12 Gensets 1,600km Transport in Mexico on Goldhofer Heavy-Duty Combinations

The Aquiles project handled by the Finnish Wärtsilä Corporation in the Mexican state of Chihuahua comprises the construction of a modern gas-fired power plant with an installed capacity of 110 megawatts and is due to be fully commissioned in 2019. The contract for shipping a total of twelve gensets, i.e. combined gas engines and generators, was awarded to the well known Martin Bencher Group of Aarhus, Denmark.

The Gensets were shipped to the Mexican port of Altamira and from there by road in two convoys assembled by the Mexican subcontractor Tradelossa Transportes to their destination 1,600kms away. The huge gensets, measuring 12.9 x 3.34 x 4.49 m and weighing 140 tonnes each, were loaded on six Goldhofer THP/SL12 heavy-duty combinations with a flat bed or vessel deck so as to comply with the load height limits.

It took just six days to transport the gensets to the power plant site, each convoy completed without any incidents. Among other things, the route included several tight roundabouts, which were mastered in no time at all with the help of an additional tractor. A last challenge was waiting on the grounds of the gas works: The convoy had to be manoeuvred precisely through two tight curves in order to deliver the gensets safely to the new generating hall. In a final step, they were unloaded and carefully positioned on their foundations with the help of a rail system.

The entire project was completed to schedule in exactly one month.

At the port, the gensets were first lifted onto a self-propelled transporter prior to loading onto the heavy-duty combinations for the journey to the power plant.

Loading the 12-axle heavy-duty combinations

Vessel decks were the answer to the maximum permitted load height regulations.

Featured title photograph: On the road – for about 1,600 km 

All Photographs from Martin Bencher/Tradelossa/Goldhofer

Source Goldhofer