Lüderitz silences the sceptics

Namibian ports are serving
renewable energy projects in
South Africa.
“Of note was the heaviest
shipment of plant equipment that
was ever offloaded at Namibia’s
southern port of Lüderitz,” he
adds.
Manica subsidiary, Lüderitz
Bay Shipping and Forwarding
(LBSF), handled the clearing
and forwarding of this hefty load
weighing 335 metric tons.
The first shipment was made up
of two heat exchangers, followed by
the offloading of a steam turbine
(143t) and generator (108t).
These parts are used in the
construction of the Khi and Kaxu
solar plants erected at Pofadder
and near Upington in the Northern
Cape.
In the latest shipment a steam
accumulator had to be lifted with
two 1000t cranes.
According to the general
manager of LBSF, John Gillham,
Lüderitz was the preferred choice
to offload the parts, despite some
concerns by the clients.
“The overriding factor was the
favourable and less congested
route. So they opted for Lüderitz.
However, there was scepticism
about the port of Lüderitz and our
ability to handle such a heavy load.
“We were able to offload this
large consignment within two
hours, having stabilised the vessel
with a port tug. The client was
impressed with the operations and
advised that future shipments of
this nature would be headed for
Luderitz,” he added.
This unusual cargo also caught
the attention of the local media,
as the load almost covered the
full width of the road. A special
70-metre-long and five-metre-wide
trailer with 28 axles and 336 tyres
was used to carry the load.
Three high-power trucks with
their own drivers pushed and
pulled the trailer, driving at speeds
of 10 to 20km/h.