SPECIALISED TRANSPORT Ӏ PARKING
When I pulled over to use
the autobahn rest facility there were commercial vehicles double parked on the poorly lit entry route to the area. Once inside the area the reason was clear: all the designated truck spots had long been taken; so much so multiple trucks were using the car parking area as well: it meant a tight squeeze, even for me in my compact Honda Civic. For me it was merely an
inconvenience; imagine, though, how the driver of an abnormal load, a large transformer on a flatbed, for example, or perhaps 90-metre-long wind turbine blades, would feel at the end of a long day. It must be stressful enough carrying such difficult and valuable loads without then being
unable to park somewhere safe and secure when required.
MULTIPLE RESTRICTIONS And why does the driver have to park in the first place? In short, they have to.
In addition to all the rules and
regulations surrounding moving oversize or overweight loads, specialised transport drivers also have to comply with the same rules as commercial drivers. So if they have been on the road for the allotted number of hours, then it’s time to stop. Simple as that. “Abnormal transports are
required to drive with a transport permit - this means they have a prescribed route they must follow,” explains Ton Klijn, ESTA director. “They are not free to choose the
place they wish to park or where they want to go at night. These transports are often subjected to restricted driving times; this means there are certain time slots when they are not allowed to be on the road. However, despite all the restrictions and permits abnormal transport drivers are also subject to the normal rules for driving and rest times. This means that as a transport company you must combine the driving time restrictions from their permits with a compulsory driving and rest time rules for commercial traffic.” This can lead to complicated planning issues for transport companies, even more so since driving time restrictions are determined on a national level and not aligned.
Sarens is moving 158 WTG elements over challenging terrain
Sarens bought new equipment to help move wind turbine sections on challenging terrain between China and Uzbekistan, via Kazakhstan.
Sarens is transporting wind turbine generator (WTG) elements for ACWA Power’s 1GW wind power project in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. The sections are being transported from the border of China to Bukhara region in Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan. 158 sets of WTGs sections, four transformers, and special lifting
tools have to be delivered within 18 months via a challenging route. Each WTG set contains: • Four tower sections with a maximum weight of 96 tonnes • Three blade sections of 29 tonnes each • One hub section weighing 44 tonnes • One nacelle section weighing 129 tonnes. Sarens worked out the transport plan in detail. Given the magnitude of the project, new fl eet items have been bought. These include: • 25 Faymonville TeleMAX for blades • 32 Faymonville MultiMAX trailers for towers (S2, S3 and S4) • 11 Faymonville MultiMAX trailers with cranked axles (for S1 towers) • 32 Mercedes Benz Arocs 3358LS 6x4 trucks with latest EURO-VI emission technology.
All trailers and trucks were delivered from Europe to Almaty, Kazakhstan, via road, sea, and railway in a record 30-day window frame. All the trailers were delivered in ready-to-use condition. A challenge Sarens faced and addressed was the custom requirements of three different countries: China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. For the detailed route study and transportation planning, Sarens
also invested in trailer-simulation software which it used to estimate the correct road modifi cation costs, fi nding the most appropriate and shortest route, and trailer simulation on road turns. According to project manager, Elvira Kolenko, “Transporting the
wind blades was very challenging for us. The 84m long blades along with the trailer and track length measured around 105m. Almost 50,000sqm of civil ground preparation was done including: modifying of road turns, bypass, widening the road, etc. We also removed and relocated more than 60 light poles, wire cables, and road sign boards. All modifi cations were done with prior permissions and respecting the local authorities and guidelines.” For Sarens to complete its mission, more than 1422 trips of
3800km for round trip are required and it expects to complete the work around the end of October 2024.
22 CRANES TODAY
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