deugro has commenced the first in a series of intricate cable drum deliveries for the SuedOstLink, one of Germany’s essential projects supporting the country’s energy transition. The SuedOstLink, managed by transmission system operator TenneT TSO GmbH, is designed to move renewable electricity from northern and eastern Germany to Bavaria and vice versa, strengthening the infrastructure needed to sustain the shift to cleaner energy sources. This large-scale effort, projected to span over three-and-a-half years, involves transporting more than 800 cable drums, each weighing up to 86 metric tons and measuring over 10 meters in length
These cable drums, housed at deugro-operated yards in Kelheim and Regensburg, are set to travel to 120 locations across Bavaria, facing logistical and geographical challenges every step of the way. “Due to the involvement of many different parties already in the planning and preparation phases, it was essential to coordinate and understand the other stakeholders’ needs,” noted Simon Junker, Head of Cable Projects – Renewable Energy at deugro Germany. The collaborative groundwork included multiple workshops and meetings to synchronize logistics with local stakeholders, many of whom had no previous experience with the complexities of specialized transports.
Transporting the cable drums across Bavaria’s variable topography poses significant hurdles. With the drums’ cylindrical shape and substantial weight, deugro has designed a unique transport and unspooling setup. The cable drums will remain on their transport configuration during unspooling, supported by rollers that allow the drums to rotate smoothly. This custom-built device ensures that the steel drums can unspool efficiently while reducing the friction typically involved in load securing. To stabilize the load during transit, deugro worked with partners to devise a secure, adjustable load fit using chains.
Given Bavaria’s hilly landscape and infrastructure limitations, specialized route preparations were required to manage the equipment’s size. Throughout the transport routes, civil engineering modifications—such as street widening, turn adjustments, and removal of height obstacles—are necessary to ensure a clear path for these heavy transports. Additionally, traffic management solutions like removing or bypassing traffic lights, rerouting around bridges, and temporarily raising power lines are all in play.
For approximately half of the cable drum deliveries, an extra logistical step is involved. As the transport vehicles, spanning about 40 meters in length, cannot pass through narrow village streets, the drums must be transferred onto self-propelled trailers or low-bed trailers for the final leg of the journey. This transloading process, essential for nearly 50% of the drums, will occur both on the journey to construction sites and for return trips, where the drums will still weigh roughly 10 metric tons. In total, deugro anticipates over 2,400 specialized transports, each requiring specific permits and escort vehicles.
The SuedOstLink project stands out for the sheer volume of resources and expertise involved. “The sheer size of the project with the utilization of so much special equipment in parallel makes SuedOstLink unique for deugro,” said Junker. This vast endeavor represents not only a logistical feat but also a critical step forward in Germany’s energy transition, underscoring the collaborative efforts needed to overcome complex transport and regulatory challenges in the coming years.
