RENEWABLES: LOGISTICS 335 tons abnormal load on route from Lüderitz to Northern Cape From Door to Shore to Site: The logistic journey of renewable technology In conversation with ESI Africa’s content editor Ashley Theron, Chairman Giuseppe Arnoldi of Global Logistics Alliance (GLA) identifies some of the logistical challenges involved when transporting utility-scale renewable material from point of pick up to on-site assembly. H ow does a utility-scale renewable generation plant physically come to fruition; what are the challenges? ESI Africa posed this question to Arnoldi, placing emphasis on logistical decisions when setting specific milestones for a project. TRANSPORTING “ABNORMAL” LOADS Concentrated Solar Power (CSP technology such as steam accumulators, transformers, heat exchangers etc. are classified as abnormal items when it comes to transport and require a detailed expert blueprint for transportation. With speed and cost a key priority for freighting companies, Arnoldi says: “By way of example, GLA requested that the shipment of two heat exchangers from France – expected for delivery at the KaXu CSP plant in Pofadder in the Northern Province – be docked in Lüderitz. Compared to Cape Town or Saldanha the route is a lot quicker and if the cargo is shipped to Lüderitz port in Namibia the road to Pofadder is straight with limited obstacles such as bridges, mountain passes, overhead cables etc. This is a key consideration!” WHAT TO DO WHEN OBSTACLES OCCUR? With abnormal loads, freighting vehicles usually travel no faster than 30km/h. A route survey is done prior to the project to scan the environment for any obstacles such as low lying electrical lines or low clearance bridges. Should such ostacles be identified, the local utilities and telecommunication companies need to be contacted to temporarily remove the obstructions. Should a high voltage line need to be moved the local utility would need to disconnect it from the 74 230 tons unit on route from Lüderitz to the Northern Cape main electricity grid – this could interrupt the daily routines within the affected local community. Therefore clear and transparent communication with all parties involved is necessary. According to Arnoldi, in Keetmanshoop in the Karas region of southern Namibia, a 110 meter freighting truck could not manoeuvre around a traffic circle – the solution was to build a diversion road. Another example involved the restructuring of the Lüderitz port entrance to allow the heavy load trucks a clear entrance and exit. The port entrance then had to be returned back to its original structural size once the job was completed. The costs incurred when divergent routes are built or infrastructure needs to be changed are initially charged to the party who requests the route clearance (usually the transporter), who then bills the client. PERMITS AND ENGINEERING SKILLS The entire transport route is precisely mapped out by a team of qualified engineers, from the manufacturing facility up until the installation on-site. For the purpose of safety, the transporter does not offload any materials from the shipping vessels unless supplied with the engineering drawings, which illustrate the full details of the cargo such as weight, dimensions, center of gravity etc.) A route survey is conducted on the exact route at least 3-4 months prior to the operation to identify any obstacles and possible solutions. During this survey the transporter will request a route clearance from the various municipalities and authorities who will submit these requests to their engineers. When transporting very large pieces, the local municipalities/authorities require the transporter to purchase a permit. However, Arnoldi cautions that, for very large/abnormal items, the acquisition of permits is currently not regulated. Negotiations with the relevant authorities are therefore advisable as there is no standard pricing in place. CONCLUSION In order for a power project to be successful in reaching each milestone, the logistics requirements need to be strategically mapped out. With renewable technology already having high attributed costs, it is crucial to the project’s budget that additional costs due to negligent acts be avoided. Ultimately, it is the transporter’s responsibility to map out an ideal route and in their interests to take all safety precautions as it is the transporter who will be held liable for any damages incurred along the route. ESI ESI AFRICA ISSUE 2 2015