AAL Shipping (AAL) recently transported important Toshiba power station components from China and Japan to Queensland, Australia. The shipment was for DB Schenker, a global logistics provider, and aimed to repair the Callide Power Station. The project, worth USD 200 million, aimed to fix damaged turbines and restore the coal-fired power plant to full capacity. Previous failures had caused widespread power outages in Queensland.
AAL was chosen for the project due to its strong track record with Toshiba cargoes, its long-standing relationship with DB Schenker, and the reliability of its monthly ‘Asia-East Coast Australia Liner Service’ that carried the cargo. The initial cargo included a 270-tonne transformer and 600CBM of accessories, loaded onto AAL’s vessel ‘AAL Singapore’ in the Port of Shanghai. The cargo was destined for the Port of Gladstone in Queensland, where the transformer would be unloaded onto a barge and transported to shore.
During the loading process in China, the client requested AAL Singapore to deviate to Yokohama, Japan, to load additional accessories for the same project. AAL gladly accommodated the request. Furthermore, AAL was also engaged to use its heavy lift cranes to transfer a 276-tonne generator stator from the wharf to a waiting barge. The operations were carried out smoothly.
The challenges faced included complex heavy lift operations, transfers between shore and ship, and meeting various delivery deadlines. Discharging the cargo was only possible during daylight hours, as precise positioning of the transformer and generator stator onto Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT) on the barge was necessary.
All the components were ultimately transported by road for the final 100 kilometers to the Callide Power Station in central Queensland. The entire journey covered nearly 9,000 kilometers. The project was completed on time and without any issues, ensuring that the power station could proceed with its vital repairs without delay.
