Cradle to grave management control ensures 'flawless' execution

ALAN PEAT IT IS precise pre-planning that dictates the success of moving abnormal cargo by road, according to Regan Moodley, MD of Shipping and General Transport. “Project cargo requires a meticulous degree of planning and careful co-ordination if you plan on building a household reputation,” he said – pointing to his company’s 23 years of successfully servicing the clearing and forwarding (c&f) industry. Although Shipping and General contracts the specialised heavy machinery for moving abnormal loads, Moodley stressed that management remained in total control of the project “from cradle to grave”. An example of this management control was late last year, when the company was awarded a road transport tender by the forwarding operation, Uti, and the cargo owners, Afrox BOC. This was for the SA landside transport of a gasgenerating plant imported from the US and bound for its final destination in Lydenburg. The shipment had a combined gross weight in excess of 250-tons and a volumetric capacity of 1 000-cubic metres – and also included a variety of highly out-of-gauge cargo. It required contracting out part of the abnormal segment – where a specialist, Italian-engineered, Commetta 12-axle trailer was used. According to Moodley's reckoning, this was best suited to the movement of the air separation unit due to its unique and very flexible load characteristics. “This seven-day transit project was indeed a special one,” said Moodley, who interfaced at ground level with his crew and contractors from the moment the vessel was discharging until the very last vehicle had been loaded. “I felt this type of interaction was pivotal in ensuring that our commitment to clients, Uti/ Afrox, was achieved."