Only the best for - Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics

in the cArgo
MOViNG WiNdMiLLS:
A TRiCKy BUSiNESS
WorldWide deMAnd for windmills is rising
rapidly as countries take up power generation
from renewable energy. These hi-tech, modern
day equivalents of one of the world’s oldest
technologies are making a significant contribution
in the battle against climate change.
Top ten business supplier, Nordex of
Germany, has formed a new partnership with
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, together with
Dako Worldwide Transport, Dusseldorf, and
UTC Overseas of Atlanta, to ship 25 such wind
energy systems from Bremerhaven in Germany
to Baltimore on the eastern seaboard of
the US.
“The world market for wind turbines has
grown by 34% in the past three years; but we
have grown by 54% in this period,” explains
Sandra Jaekel of Nordex.
“Europe is still the biggest market but the
Americas, particularly the US and Canada, will
see a rapid increase over the next five years.
The other big area of growth is Asia, especially
China and India.”
The WWL service to Baltimore offers
Nordex a route to enter the US market as part
of its three-continent growth strategy. The 25
turbines, broken down into their major components,
are all scheduled to be shipped by the
end of this year.
And it is not just the tight time scale that
presents a shipping challenge, according to
Abu Nasser, Manager Sales & Marketing,
WWL Europe.
“Quite apart from the 44-metre long blades,
which we have to handle separately, each wind
energy system consists of a number of different
large components which have to be loaded
and then stowed and lashed under the deck.
“The project is very focused on the optimum
stowage of the components on the roll trailer.
For instance, the drive-train is 5.95 metres long
and weighs 45.5 tonnes. In order to save time
and cost, the customer asked if we could ship
two pieces on each trailer.
6 VENTURE 3 2008
“So now we have a 90-tonne loaded trailer
which we need to lift and then roll onto the
vessel. Obviously the operations team had to
check this was achievable before we could
give a definite okay.
“The blades themselves are not only very
long but also very delicate, so they have to
be fitted in a transport frame which is specific
to the cargo. And they have to be lifted
with two cranes which needs a great deal of
skill and concentration from the operations
team. This is where our competence and
experience with over-sized cargo is put to
the test.”
WWl hAs Worked closely on overcoming
these challenges with Dako Worldwide
Transport and UTC USA. Added value services
at the dockside have been provided by stevedores,
Atlantik Hafenbetriebe.
“Because of road transport height restrictions,
Nordex delivered the nacelles and cooling
hoods from Rostock separately,” explains
Nasser. “Working with Nordex personnel and
in close cooperation with Atlantik, these hoods
were mounted at the dockside after the cargo
was stowed on the roll trailer.”
Given such a complex operation, it was
not surprising that Nasser, plus the WWL
port manager Volker Freese and teams from
both Nordex and Dako Worldwide, were all at
Bremerhaven to see the first shipment being
successfully loaded in a very professional and
smooth operation.
“The whole process provided by WWL for
the first shipment was very convincing,” comments
Jaekel. “We were happy with the quick
and safe handling of our components and we
can easily imagine further cooperation.”
With world energy prices still close to
record highs, it seems more and more
consumers should get used to the idea that
renewable energy, and especially windmills,
are the future.
rupert sAunders
photo: hAns sCherhAufer