Zagrebtrans is transporting 81.5-metre wind turbine blades from the Croatian port of Ploče to a wind farm near Tomislavgrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina using three Faymonville FlexMAX 2+4 self-steering combinations equipped with blade adapters – the first of their kind in the Balkans.
Each rotor blade weighs 26 tonnes and is transported over approximately 140 kilometres through challenging terrain. Ploče has developed into an important transshipment hub for wind energy components as renewable energy development continues to expand across Southeastern Europe.
After being lifted from their storage frames at the port, the blades are loaded onto the Faymonville FlexMAX combinations before the convoys depart after nightfall.
The most demanding sections come after leaving the motorway, particularly around the Čaporice junction and on the route towards Trilj, where tight curves require precise manoeuvring.
“The long combinations must be guided through tight curves with great precision. The remote steering of a self-steering axle system is extremely helpful here,” said Frano Šarić, Director of Operations & Engineering at Zagrebtrans.
The Faymonville FlexMAX configuration reduces blade overhang and provides the manoeuvrability required to negotiate roundabouts and avoid roadside obstacles. Its hydraulic stroke also provides additional ground clearance when crossing crests, obstacles and other challenging sections of the route.
After crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina, the convoy encounters further narrow curves and hilly terrain before reaching the wind farm. One of the final challenges is a 90-degree turn leading directly to the unloading location.
The three new FlexMAX combinations expand Zagrebtrans’ capabilities for increasingly large wind turbine components as wind energy investment continues across the Balkans.
