65-ton transformers forced to rely on forklifts for offloading

Africa’s lack of logistics infrastructure means that the movement of project cargo not only takes longer, but is also extremely costly. According to Dirk Matthysen, general manager for Spedag International Tanzania, this was once again proved when they had to move three gas turbines and three generators to a Tanzanian project site recently. “Due to the lack of equipment and infrastructure to handle the cargo, specialised vehicles had to be brought in from other countries, while we could only travel at night due to the width of the cargo,” he said. “While we found solutions to the problems we faced and managed to do the job required, it was an expensive solution.” This is often the case with project cargo in Africa. Getting the cargo off vessels in congested ports to the actual sites that often have little or no road access increases costs tremendously. “Trying to move any big cargo out of Dar es Salaam during the day is impossible,” said Matthysen. “It is absolute chaos in the day and it only ends at 9pm at night which means that is the time when you can start contemplating the movement of big, heavy loads out of the port.” The problems, however, don’t necessarily end once one reaches a site. “In one instance we arrived at the site where there was not a single crane. Unloading three transformers of 65 tons each with no cranes is not an easy job. We finally managed it using forklifts, but it took much longer than it should have done, once again increasing costs due to the delays. It is really about finding ways that we can do this faster and cheaper.” According to Sander Van Damme, business development manager Africa for Sarens South Africa, there are always solutions available for the challenges faced with project cargo. “The solutions are usually time-related and to get what you need to a site can take months. Time is the one thing clients are not willing to give. They want the job done and they want it done now,” he said. “The cost of executing with the lack of infrastructure is resulting in costs escalating through the roof. Also one is forced to have two or even three spare parts of everything on a project on the site which costs money to do, because getting it there only when there is a breakdown can be very time-consuming.” CAPTION Sander van Damme … ‘always solutions available.’