Dutch heavy lifting and transport specialist Mammoet’s engineering solutions played a crucial role in keeping the ALBA project on schedule. The project involves a significant expansion of the Sines Industrial Complex in Portugal, including a new linear polyethylene plant and a polypropylene plant. These facilities, slated for operation by 2025, will produce 100 per cent recyclable polymeric materials for various industries.

Nippon Express, a long-term logistics partner for the Sines complex, contracted Mammoet to handle the heavy haulage of 12 cargo pieces, including four oversized components, for the project site. However, the 14-kilometer route presented several challenges due to bridge restrictions.

Overcoming bridge obstacles with innovative solutions

The first hurdle emerged near the exit of Sines Port, where a large, disused overhead conveyor belt posed a clearance issue for the oversized cargo. Dismantling the conveyor belt wasn’t an option. To clear the obstacle, Mammoet devised an alternative route through a nearby container terminal, requiring meticulous scheduling and project management due to the busier location.

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For the four heaviest components – a reactor (445 tons), a product purge bin (220 tons), and two multizone circulating reactors (158 and 167 tons) – Mammoet constructed a temporary steel bridge over the original conveyor belt route, allowing the oversized cargo to pass safely.

Further along the route, a bridge over a pipe rack couldn’t support the weight of the 445-ton reactor. Mammoet addressed this challenge by using 4 x 24-meter rafting beams placed across the bridge’s pillars, effectively distributing the weight and bypassing the bridge structure itself.

Alvaro Macias, Sales Manager at Mammoet, explained the reasoning behind this solution: “What we wanted to achieve with the rafting beams is to not step onto the bridge, only on its pillars. The pillars had sufficient capacity to support the weight of the components.”

Clearing the final hurdle: A higher level approach

The final obstacle was a disused railway bridge with limited clearance. Local authorities wouldn’t allow demolishing the bridge abutments but consented to the temporary removal of the steel top section. With the remaining space insufficient for the reactor’s diameter, Mammoet devised an innovative solution.

“What we proposed was to lift the reactor using an extra elevation between the SPMT trailers and the component, so that it could be lifted above the wall,” said Macias. “This was an innovative solution, avoiding the need to dismantle the bridge. With our experience, we were able to provide the right heavy equipment, and the right heavy haul trucking solution, for the route.”

Efficient transportation with Mammoet equipment

A total of 52 axle lines of Mammoet’s Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) were utilized for the reactor transport, while lighter components required just 24 axle lines. Nighttime movements, completed in two shifts per item, ensured minimal disruption to regular traffic flow.

Mammoet’s expertise and specialized equipment, including SPMTs, bridge-crossing techniques, and customized solutions, minimised project delays and costs.

“It was a difficult and tough operation, but we knew we had the expertise and equipment to do the job,” closes Macias. “We performed a complete study of the route with all the bypasses to be done and that set us up for success.”