December 13 - Spanish freight forwarder TIBA has managed the shipment of a prototype wind turbine nacelle from the manufacturer's premises in Japan to a specialised laboratory in Sangüesa (Navarra), Spain.
Having arrived in the Port of Pasajes, Spain, the consignment was carried on a Goldhofer Faktor 5 high girder bridge in a convoy nearly 100 m long, more than 500 tonnes in weight and with 28 axles.
This required the use of four prime mover tractor units, each capable of moving 250 tonnes, to transport the convoy over 160 km of Spanish roads, over the course of six nights to minimise disruption of traffic.
The Japanese multinational manufacturer required its prototype wind turbine nacelle, which has been designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, to be transported in one piece, instead of the usual separation into two for the overland transportation, hence the use of the Faktor 5 high girder bridge.
During the journey overland, the convoy had to overcome obstacles of all kinds including roundabouts and tunnels, street furniture, severe road curves as well as steep roads made slippery in places by frost.
According to the director of TIBA, Juan de Castro: "While some of our competitors didn't believe that the operation was possible, we showed the customer via plans and measurements on the ground that the mega transport was viable."
TIBA worked with Transbiaga and the latter's equipment and engineers to complete the overland transportation.
The wind turbine will remain in the National Renewable Energy Center (CENER) of Sangüesa for several months, and after completing a series of tests will return back to Japan, to be traded internationally. The TIBA Projects department is already making arrangements with the relevant authorities for that return next spring.
