Larsen & Toubro Limited
Careful planning transforms big move into smooth sailing
Transport four transformer substations to an island off the Abu Dhabi Port, where no heavy lift cargo had been moved before. Each substation comprised 125 tons of transformers and accessories: too heavy for road access and difficult by sea.
Larsen & Toubro Limited is India’s largest engineering and construction conglomerate and handles projects all over the world. ECC – the Engineering Construction & Contracts Division of L&T – is India’s largest construction organization, covering every discipline of construction: civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering. Many of India’s prized landmarks have been built by ECC. Larsen & Toubro has operated in Abu Dhabi for 10 years.
Challenge
Saadiyat Island is a 27-square-kilometer natural island—half the size of Bermuda—and lies only 500 meters offshore of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirate’s capital city. Saadiyat Island is being developed into a signature leisure and residential destination and represents one of the most important development opportunities in Abu Dhabi’s history.
The island can be reached by road and sea. Normal cargo and truckloads not exceeding 90 tons can be driven to the island without any problems. Access by sea—a distance of 12 nautical miles—is very challenging: there are only three jetties, designed for small passenger ships and for small barges, tugs, etc., but no cargo movements have taken place before.
Due to the weight of the Larsen & Toubro shipment—four shipments of transformers and equipment each totaling 125 tons—the move had to be made by sea.
Solution
A number of project companies were asked by Larsen & Toubro to participate in the bid process. While competitors submitted outlines of the move, BDP Project Logistics provided a complete feasibility study and a detailed report, which covered every stage of the move.
“Our report emphasized that the transformers could not be moved by road,” said Thaddeus Joymon, General Manager for BDP Project Logistics based in Dubai. “We had to transport the cargo by sea. BDP Project Logistics provided studies for each step of the move—jetty, mooring, berth, land strength, as well as a route survey.”
The initiative to provide a feasibility study and report was appreciated by Larsen and Toubro and resulted in BDP being awarded the project. The contract calls for BDP Project Logistics to move a total of eight transformers, beginning with the initial shipment of four.
“We selected BDP Project Logistics because of their professional approach and their past record,” said Debash Biswas, Project Manager for the ECC Division of Larsen & Toubro. “BDP’s feasibility study and detailed report helped during the selection process—they told us how they were going to handle the project.”
While it can vary from project to project, the primary capabilities Mr. Biswas looks for when selecting project logistics resources are job knowledge, local presence and know-how, the providers’ attitude towards the project, and quoted price, he said.
Overcoming obstacles
Although the distance from Abu Dhabi Port to Saadiyat Island is only 12 nautical miles, the move had to be made over an undersea gas pipeline, shallow water, and a high-tension wire across the channel entering into TDIC Jetty, which was near the Larsen and Toubro site.
Compounding the challenge, during the last three miles of the sea trip to the jetty, where the offloading of the cargo was to take place, the channel was very narrow. For most of the final miles of the move, the channel width was only 80-100 meters. Also, the minimum draft available was 4.1 meters. At certain places the depth was as low as 1.5 meters. There was no room for error.
“There were no buoys in the channel and it was very difficult even to see the nautical readings,” Joymon pointed out. “The nautical map used by the ship captains in the area does not even show a channel.”
The detailed marine survey conducted by BDP Project Logistics recommended a specific type of craft to perform the job, a length of not more than 50 meters and a superstructure height of 18 meters. “Our experience suggested we select a landing craft,” Joymon added. “We could not use a barge because of the underwater current, the width of the channel. And using a barge would have required two tugs to hold the barge, which would have increased our client’s costs.” Another cost-saving step by BDP Project Logistics was to find a suitable landing craft that could carry at least two transformers at a time.
The landing craft specification was submitted for approval to the client, who then applied for berthing permission. After the paperwork was completed, Joymon and his team developed the plan for the physical movement of the shipment. The “Load Plan” was:
1. Transformers placed on beams and stools at port
2. Load the transformers from stools on to trailer
3. Perform Roll-on/Roll-off operation
“Heavy port congestion in Abu Dhabi delayed obtaining a berth for the landing craft at first and BDP Project Logistics staff had to manage some difficulties with the local jetty management,” said Virendra Sehgal, Regional Director for BDP Project Logistics in Dubai. Permission had to be sought from five individual offices. “And due to the steep incline the roll-on operation could not take place at the RO/RO Jetty at Abu Dhabi, so we had to select a standard berth,” Virendra added. “This meant we had to bring the landing craft vertical and the ramp had to open at the berth.” A lot depended on the tide, as the ramp could only be brought alongside of the landing craft at high tide for loading.”
Once the cargo was safely on board, BDP Project Logistics staff lashed the cargo, fastened the trailers and made the craft ready for sailing. BDP had surveyed the channel a second time, before moving the transformers, to ensure there were no problems.
The move was successfully completed and the transformers moved to Larsen & Toubro’s specified lay-down area.
“The BDP team provided services in right earnest.” Mr. Biswas stated. “The transparency provided by BDP staff during the entire procedure assisted us in tracking and helping us to make decisions and what actions to take throughout the process.”
“We have faith in the services of BDP Project Logistics,” Mr. Biswas added, “and look forward to further business relations with them in future projects. Now we know their capabilities.”
“Our interest is in meeting our customer’s requirements and we will do whatever is required to achieve the results our customers expect,” Virendra summed up.