Höegh’s RoRo solution ensures safety for sensitive breakbulk shipment

Recently the Breakbulk team in India was presented with the task to transport a 55 metric tonne turbine generator from Ennore to Mombasa. With Höegh’s established liner service, strategic transhipment set-up, local breakbulk competence and specialised equipment, the team devised a plan to reduce costs and risk for the sensitive shipment.

Pre-planning is crucial

Loading, stowing and discharging breakbulk cargo are delicate operations which require meticulous planning, customised equipment and experienced cargo handling.

During the pre-planning phase, the team discovered that the height of the generator would pose a challenge during the transhipment operations. With a fleet of 3300 rolltrailers to choose from, the team chose the most suitable equipment to ensure the cargo would be transported to its final destination safely and with minimal handling.

Capt. Atuldutt Sharma, Breakbulk Sales Manager in India explains,

Standing at 4.3 metres alone, the height of the unit was too high for transhipment operations. Most of the vessels in the Middle East to India and Africa service have a door opening of around 5.0 metres so the solution was to use Höegh’s Superlow rolltrailer. The Superlow rolltrailer is only 0.47 metres high and is designed to load Breakbulk cargo that is 25-30 cm higher than what we were previously able to transport.

Safety continues with transhipment

RoRo (Roll-On Roll-off) vessels are designed for cargo to be stowed and lashed safely underdeck. This is particularly important for sensitive cargo as the climate controlled decks keep the delicate cargo safe from exposure to salt water, changing temperatures and high humidity, reducing the risk of damage during transit.

During transhipment operations, the safe operations continue, as the cargo never leaves the rolltrailer it was originally transported on. The sensitive cargo is rolled directly from the vessel to the transhipment terminal and onwards to the next vessel. This mode of transportation ensures minimal handling of the cargo during its entire transportation.

Atuldutt continues,

The customer chose our RoRo solution as it provided the safest mode of transportation for their sensitive cargo. With the cargo safely stowed underdeck it reduces packing costs for the customer and ensures the cargo reaches its final destination in the same condition it was handed to us in.