Stopping over in Strasbourg
Many northeastern French plants that produce large turbines as well as steel constructions are ensuring that the inland of Strasbourg loads ever-more heavy shipments. In 20port 15 the hub handled 250 such consignments.
The first of these tasks was carried out as long ago as March 2014. In July / August 2015 a second one followed, and in July 2016 it was that time of the year again for the inland port of Strasbourg on the river Rhine – a gas turbine manufactured in the French plant of the US giant General Electric in Belfort was shipped through the Rhine Europe Terminals (RET) in Strasbourg on its long journey to Pakistan. The consignment, which weighed more than 370 t and was 109 m long, was loaded onto a river barge on the Rhine. It sailed for Antwerp, where the load was transferred to a ship for the journey to the Subcontinent.
It was not only the shipment’s great weight that represented a bit of a challenge for the terminal, a RET spokesperson said, but also its extraordinary length, which was a major issue, especially on the 160 km overland leg of the transport from Belfort to Strasbourg. The freight was lashed between two trailers for the transport and hauled to the terminal with the help of four lorries. The next leg of the journey to Antwerp was managed by a logistics enterprise that specialises in such heavylift tasks.
The numerous manufacturers of turbines and boilers that are based in northeastern France have made the shipment of heavy consignments a major business segment for the inland port of Strasbourg. 2015 saw the hub handle no less than 250 such projects.
Heavy shipments can be loaded and discharged in Rhine Europe Terminals’ two gateways on the river. The southern facility in Strasbourg can manage to transport loads of up to 460 t. The centre’s next heavylift task is on the horizon – it has been pencilled in for September.
The port of Strasbourg’s northern gateway is located in the village of Lauterbourg, around 60 km to the north, on the border with Germany. This facility offers its customers a ro-ro ramp and a crane that can lift up to 200 t.
