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Robert Wynn and Sons Ltd becomes first shipping company to deliver cargo via River Forth to Alloa in over 60 years
The company’s unique heavy-lift roll-on/roll-off barge, Terra Marique, has become the first commercial vessel to transit the River Forth through the iconic Kincardine and Clackmannanshire bridges en route to Alloa.
In an operation that has been ten months in the planning, the 80m x 16.5m barge, specifically designed to operate on inland waterways and offload without the need for significant onsite infrastructure, has successfully carried out five consecutive transits of the Forth, loading at Forth Ports Rosyth and proceeding to the offloading site on the outskirts of Alloa.
Nine pieces were carried in total, with a combined weight of 941te, with the largest piece being 56m in length, 6m in diameter and weighing 187te.
All cargo was loaded onto specialist transport provider Mammoet’s Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) and rolled off in an operation that took less than 90 minutes to complete.
Timings on the project were critical. Navigation through the bridges was planned to the minute due to the tidal variations on the Forth and Robert Wynn and Sons – working for Kestrel Liner Agencies – assembled a bespoke crew and engineers for their expertise on the Forth.
Robert Wynn & Sons General Manager Andy Manners, who coordinated the operation, said: “While the Terra Marique is purpose-built for such operations, there are a number of factors unique to this project that have meant that detailed planning and collective working was required to successfully carry out such a complex operation. Our engineers, crew and those from Kestrel, Forth Logistics, Class 1 Maritime, GSS and Coastworks all worked tirelessly together to ensure this project was delivered as planned.”
Des Nott, Head of Break Bulk and Projects at Kestrel Liner Agencies, commented: “We worked with Robert Wynn and Sons for some ten months preparing to deliver nine very large items, too big to be carried on UK roads. Among the many challenges was that the river had seen no commercial traffic for some sixty years. After an exhaustive study, we were able to agree a workable solution and made five successful trips on the River Forth, to deliver the items directly into site. It was truly a pleasure to work with such an accomplished and professional team. The command and crew of the Terra Marique were also exceptional and gave a good demonstration of complex logistics looking easy.”
Published On: 22/06/2023 12:00:00
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