SPECIFICATION:
5 used (empty) LPG Tanks.
Each LPG :  35.5M  (110’) long  x 4.5M (15’) diameter  GW 98 tonnes

A site visit confirmed 5 “submarine” shaped tanks abandoned to the elements,
stored for several years   - The LPG tanks were all stored in an impressive
row.

They were all partly “submerged” in mounds of aggregate and soil to hold them in position and from a distance looked like abandoned submarines!

“Project Submarine” was born.

THE TASK

Straight forward!…or so we were led to believe. Pick them up transport them within Dublin and deliver to a charter vessel operation and ship them to Port Qasim for eventual delivery to the customer’s Gas facility.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
The LPG tanks had been left in storage for several years. So long that a
access road and fencing had been constructed around the LPG tank location.

What went in couldn’t come out the same way!
The site entrance was restricted. Not accessible for specialist transport.
Solution: Locate heavy lift mobile with sufficient capacity and outreach to lift LPG tanks over the perimeter fence.
A survey of the access road found:
An unmade road.
A hidden 2m ditch covered by vegetation.
Tonnes of illegally dumped debris including lighting columns and wooden sleepers.

Solution Build up road for approx 60m.
Lay hardcore and infill part of ditch.
Clear debris.
On close inspection of the LPG tanks they were found to be constructed in 2 x 17m sections preventing any planned lift before assessment of the original
structure.

Solution Locate manufacturer in Ireland and obtain structural testing assessment.
Seek approval for lifting.

Each tank had both inlet and outlet pipes located at the bottom (not previously declared on specification provided!) To remove or damage them would
compromise their use at destination.

Solution: Draw up specification for steel cradles (10) Manufacture and supply to vessel.

Weld cradles to deck following approval from owners.

2 x 250MT mobiles planned to lift each tank in tandem. This was quickly discounted due to insufficient working area.
Only 2 suitable capacity cranes with outreach available in Ireland, one of which was under long term contract in Northern Ireland.

Solution - relocate 500MT crane from west coast to east coast of Ireland.
With the lifting and transport solutions in place -we hit an environmental snag!
All tanks were encrusted with soil and vegetation following an extended
storage time. Understandably Dublin Port Health and the vessel would not accept cargo.

Solution - Clean them!
Contract High Pressure Washer complete with own water supply, power source and personnel access lift to meet with port health requirements.

With each LPG Tank being stored in a row, the process of transfer from site to transport was prohibitively slow. With each lift tonnes of earth had to be
cleared to allow access for the 500mt mobile.
The crane had to be set up/set down for each move to obtain the outreach
and high pressure cleaning undertaken before the final “pirouette” - a 90
degree turn of each tank and lift over the perimeter fence to transport located on the access road.

Each lift was actually recorded at 110 tonnes, (some 12 tonnes more than declared by the customer!)

With the access road pre-prepared and strengthened using hard core, debris
moved, the ditch in filled and the access gate widened we were ready…so we thought!

By widening the exit for transport access we were presented with a further
problem  …When I undertook the initial survey of the access road for
transport I omitted to notice a storm drain set some 2m to the right of the exit.

Fortunately the initial survey digital photo’s proved to be valuable reference points for our project work.
Reviewed before delivery commenced we averted an almost certain collapse of the drainage system and culvert.
The solution…. and only option available to us without major road
“infrastructure surgery” was to strengthen the drainage system,using large sections of heavy duty steel plate to re-distribute the axle weight over the storm drain section.

Widening the exit still required taking our rear steer tractor and trailer with a combined GW of some 160 tonnes over the storm drain…carefully!

For the delivery we used 2 x multi axle (14 and 8) extendable trailers and heavy duty tractor units to transfer each unit succesfully within Dublin Port estate to the MV Wilma a modern tonnage heavy lift project vessel,built in1997and managed by SAL.

The vessel was equipped with 3 cranes: 2 x 275 mt and 1 x 150mt capacity which were also used in tandem for our loading operation.

With the charter vessel MV Wilma meeting its laycan dates it was necessary to complete some deliveries overnight and to a strict timetable.

Delivery of the steel cradles and welding teams were scheduled to optimize loading operations and avoid vessel demurrage. All of which were achieved.
With hindsight the lifting of phone cables and the re-instatement of street furniture on route, conversely provided us with few problems on the way to accomplishing   “Operation submarine”!
THE OUTCOME

We are pleased to report that this project: many months’ in the planning was successfully delivered and shipped from Dublin to Port Qasim on schedule.

For us all involved in the logistics supply chain and particularly Project cargoes, every project is different.
Redcliffe and the Charles Kendall Group of companies work with like minded, innovative partners with local knowledge and expertise to meet the
expectations of our clients irrespective of the task.
With Projects we “Always expect the unexpected”
Finding solutions are sometimes a little harder to achieve…as in our case study…..However the “flip side” to success would have left us with the possibility of a “submerged submarine”!!

Most definitely not  an option.
For further details please visit our websites:
www.redclf.co.uk
www.charleskendall.com
Trevor Tucker.
Project Development Manager.