Steel rails to South Africa

The Project

The railway logistics were handled via Port Elisabeth, South Africa, with the final destination being Kimberley, South Africa. DREWES Logistics was in charge of the pre- and on-carriage. DREWES Shipping & Chartering chartered and operated special Damen Combi Freighters. These combi freighters have 65-meter hatches and are chiefly designed to transport long project cargo.

Efficient and Safe Railway Lifting and Handling

The lifting of the railways was managed with the vessels onboard cranes, two spreaders, and camlocks which are specially engineered for the lifting of steel rails. The average unloading rate amounted to 2,500 mts per day with lifts of approximately 22 mts. The rails were handled indirectly and directly, with our company being the first to implement indirect handling solutions. The indirect handling via quay was operated with two straddle carriers in tandem, which transported the rails to the intermediate storage area, while the direct handling was lead straight onto railway wagons. The cargo was secured with special metal beams that had been arranged and installed in seven positions to optimize safe transport.