Huge, heavy equipment demands special delivery services

The delivery of bulk handling equipment orders is a critical link in the supply chain and ensures that operations can begin as quickly as possible; bridging this gap is Siwertell’s complete ship unloader delivery service
 
Siwertell believes that the same level of care and attention should be given to the transportation and delivery of its solutions as it dedicates to their design and performance. “The successful delivery of our equipment is an essential part of ensuring that a customer starts to capitalize on the benefits that a Siwertell system brings,” says Petter Risholm, Supply Chain Manager, Siwertell.

“We can handle all kinds of equipment transportation; its import and export, and all the regulatory and logistical issues that accompany every step of the delivery process. This means we can take care of the delivery of everything from spare parts to fully-assembled ship unloaders,” Mr Risholm continues. 

Significant cost savings

There are many benefits to shipping a fully-assembled ship unloader, all of which increase convenience for customers and, most obviously, reduce any required assembly and installation work onsite to an absolute minimum, which provides significant cost savings.

“Typically, on site assembly, installation and dry testing takes around three months to complete,” explains Bertil Andersson, Sales Manager, Siwertell. “To facilitate this work, the quay or jetty on which the unloader will operate needs to be partly closed; the impact of which can negatively affect wider operations. With a complete unloader delivery, assembly and dry testing is carried out prior to shipping, which means that once the unloader arrives on site, it can be fully operational within a few weeks.

“If the unloader is to be installed on a new quay or jetty, which is being built in parallel with the unloader, further time savings can be made with our ‘just in time delivery’ service which aims to seamlessly co-ordinate the completion work and the unloader’s arrival.”

The ideal solution

In certain circumstances, shipping a fully-assembled unloader is not only the best, but the only option. “This applies to ports with no access to the necessary equipment required to assemble the unloader, or for port structures that are too small or lack adequate access points for larger cranes and other heavy-duty assembly equipment.

“To overcome these barriers, we work closely with major heavy-lift freight companies throughout the entire delivery process; basically, the customer does not need to worry about this aspect at all, or get involved until the unloader arrives on site,” Mr Risholm adds.

Safety is a key priority for Siwertell. Before any large-scale delivery process begins, it undertakes additional engineering work, including sea-fastening, to stop any equipment movement and to ensure that no damage is caused to the unit or its components during its potentially lengthy sea voyage. 

Heavy shipment challenges

The shipment of a fully-assembled unloader is not without challenges. “Just because we make it possible, and remove the worry of this aspect of the delivery from our customer’s shoulders, does not mean that shipments come without issues. They comprise carefully planned and instigated processes, which have been fine-tuned to ensure their success.

“No matter how lightweight our equipment is in comparison with other systems on the market, moving an unloader is a skilful operation. Our machines are huge and heavy, so they are technically difficult lifts. Weather and wind affect the process and dictate our ability to proceed with, or even begin, loading procedures.

“We have worked hard to partner with heavy-lift shipping companies to ensure that they have the right vessels to carry out the transport of our machines, and that on board procedures are in place to secure all shipments. We have to follow both the captain’s and ship company’s requirements for stowage. The securing process is carried out by the shipping company’s crew, with the captain always having the last word.

“On a different level, we also overcome the challenge of working with many different personnel in the supply chain, and bridge the gap between different languages and cultures,” says Mr Risholm.

Other considerations when shipping a complete unloader are local laws and regulations; some authorities insist that Siwertell personnel are in place to receive the delivery. Also, it is important to ensure that all documentation is correct, delivery terms are strictly followed and that the unloader is correctly insured with enough financial cover.

To safeguard a successful delivery onsite, any quay preparations must be completely finished and provisions made for the ship’s arrival, this includes ensuring that the water is deep enough to receive such large vessels. “Of course, no one is in charge of the weather, but in the same way as conditions had to be right to load the heavy-lift vessel from our site, they have to be right at the customer’s end as well. Sometimes this does mean a patient wait.”

Weighing up options

When a customer is weighing up the options of having an unloader assembled on site or at the factory by Siwertell, the essential issues to consider are cost, time and quality. “We always look at all options and discuss them in detail with the customer to find the best delivery solution to suit each project,” Mr Bertil notes.
 
Following the delivery of a unit, whether fully-assembled or assembled on site, Siwertell is on hand to supervise the commissioning process to ensure that the unloader meets performance and safety standards before it is handed over to the customer. “This is part of the Siwertell delivery commitment and ensures that our solutions meet customer expectations, all the way down the line,” Mr Bertil concludes.