Vanguard moves 360 tonne stator

Vanguard has completed the transport and installation of a 360 tonne stator from Wroclaw to Matla Power Station, delivering the unit through a complex multi modal operation spanning Europe and Africa.

The project ran from September 2025 to March 2026 and involved rail, sea and heavy road transport, alongside final on site installation. The stator was first moved from Wroclaw to the Port of Gdansk using a specialised Schnabel wagon configuration designed for oversized cargo handling.

At Gdansk, the unit was transferred to a temporary handling area using a jacking system before shipment to Port of Richards Bay. Despite a port embargo in South Africa at the time of arrival, Vanguard maintained the schedule by using its own laydown facility within the port area.

The stator was discharged using self propelled modular transporters in a 10 axle four file configuration before beginning a 700 kilometre overland journey to Matla Power Station on a 24 axle trailer setup.

Transport through KwaZulu Natal presented major logistical challenges due to steep gradients, demanding terrain and severe weather conditions. Four trucks were required to push and pull the load through sections of the route commonly known as the valley of 1000 hills. Heavy storms and difficult road conditions extended the overland phase to around three weeks.

At site, Vanguard completed the final positioning using SPMTs before lifting and installing the stator with an 800 tonne hydraulic gantry system. The operation required precise engineering and coordination due to limited space within the power station.