters in length, 6.15 meters in width, 6 meters in height, and weighing up to 184 tons.

The cargo was shipped from a private jetty in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, and delivered to the Port of Huelva, Spain. A significant milestone in the project was the transport of the heaviest unit ever moved across the historic Rio Tinto Bridge. The transport convoy reached final dimensions of 91.54 meters in length, 6.15 meters in width, and 7 meters in height, with a total weight of 350 tons.

(Picture Credit: Altius)

The road transport from the port to the final delivery site covered around 10 kilometers. However, due to the extraordinary dimensions of the convoy, extensive coordination was required among all the involved authorities, including the port terminal, traffic and port police, and the road department. This coordination was essential to facilitate the departure of the transport convoy from the port and to block all traffic in both directions to avoid critical height restrictions.

One of the greatest challenges of this project was crossing the bridge over the Rio Tinto River since the bridge has certain structural particularities and notable weight limitations due to its age. After thorough collaboration among all parties involved, including the client, Port Authority, engineering teams, transport company, and Altius, a suitable transport configuration was developed to comply with the bridge's restrictions.

(Picture Credit: Altius)

To ensure proper weight distribution of the cargo, two 14-meter transport beams were constructed. Deflection of the bridge was carefully monitored before, during, and after the crossing to ensure and review the safety and structural integrity of the bridge, with all results proving favorable. Additionally, modifications were made to the highway median to enable the convoy to travel in the opposite direction. All necessary improvements and signage were implemented in compliance with local authorities.

Due to internal plant limitations, the final delivery location inside the plant could not be accessed with the equipment used for main road transport. Therefore, it was necessary to arrange a transshipment area near the main access and organize the reloading of the 5 critical units onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs), equipped with 2x 6-axle units and a PowerPack. This transshipment area was prepared by Altius and the transport company.

The successful completion of this complex project sheds light on the professionalism and expertise of team Altius. Congratulations from all of us at the Project Logistics Alliance.

Watch the move:

(Video Credit: Altius)

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