Since the end of last month when BigRoll Beaufort sailed into the Port of Rotterdam heavy lift operations have been taking place at the at Steinweg Pier 6 in the Waalhaven. Four floating sheerlegs from Bonn & Mees and HEBO Maritiemservice, each with six to eight employees, have been active for a whole week.

Bonn & Mees and HEBO Maritiemservice were commissioned by the RensenDriessen shipyard in Zwijndrecht, to unload a total of 14 ship hulls.

“Saving the heaviest load for last,” says Peter Leenheer, managing director of Bonn & Mees. “These are the largest ships, one of which is 135 meters long and 17.5 meters wide. The hull weighs eighteen hundred tons,” he said.

Leenheer further noted that the company unloaded the cargo on Friday November 4, marking it the third such job Bonn & Mees have completed for RensenDriessen.

Port of Rotterdam’s versatility

The shipment demonstrates the strength of the port of Rotterdam, says Twan Romeijn. Business Manager Breakbulk & Offshore at Port of Rotterdam. “It also shows that we have everything here to carry out such a project: of course the floating sheerlegs from Bonn & Mees and HEBO Maritiemservice, the deep and wide water at the Steinweg site and all maritime & logistics service providers that are needed. The HLPC is truly a unique segment within the entire breakbulk segment. We are therefore really proud of such unique projects in Rotterdam. Last month we welcomed the Sun Rise with 13 hulls, now 14 hulls on the Rolldock Beaufort and another shipment is planned for February 2023!”

The Port Coordination Center (HCC) is of course closely involved in the project on behalf of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “They had to approve the mooring plan, and they see to it that everything is safe and well organised.”

After unloading, the hulls go to shipyards in the Drechtsteden, where the ships are completed. “A small number of these ships always sail to the yard with a tugboat and a pusher boat,” Leenheer indicates.

Matador 3 set for technical refit before the new job

Bonn & Mees is made aware of the transport long before the ship with the hulls leaves China. “Then you also know that you have 45 days for all the preparations. You never know exactly because of the weather conditions,” Leenheer said.

He now knows that the next set of hulls for RensenDriessen will be in Rotterdam in February. “But first, our floating trestle Matador 3, with a lifting capacity of 1800 tons, will be briefly taken out of service for a technical refit. But it will definitely be available again in time.”