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Pipe shipment links Shanghai with San Antonio Este
deugro Spain, working with deugro China and deugro Chartering, has delivered 2,265 coated and concrete pipes from China to Argentina for an industrial project, completing a shipment that tested vessel planning, cargo protection and berth coordination.
The pipes moved from Shanghai to San Antonio Este and included 20 inch, 24 inch, 30 inch and 36 inch diameters. Together, the cargo measured more than 14,600 cbm and weighed more than 10,000 metric tons.
For project cargo teams, this was not just a question of moving steel from one port to another. It was closer to fitting thousands of sensitive pieces into a moving puzzle, where one wrong pressure point could damage coating, delay discharge or affect the wider project schedule.
Chartering pressure shapes the move
The shipment was arranged during a tight charter market, which made vessel availability and flexibility central to the execution. deugro’s chartering team secured an ocean freight solution designed around the client’s timing, cargo sensitivity and quality requirements.
The operational challenge was clear. The pipes had to be loaded, secured, carried and discharged under strict schedules and safety standards. Any delay at the berth, mismatch in cargo sequence or handling error could have affected the project timeline.
Santiago Vaquero, Sales and Business Development Manager at deugro Madrid, said the volume created major challenges in space management, stowage optimization, lashing design and sequential planning.
“Given their sensitivity, the pipes required stringent protection measures, including defined requirements for support, lifting, stacking, and allowable stresses, as well as custom engineered lashing solutions to prevent pressure points and deformation,” Vaquero said.
Cargo protection drives handling plan
The pipes required protection throughout loading, sea transport and discharge. deugro arranged padded slings, certified wooden separators and soft handling methods to protect the coating and structural integrity of the cargo.
Continuous visual checks were also carried out during loading and discharge. For coated steel pipe shipments, this matters because coating damage can lead to repairs, rework and delays before the cargo is accepted for project use.
Stowage was another core issue. The cargo plan had to use vessel space efficiently while maintaining structural integrity and stability. In practical terms, that meant balancing cubic capacity with safe load distribution, secure lashing and access for discharge.
Two suppliers add coordination challenge
The shipment also required consolidation from two different suppliers. One delivered cargo by truck, while the other supplied pipes by barge. That added another layer of planning before the ocean leg could begin.
Juan Andrés Muñoz Luque, Sales Executive at deugro Madrid, said the receipt, consolidation and handling process required close attention and communication between all parties.
“As the cargo was delivered by two different suppliers, one by truck and the other by barge, the receipt, consolidation into a single ocean freight shipment, and subsequent handling of the pipes required exceptional attention to detail, seamless communication, and precise coordination among all parties involved,” Muñoz Luque said.
Loading completed in three days
deugro said its local teams supervised operations at the loading port, while partners at the discharge port coordinated the arrival and unloading sequence. The aim was to avoid berth bottlenecks, idle time and disruption to the planned loading and discharge windows.
The loading operation was completed within the planned three days. Discharge at San Antonio Este was completed within eight days, without unnecessary storage, delays or additional costs for the client.
For the project logistics sector, the result highlights a familiar point: cargo damage is often avoided long before the hook is attached. It starts with supplier coordination, stowage drawings, lifting plans, lashing design and constant communication between shore teams, vessel crew and port operators.
Vaquero said the cargo arrived without coating damage during loading, the ocean voyage or discharge.
“When handling such large quantities, even the smallest mistake can result in damage and render the cargo unusable,” he said. “Throughout this shipment, not a single pipe was damaged.”
