December 8 - As part of a new project, more than 15,000 tonnes of installation equipment was moved on self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) using KAMAG and SCHEUERLE transport technology.

This is the heaviest load ever to be transported by SPMTs claim the two equipment manufacturers.

The process took place in the Aker Stord shipyard at Leirvik, Norway. The objective was to transport an oil separator installation for the wastewater treatment operations of Aker Solutions from the production plant onto a nearby pontoon.

With three sections, the middle one alone weighing 12,750 tonnes, the oversize dimensions of the separator made it very difficult to transport. The Belgian heavy haulage specialist, Sarens, carried out this part of the project.

KAMAG shipped 356 axle lines of modular transporters and 16 Power Packs to Norway for use in the project, with sister company, SCHEUERLE, providing an additional 184 SPMT axle lines and 6 Power Packs, rented from heavy haulage specialist Mammoet.

The KAMAG and SCHEUERLE modular transporters (SPMTs) were then coupled together electronically and driven using remote control technology under the load, which was then raised to the required driving height, again through the use of remote-controlled operations.

Following a breathtaking 160 m journey from the production plant to the pontoon, precise operations were called for in positioning the enormous three sections of the oil separator installation adjacent to each other.