Page 95 - Industrial Plant 2015

570 tons of tanks from the Czech
Republic to Austria
Bertling Logistics Italy handled with success this difficult project, that required
detailed pre-planning, the consideration of all possible obstacles and excellent
connections to sub-contractors and suppliers
T he task for Bertling Logistics Italy was to offer
studies and a transport solution for the shipment
of six tanks from Decin (Czech Republic) to
Braunau (Austria). Each tank measured 30,450
× 475 × 480 cm and weighed 95 tons. The
distance between Decin and Branau is
approximately 400 km.
The dimensions of the tanks made the transportation by road
impossible. Hence Bertling had to find another solution. After
careful evaluation of all possibilities and given the fact that the
manufacturer’s factory was located close to the river Elbe, Bertling
proposed a solution by using waterways; even though this plan
increased the total voyage length to 1.910 km and 30 days transit
time.
Three barges, loaded with two tanks each, were used to transport
the equipment from Decin to Aschach (Austria), where the tanks
were temporarily stored, and then moved for the remaining
distance by road. The reason for choosing Aschach rather than
Passau as discharging port was a damaged bridge crossing the
railway, which was blocked since the flooding in 2014. Moreover,
this bridge was downgraded, so that it could not support the total
weight of the convoy.
An additional survey executed by Bertling proofed the possibility to
load out the tanks in Aschach by using the berth on the river
Danube which offered enough space for the crane operations and
also the capacity to store the tanks on special trailers before their destination, absolutely on time, as per the original schedule and to
200 km on-carriage to the final jobsite. Six days after the tanks
Fig. 2 - Transshipment in Duisburg (Germany)
were moved to the river quay, the
three barges left Decin on time for
their 30 day journey. While the
barges were on their way, Bertling
was informed that the river ways
were obstructed by repair works
on the locks in the Main Donau
Canal during the period of the
transit of the convoy. As this would Fig. 1 - Transportation from the workshop to
have had a negative impact on the River Port of Decin (Czech Republic)
delivery schedule, Bertling decided
and agreed with the client to carry out an alternative plan: All six
tanks were transshipped from the three barges on a river-going
vessel in Duisburg (Germany). Thus the tanks reached the river port
on time, as the ship had much more speed.
Another variation to original planned route was the port of arrival.
Instead of Aschach, Bertling decided to receive the ship in Linz
(Austria). With all the necessary equipment (cranes, self-propelled
modular transporter (SPMT), stools, storage area) already in place,
all mobilization / demobilization operations could be avoided.
The ship arrived to Linz on time, where all tanks were offloaded, put
on SPMTs and moved to the storage area.
The last and final step of the whole operation took place three days
later, when the tanks were transferred by three convoys of two
special “Schnabelbrücke” trailers on a round trip basis to their final
the client’s full satisfaction.
Fig. 3 - River-going ship sailing from Duisburg
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