DIMOTRANS Group subsidiary DT PROJECT at the helm of an unusual transport operation

8.60 m high (the height of a three-storey building), 8.50 m wide and 18 m long – these are the dimensions of the exceptional convoy orchestrated by DT Project, the project division of DIMOTRANS Group.

The crystalliser designed and manufactured by France Evaporation left the port of Shanghai on 13 December and was transhipped to Fos-sur-mer on 28 January. It was then loaded onto a barge to travel up the Rhône and then the Saône. In the next few days, it will reach Chalon-sur-Saône to be delivered by road in the Jura.

In Rhodesian memory, this is one of the largest convoys ever transported on the river.

In total, this titanium behemoth will have travelled almost 18,000 km from China!

A sensitive stage was reached on Tuesday 31 January in Lyon with a delicate passage under the Kitchener Bridge, which was almost a feat, since only a few centimetres separated the top of the tank from the bridge arch.

“ We had to consider ballasting the barge by 1,300 tonnes so that it would sink and be able to cross the bridge, which only has a maximum height of 6 metres under the structure” explains Bruno Kenner, Managing Director of DT Project.

From Fos, whether by river or road, it was an extremely technical and meticulous route that had to be planned for this extra-ordinary expedition.

Whether it is in the meticulous coordination of the various participants and means of transport, or in the anticipation of routing constraints (engineering structures, power lines, etc.), this type of operation does not tolerate any error or negligence.

Indeed, in addition to being an unusual package, this crystallizer is also a technological engineering jewel.

Behind this expedition are the DT PROJECT teams, experts in the complete organisation of the transport of industrial projects – from the point of manufacture to the destination sites – but also the rigorous know-how of a whole army of specialised participants: engineering office, slingers, crane operators, boatmen, transporters…

“The combination of know-how also allows us to participate in a great French industrial adventure and we are collectively very proud of this” concludes B. Kenner.

This is a fine demonstration of the DIMOTRANS Group subsidiary DT Project’s know-how in organising and coordinating multi-modality on unusual projects.

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Photo credit : KodaDrone