It’s no secret that African project cargo is not for the faint-hearted.
However, a lot is being achieved on the continent thanks to the critical thinking, deep local knowledge and abnormal load expertise of local logistics service providers – all of which was on display when Manline Mega, a division of Barloworld Logistics, successfully moved a 33-metre-long luxury houseboat from Harare in Zimbabwe to the Chobe River in Namibia.
Built in 2017, the African Dream is a three-decked luxury houseboat that nowadays offers 5-star cruises on the Chobe and Zambesi rivers for 16 guests at a time – but to do that it had to be transported via truck from Harare where it was constructed, through Botswana on to Namibia before launching on the Chobe River.
Pulling this off called for dogged perseverance and determination long with expertise and consummate skill.
According to Blake Ferguson, COO of the transport division of Barloworld Logistics, the team faced several challenges. First off the first 15km of the journey was to traverse a stretch of road that had not yet been approved by authorities. This, said Ferguson, resulted in a two-week dispatch delay causing havoc to an already tight schedule.
The next big hurdle came at the Botswana border where they were denied permission to enter the country or even travel through it. With the convoy standing at the border, three surveys were undertaken as quickly as possible. Only one turned out to be an even remotely possible option. It meant turning around and returning to Harare before heading to Makuti, taking the boat down the infamous escarpment.
“This meant notorious hairpin bends and steep descents would have to be navigated,” said Ferguson. “The team and vehicles were put to the test at the very first bend,” said Ferguson.
“Arguably the most treacherous, it set the tone for what lay ahead. Just as important to note is that the route survey proved to be accurate to within a few millimetres.” The driver inched his way down slowly – but having successfully manoeuvred the 220-tonne metric load down the mountain and with only 10km to go, the entire project nearly came crashing to a halt.
“For the journey from Makuti to the lake shore, a 10km temporary road was constructed within 48 hours to allow the convoy the space required to travel to the shore side.” But, despite best efforts, the road was unable to withstand the weight of the vehicle causing the surface to crumble.
Determined to see their precious cargo in the water, the team decided to build a 20m road out of timber lengths that were initially intended for the offloading procedure – and the African Dream finally made it to the lake.
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A major hurdle came at the Botswana border where they were denied permission to enter the country or even travel through it. – Blake Ferguson
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The 33-metre-long African Dream en route from Harare to Namibia.
