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Oiling the wheels of US industry

[ January 26, 2022   //   ]

Project heavy lift specialist AAL Shipping (AAL) has delivered a 456-tonne load of industrial tower components from the Far East to the US West Coast. The cargo was loaded in South Korea on board the 31,000dwt heavy lift AAL Pusan and shipped to the Port of Everett in Washington on AAL’s Asia – US trade route.

Handling was complicated by strict Covid-19 restrictions at multiple ports of call.

The goods were being moved on behalf of Geodis Freight Forwarding and will form part of a vacuum distillation unit (VDU) at a petroleum refinery that will make products such as light-cycle oil, gasoline and naphtha.

Global head of AAL Transport Engineering, Nicola Pacifico, commented: “The main unit was 50 metres long and weighed 456 tonnes. As is usual with complex oil and gas components, the technical requirements were extremely detailed, and we prepared 114 pages of method statements to comply with engineering and operational demands. Despite significant port restrictions due to Covid-19, our master and his crew worked seamlessly to execute cargo handing instructions to the letter. And, whilst the AAL Pusan was crossing the Pacific in poor weather, we received 24/7 sailing and weather updates and routing analysis from our Cargo Optimisation Control Room team in Cyprus.”

Deputy head of transport engineering, Yahaya Sanusi,  said that the length of the cargo presented very tight clearance between the cranes, so meticulous modelling and simulations were undertaken to ensure the success oflifting and stowage operations. AAL also prepared extensive load-spreading modelling and analysis of deck structures to ensure integrity and safety.

AAL commercial director Felix Schoeller, concluded: “Our Asia–Americas Trade Route sailings are performing very well, parcelling multiple cargo types for our customers on each sailing which allows us to offer significant economies of scale to every shipper. Despite the proliferation of container cargoes in the multipurpose shipping sector, we have continued to prioritise our existing multipurpose and project heavy lift shippers.”

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