April 27 - The Allelys Group, in coordination with its marine partner, Osprey Shipping, had to overcome major geographical challenges to provide a complete factory to foundation solution for Siemens.
In 2014, Allelys was awarded the Crossaig contract to deliver and install two 38.4-tonne Shunt Reactors, two 110-tonne Super Grid Transformers and two 133-tonne Phase Shifting Transformers (PST) for Siemens as part of the SHE Transmissions GBP200 million Kintyre-Hunterston Transmission Reinforcement Project on the Kintyre Peninsula on the west coast of Scotland.
This project includes a newbuild substation, 14 km of new overhead lines and 41 km of double circuit sub sea cables.
Having successfully delivered the Shunt Reactors and Super Grid Transformers, Allelys recently completed the contract with the delivery of the two PSTs.
The PSTs were moved by rail from the Siemens factory to an inland river terminal in Linz, Austria, for transhipment to barge.
From there, they were transported via inland waterway to Rotterdam where they were loaded onto the vessel Deo Volente for ocean transport to Campbeltown Harbour, Scotland. Osprey project coordinators supervised all operational interfaces during the marine operations.
In Campbeltown, the two PSTs were transhipped onto one of the Allelys Group's three Goldhofer girder frame trailers and transported at night under police escort.
En route, the units were transhipped to a self propelled modular trailer (SPMT) as the final 19 km of the route was on an upgraded forestry track that was unsuitable for the girder frame trailer and had 1:6 gradients in places.
Allelys' project engineers conducted a full engineering survey of the transhipment area, to ensure that the ground loading capabilities were suitable. The use of load spreading mats and stools helped to ensure that there was no risk to either the infrastructure, nor the cargo during this operation.
On the forestry track, Allelys also had to supply and install an over-bridge as an existing concrete bridge was structurally incapable of supporting the weight of the SPMT and its load.
The final 19 km took two days travelling at around 3 mph.
Together Allelys and Osprey have grown to be one of the UK's leading heavy transport, lifting and marine specialists.
