Challenging Times

Hansa Meyer Global, specialists with a focus on the worldwide transport of capital goods in the plant and energy sector across all modes of transport, had already been honoured with the similar “Heavy Lift Award” four years prior. Heavy Lift & Project Forward International Magazine recognised the transport of twelve 160-tonne heat recovery steam generator modules, which were moved from Chile to Bolivia on twelve flights, a feat that was achieved using an Antonov An-225 “Mirja”, the largest transport aircraft in the world at the time. The judges were particularly impressed by how Hansa Meyer Global managed the project’s tight schedule and the engineering prowess required to bring the heavy and urgently needed equipment to such a remote area.

This latest award from BHV – Bremische Hafen- und Logistikvertretung was for a versatile transport frame with a dead weight of 22 tonnes, which the Bremen-based company designed alongside its in-house heavy haul and rigging experts. For oversized heavy-duty consignments with unit weights of up to 200 tonnes, this frame makes it possible, for example, to forego tank bridge equipment or additional hydraulic axles to span a distance of 3.9 metres between the load handling points. “This planning idea shows how the expensive use of special equipment in emerging markets can be reduced intelligently and sustainably,” explained Jan-Dirk Schuisdziara, Managing Shareholder of Hansa Meyer Global. He feels that in-house construction can reduce transport costs, e.g. for large components, by 30 to 40 per cent. “At the same time, mobilisation costs are reduced by up to 75 per cent compared to traditional special equipment – as, too, is the carbon footprint,” Schuisdziara continued.

The Project Logistics Forum organisers and the Project Logistics Award winners (from left): Patrick Rehberg (BHV Board Member), Professor Sven Hermann (Managing Director of ProLog Innovation), Petra Lüdeke (BHV Managing Director), Patric Drewes (BHV Executive Committee Member), Henrique Wohltmann (Managing Shareholder at Hansa Meyer Global) and Jan-Dirk Schuisdziara (Managing Shareholder at Hansa Meyer Global).

Transport architects, custom solutions

“We see ourselves as transport architects,” emphasised Henrique Wohltmann, Managing Shareholder of Hansa Meyer Global, simultaneously stating that every consignment his company transports is an individual customisation. His employees and business partners have almost limitless ideas. However, geographical conditions and the infrastructure can potentially set limits in their day-to-day business. “Tunnels that are too small for the cargo to fit through are always the worst. If you then have to find another solution, it’ll cost you time and money,” explained Wohltmann. This is why, for example, in one project, the decision was made to remove the upper road surface and deflate the trailer’s tyres. This allowed the load to pass through an underpass. “It was precision work, but it was the best possible solution,” Wohltmann recalled.

Hansa Meyer Global doesn’t just do “big and heavy”, it can also do “quick and quiet”. Last year, for example, 250,000 vinyl LPs had to be transported under the strictest secrecy from a pressing facility in Poland to the United States in time for the release date of a famous American rapper’s new album. This was achieved initially by lorry to Leipzig and then by air freight on a Boeing 747 full charter flight to Los Angeles. “We had to make this order, otherwise we’d have had to face the music – literally!” Schuisdziara said with a smile. “We got the remaining 750,000 albums to the USA by ocean-going vessel without any pressure.”

The two experts are not quite so relaxed about the future and the past few years. “Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have affected us too. But the big slump we were expecting didn’t come. 2023 was just as stable as 2017 and 2018,” summarised Wohltmann. In his opinion, the biggest problems of the past four years have been the “extreme uncertainty in the market and the unpredictable fluctuations in transport costs”. Where the low water situation in the Panama Canal and the current situation in the Red Sea are concerned, however, Schuisdziara feels uneasy. “We’re facing challenging times yet again. And there could be the same uncertainty in the market that we experienced just recently.” However, he and his colleague are much more positive about the project logistics market than the current global situation. “It’ll come back, I’m sure of it, and it’ll come back properly,” said Wohltmann. “Construction projects are on the rise again and increasingly more renewable energy projects are being realised.” In this context, the two have set their sights, in particular, on four destinations as target markets for the coming years – Saudi Arabia, West Africa, Brazil and Mexico. (bre)