Super Servant 1 enroute from Long Beach to Nanjin

Project Summary

In July 1993, 6 rubber tire transtainers and 2 container cranes were transported from Portland, OR, and Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA, to Nanjing, China. A hydraulic jack and skid system was used for loading and offloading of the cranes. The cranes were stowed transversely on the heavy-lift ship in order to minimize the required internal strengthening and to facilitate a sideways offloading in the Yangtze river where strong currents prohibit a Mediterranean mooring.

Scope of Work

The project scope included:

• Preparation of optimum stowage configuration;

• Preparation of loading and offloading procedures, including ballast procedures;

• Transportation analysis and preparation of a complete Transport Manual;

• Design of seafastening bracings for the container cranes based on the design ship motions;

• Check of local strength of the heavy-lift ship's deck subjected to large point loads.

Argonautics Marine Engineering was hired to supervise the actual loading operations in Portland and Los Angeles/Long Beach. Upon arrival of the ship in China, Argonautics Marine Engineering also supervised the offloading of all equipment.

Acknowledgement

Photograph courtesy of Wijsmuller Transport BV