Multipurpose carrier AAL Shipping has delivered a 330-tonne transformer to Dover in the UK. The unit will be installed at the Sellindge Substation redevelopment project which is part of the UK National Grid.
The transformer and associated components were delivered aboard the Super B-class vessel AAL Antwerp, having been loaded in Taicang, China. En route, the ship called at Taichung and Nantong to collect steel frames and several barges.
After navigating the Cape of Good Hope and through the English Channel, the barges were discharged in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and then the steel frames in Cuxhaven, Germany. The transformer was delivered to Dover, prior to a final discharge operation in Antwerp, Belgium.
Each Super B-class vessel has a dwt of 32,000 and cargo intake capacity of 90,000 freight tons, as well as three heavy lift cranes with tandem lifting capability of 700 tonnes – with some boosted to 800 tonnes.
“The port of Dover is a strategic gateway into the UK,” said John Pittalis, global head of marketing and communications, AAL Shipping. “With the launch of our new Super B-class fleet, expanded tonnage capabilities and increasing sailing frequency, we’ve seen a sharp rise in calls to the region – particularly in support of national energy infrastructure projects across both its renewable and conventional sectors.”
Emma Ward, chief operations officer at the port of Dover, added: “This milestone highlights the port’s capability to handle some of the world’s most advanced heavy-lift vessels and complex project cargo operations. The successful delivery of the 330-tonne transformer and associated components marks an important step in strengthening the UK’s energy infrastructure.”
Last month, HLPFI reported that AAL Shipping had delivered its final shipment for the Wambo wind farm in Queensland, Australia.
