Wind energy has outpaced many aspects of logistics and transportation and has become a big infrastructural problem due to the size, weight and length of today’s wind turbine generators (WTGs). International project and transport forwarder deugro is working on the art of delivering turbines around the globe.

Wind turbines are normally shipped as separate components from the country of manufacture. In Europe, where it all began, trailers have been specifically designed to transport the various components to construction sites. However these trailers are very expensive and often do not suit Australian and New Zealand road conditions.

The size and weight of today’s WTGS has increased considerably in recent times to where they generate more than 3 megawatts, weigh over 100 tonnes and have blades over 52 metres long. The transportation and logistics of these over dimensional and heavy cargoes have had to adapt to and accommodate the challenges associated with shipping, trucking and unloading into remote and difficult locations.

With such large, heavy and long loads, there are many constraints faced in transporting WTGs from overseas factories to the final wind farm site. Constraintsare faced moving WTGs on inland roads, handling and storing them in the port and while stowing them on board a vessel. Many loads also require transportation through a number of State boundaries involving police and road authorities as well as requiring special permits to be transported. All these operations need careful planning and control to get all the plant and equipment to a remote site to build a wind farm.

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A common challenge is finding a sufficient and suitable storage area in the loading and discharge port. This is why outports are often chosen for wind farm projects. These ports are located away from the major traffic hubs and can supply more available space and less traffic congestion. Heavy lift multipurpose vessels offer extra flexibility and independence by loading and discharging the heavy cargoes with a ship’s own gear. Assessing the local infrastructure and conditions in both the export and the import country forms the foundation of successful project planning. Performing comprehensive feasibility studies at the initial planning phase of each project is a basic necessity to determine the most viable transportation solution.

Knowing the importance of doing and evaluating feasibility studies, deugro works to overcome logistical challenges and provides solutions that determine the most efficient way to transport a wind farm project.

The company owns specially built blade and nacelle trailers in China and intends to implement the same in the growing Australian market.

Having established a global wind division with wind energy experts, deugro has created an international network of affiliated offices and personnel in order to meet the high transportation and logistical demands of the wind energy sector. In addition to delivering wind turbine cargoes from the factory to the wind farm, the company can complete final installation and erect wind turbines at the site.