Royal Smit Transformers has used Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean (WW Ocean) ro-ro vessels to ship five transformers from Zeebrugge, Belgium to the ports of Savannah and Hueneme in the USA.
The first two transformers measured 7 m x 3 m x 4.5 m and weighed 128 tonnes each. The units were shipped to Savannah on board the ro-ro vessel Parsifal, before being delivered to a location at the Tennessee-Virginia border.
Three larger transformers, measuring 10 m x 4 m x 5 m and weighing 185 tonnes each, were delivered to the port of Hueneme in California aboard the ro-ro ship Faust, before being moved to multiple locations in the state.
Once the transformers arrived at the destination ports, a combination of rail and road transport was used to reach the final destinations. “For what we call ‘the last mile’ of the journey, we make use of road transport, which often requires lots of adjustments such as the raising of power cables, the removal of street furniture, or even trimming trees,” said Bram Reintjes of Royal Smit.
“When we assess transport options, we try to find the best fit in terms of time constraints and economics. WW Ocean was able to nominate a suitable vessel for our shipments within the right timeframe,” Reintjes added.
