It’s about being at the right place at the right time. SAL’s Type 183 MV Lone (built March 2011 – 12,500 mts DWT – cranes 2 x 1,000 m tons SWL – fitted with DP2) was the perfect match for the movement of 3 fully assembled used mobile harbour cranes to be shipped from New Mangalore to Kakinada and Visakhapatnam.
MV Lone was passing West Coast India en route to her next employment in the Far East when the opportunity to take on this shipment came up. Quick fixture negotiations through SAL’s Indian partner Sai Maritime resulted in a win-win situation for the carriers and merchants.
Necessary approvals from INSA and the Directorate-General of Shipping were in place in a matter of a few days, thanks to the online application procedures.
The vessel arrived at New Mangalore on May 30, 2017, berthed on arrival and was ready for loading within 24 hours after all due preparations were made by the super-efficient crew.
The first crane LHM 400 with a main unit weight of 413 m tons was loaded and secured, followed in quick succession by a second similar Liebherr crane. All counterweights were removed for sea transport.
Extra precautions and due diligence were taken to ensure that both cranes were lashed and secured for the voyage, which was expected to be rough due to the approaching South West monsoon.
The third crane LHM 550 was loaded at Kakinada to be discharged at Visakhapatnam.
The entire voyage was completed in 14 days and the charterers were extremely happy with the vessel’s performance.
SAL vessels regularly ply along the Indian coast, transporting project cargo which sometimes cannot be transported by road due to over dimension/overweight. Shipping these heavy lift cargoes on a specialised heavy lift vessel is a safer and more efficient means of transport.
Sai Maritime & Management (P.) Ltd, General Agent in India for SAL since the past three decades, is the exclusive broker for SAL tonnage and handles port agency for all SAL vessels calling India[/vc_column_text]
