Operinter, an integrated logistics operator with a presence in four of the five continents, has once again demonstrated its professionalism in an operational project cargo, which, despite its complexity, has had a brilliant result. Specifically, the company was in charge of transporting material for the construction of a pellet manufacturing plant from the Chinese ports of Shanghai and Qingdao to Vigo (Spain).
The flat rack equipment, measuring 33 tonnes per unit and 12 metres long, was unloaded on a platform which was then taken to a port area where the complex crane work and unpacking of all the goods was carried out. Once the task was completed, the material was transferred to a gondola truck for transport to the factory in Portugal where the pellet production plant was installed. The dimensions of the load (mainly heaters) made it impossible to move it via container.
This is not the first time that Operinter has faced an operation of these characteristics, you can learn more about our industrial or special cargo solutions here.
Project cargo, on the rise
Project cargo refers to the transport of certain goods that, due to their dimensions, weight and complexity, cannot be contained and require special transport. The strategy to promote this type of cargo involves the use of multipurpose ships that combine different goods, sometimes even from different clients on the same route, to improve operations and save costs.
Usually this type of cargo is industrial machinery (electric generators, oil platforms…), construction materials such as pipes, cranes or excavators, as well as large aircraft parts or railway carriages.
Ecological transition
On the other hand, more and more Port Authorities and public institutions are promoting coordination between companies, logistics companies or agents involved in the transport of special parts from the factory to the port in question in order to encourage this type of operation which helps to consolidate the region’s productive fabric and generate new cargo.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the offshore wind market will multiply by 15 until 2040 and will attract one billion dollars of investment, leading to an energy revolution similar to those of non-conventional hydrocarbons and solar photovoltaic. In addition, the European Commission has proposed increasing the budget of the Just Transition Fund to 37.5 billion euros (compared to 7.5 billion euros) as part of the EU Recovery Plan following the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis.