Moving goods on a grand scale

When moving things into
Africa, TCS Logistics does
things on a rather grand
scale, according to director, Rogan
Brent.
Early in September TCS Logistics
and Access Freight projects division
moved four Komatsu 930E dump
trucks from Durban to Chingola for a
Zambian mining concern.
Four dump trucks don’t, when
reading it, sound like a big cargo.
“But,” said Brent, “when you
consider just how massive these
machines are, then a different picture
appears.”
And, when the actual load to be
hauled to Zambia is described, the
sheer size of such a project comes to
light.
Together, the two companies had
to execute the movement of a total of
36 abnormal truck loads – with the
loads consisting of: four truck chassis
at 50-metric tonnes each; the four
rock bodies – cut in half for ease of
transport; loads of the massive 4-metre
diameter tyres; then the smaller
breakbulk cargo and containerised
components.
Timing was also critical, according
to Brent – with the vessel arriving in
port on a Saturday morning at 02:00,
and TCS having to have the 36 trucks
lined up to receive the cargo on vessel
arrival.
The company’s team, headed
personally by Brent, worked non-stop
from vessel arrival until completion
of discharge to clear the holds, he told
FTW.
“This,” he added, “included the
welding of reinforcing and supports
to the rock bodies for loading, as the
rock bodies are asymmetrical and very
difficult to load.”
But, by 19:00 the next day all
direct discharge cargo as well as the
breakbulk and containers were loaded
and ready for dispatch. And, the
following morning, the convoy of rock
bodies, loaded 5.2-m high and 4.8-m
wide, departed Durban. It arrived
on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg
at 09:00 and proceeded under 22
own and eight police escorts through
Pietermaritzburg in convoy – bringing
the city to a halt.
“The entire consignment was
delivered to site without incident
within 20 days, as per the contract
agreement with the consignee,” said
Brent.
These four Komatsu 930 dump
trucks – in the top-five biggest in terms
of size and capacity – have since been
assembled on site and are working.
“This project was one of the
many we carried into Zambia, DRC,
Zimbabwe, Malawi and Botswana
this year,” said Brent. “However,
this particular consignment was of
particular significance due to the nature
of this cargo. The months of preplanning
paid dividends on the day.
“In line with our TCS motto, ‘Africa
Just Got Smaller’, this marked another
successful project delivered and
another satisfied client.”