Heavy transport across two continents

When oversized industrial containers travel by truck or ship, it usually doesn't just look spectacular, there's also a lot of logistical fingertip feeling behind it. In the case of a nearly 60-ton autoclave, a gas-tight sealable pressure vessel, DACHSER pooled the expertise of its Air & Sea Logistics teams in Germany and India and transported the oversized pressure vessel from the manufacturer in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany to Bangalore in southern India. A customer-oriented approach and precise planning by the international teams were key.

A German machinery and plant manufacturer commissioned DACHSER to transport the 60-ton heavyweight. A swiveling device and a container ring chair weighing another five tons were also part of the transport order. The dimensions of the autoclave alone were impressive, with a length of over 15 meters and a diameter of more than five meters. The destination: an aerospace company in Bangalore. The metropolis of millions is an important location for the Indian high-tech industry.

Expertise and know-how in demand

After intensive preparation and planning, the autoclave left the plant in Coesfeld near Münster in Germany and arrived by flatbed truck in nearby Lüdinghausen. There, it was loaded by a 450-ton mobile crane onto an inland vessel, which transported the colossus by river to Antwerp. From there, the container traveled as break bulk, a non-containerized heavy lift, on a container ship to Chennai, India, on the Bay of Bengal. The voyage took 21 days.

"The success of such project shipments stands and falls with the close coordination and cooperation of all parties involved, so that the gears mesh neatly," says Claus Freydag, Managing Director Air & Sea Logistics Germany at DACHSER. "With our customer-focused approach, customized solutions and global network of logistics experts, we are a reliable partner when it comes to project transport."

Meticulous transport planning in India

In Chennai, the teams from DACHSER India took over. They were responsible for the almost 350-kilometer journey of the plant components from the port to the customer's site in Bangalore. Even before arrival at the port of Chennai, appropriate preparations had to be made for the road transport of the large-format industrial parts.

The teams from DACHSER India also organized permits with the city administration to move the low-loader. All 28 tires were replaced to allow the trailer to pass through a railway underpass. In front of the plant itself, concrete separation blocks had to be removed so that the vehicle could turn around there. Last but not least, excavation pits in the plant itself were filled in to allow delivery.

The entire two-week journey in India was supervised by a separate escort vehicle. "Thanks to the meticulous planning of the teams and the close cooperation of everyone involved, we once again mastered this not quite everyday shipment," says Huned Gandhi, Managing Director Indian Subcontinent at DACHSER. "It is always impressive to see how our international teams work hand in hand and deliver top logistical performance in this way,” adds Edoardo Podestà, COO Air & Sea Logistics at DACHSER.