Ex-South African Navy submarine relocated in adverse weather

Specialised heavy lift installation company, Vanguard, was hired to relocate a 650-ton ex-South African Navy submarine, the SAS Assegaai. The task, however, was not straightforward as the company faced extreme weather conditions during the project execution. 

The SAS Assegaai, which was decommissioned in 2003, was required to be transported 1.5 kilometres from the Navy Dockyard to the new Naval Heritage Site in Simons Town. Measuring 58 metres in length and 6 metres in width, the Vanguard team engineered a solution using 34 axle lines to lift, transport and position the submarine.

The operational team used 2 x 9 axles in the forward position and 2 x 8 axle lines at the aft to navigate the route with extreme precision. They used the trailers to lift the cargo from the dockyard’s synchro lift, relocate the vessel, position it over the premade plinths, and lower it into its final position.

“This project was extremely interesting for the Vanguard team, not only for the engineering challenge that was presented, but also due to the history and heritage of the cargo being transported”, commented Andy Seleke, Field Manager at Vanguard.

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“Due to the nature of our work, we always build contingencies into every project we undertake, but the weather conditions are not something that we can control. The extreme weather conditions that we faced during the move created additional complexities, however the experience and diligence of the whole Vanguard team was evident and enabled the vessel to be delivered safely,” Seleke concluded.