SAL Heavy Lift has transported nine inland waterway hulls from Nantong, China, to Rotterdam onboard the Zhong Ren 121 – the semi-submersible’s first cargo operation under the shipping line’s management.
Zhong Ren 121 joined SAL’s fleet earlier his year, along with its sistership Zhong Ren 122. For its first operation with the company, the hulls, totalling 11,800 tonnes, were loaded aboard the ship using floating cranes.
To optimise cargo intake, the units – varying in length from 63 to 135 m and in width from 11.45 to 22.8 m – were stacked atop each other. The client’s engineering team designed custom grillage, sea fastening and stacking supports to secure the cargo as one unit, which enabled the stacking of the hulls up to four tiers high.
To accommodate all units, Zhong Ren 121’s stern buoyancy tanks had to be removed and repositioned to free up deck space, while extra navigation lights were installed due to a cargo overhang of about 14 m from the stern of the vessel.
According to SAL, timing was also crucial for this shipment to avoid delays due to the Chinese New Year festivities.
At their final destination, the hulls will be transformed into self-propelled inland waterway transport vessels. They will play a crucial role in transporting dry freight, containers, or serving as tankers through the inland waters of the Netherlands and neighbouring countries.
