Concargo Awarded Sishen South Project 63 Loads

Concargo in association with their Strategic Business Partners, was commissioned in November 2009 to handle the transportation of a Bucket Wheel Reclaimer and two Ore Stackers in dismantled form from Saldanha Port to a mine in Postmasburg.

The total shipment weighed in at 840 Tons and measured 6200 cubic metres. A total of 63 trucks were loaded to transport the equipment of which 42 were Abnormal Out-of-Gauge loads, 4 of which are Superloads up to 9.54 metres wide, loaded onto a mix of 100 Ton Lowbeds, Step decks and Extendable trailers. The balance of the loads were made up of Tri-axles and Superlinks truck tractor articulated vehicles.

The mining equipment arrived in Saldanha on 6th November 2009 from the Far East on a special charter vessel and is the biggest project shipment ever handled at Saldanha Port.

The despatching of the Abnormal loads was subject to the issuing of permits by the Department of Transport and Public Works and were staggered in such a way to keep the disruption to general traffic flows to a minimum. The availability of Provincial Traffic Escorts is also a factor we had to contend with. The safety of other road users always being the primary consideration. Route surveys and traffic accommodation plans were carried out prior to the transportation of the larger loads and in the case of the Superloads, periodical closure of the roads was necessary.