Bertling Logistics has shipped an oversized Nitrogen Generation Package from The Netherlands to China. Successfully solving a last-minute challenge, the project was completed through a combined approach of Bertling’s Bremen, China and Singapore office.

The nitrogen package weighed 19.3 tonnes and measured 6.13 by 5.83 by 3.68 metres. It was manufactured in Haaksbergen in the Netherlands for one of Bertling’s long-standing oil and gas clients. From there, it had to be transported to Dalian in China.

The project was managed from the Bertling Singapore Control Tower, with Bertling Bremen handling the FOB scopes and transport to the port of Rotterdam while Bertling China was responsible for the logistics at the receiving end.

The transport from Haaksbergen to the port of Rotterdam was managed by Bertling’s operations executive Zaur Mansurov and his team, who spent two months planning the fastest route and obtaining the right permits. However, the team had to solve a last-minute challenge to complete the delivery in time.

Last-minute challenge

“The cargo was very wide and high but after carrying out several route surveys we found the best and fastest route to deliver the cargo to the port. This route included a tunnel with a maximum height allowance of 4.15 metres”, says Mansurov.

The cargo was planned to have a height of 3.5 metres and the lowloader would add 30 centimetres, so transport through the tunnel would fit easily and Bertling obtained a permit for a transport up to 4 metres high.

“However, two days prior to the planned departure, the shipper informed us that the package was 28 centimetres higher than anticipated. This would bring the total height of the transport to 4.08 metres, which meant we would exceed the limits of the permit and hardly have any clearance left in the tunnel creating unacceptable cargo and safety risks”, says Mansurov.

Together with his team, Mansurov found a solution to the problem by either removing the legs of the packaging or repackaging the cargo altogether. “We were informed that the original packer would not be able to complete this in time, meaning the entire transport was jeopardized”, says Mansurov. “We quickly offered to redo the packaging ourselves through one of our approved suppliers in the Netherlands but after consulting with the original packer they agreed to remove the legs of the packaging for us. With this alteration the total height of the transport amounted to 3.98 metres, just enough to safely navigate the tunnel”, Mansurov says.

Container vessel

The cargo was finished just 24 hours ahead of departure and transported to the port of Rotterdam overnight. There it was loaded on a container vessel of Cosco Shipping to make its way to Dalian.

“In this case, using a container vessel provided the most cost-effective solution as well as the fastest transit time, which was important to our client”, concludes Mansurov.