December 17 - France Cargo International has handled the transportation of various heavy cargoes from Macon, France to Antwerp, Belgium for oncarriage to Busan, South Korea.
France Cargo chartered one vessel able to sail on both river and sea to load, secure, lash, weld and transport the cargo for both of its clients - Hyundai Heavy Industries on behalf of Total Nigeria, and National Oilwell Varco (NOV).
The cargo consisted of 18 packages, of which the biggest and heaviest items were two compressors each weighing 107 tonnes, with the dimensions 16.5 m x 4.5 m x 5.3 m, and a 47-tonne transformer with the dimensions 8.7 m x 4 m x 4.2 m.
The shipment also included two crane parts, one of which weighed 21 tonnes and measured 28 m x 2.4 m x 3 m, and the second of which weighed 18 tonnes and measured 4.8 m x 4 m x 4 m.
A special coaster vessel was required to negotiate the shallow draft on the way from Macon to Fos sur Mer.
The ship's hydraulic castle also had to be lifted up and down in order to sail under 15 bridges on its river journey, before reaching the sea.
France Cargo International joined the Project Cargo Network (PCN) in 2012 as a representative in France.
