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SAL Heavy Lift and Total Movements Pvt Ltd through SAL’s agents in India – Sai Maritime & Management P.Ltd- were tasked with the shipment of 5100 freight tonnes from Dahej, Gujarat to Mina Zayed for ADNOC and Antwerp for Exxon Mobil back in March 2020.
Due to the Corona pandemic, all manufacturing facilities were shut down to curb the spread of the virus which indefinitely delayed the shipment of 1 Convertor of 25.3 x 5.17 x 5.05 m / 415 mt from Dahej to Mina Zayed and 6 Gofiner reactors of 167 mt each along with accessories to Antwerp which was required urgently at the Refinery site.
However, it was only in end April, when manufacturing was resumed at the shipper’s factory, the negotiations were resumed and a charter party contract was signed for shipment in June.
Total Movements was responsible for turnkey movement from EX-Works to Mina Zayed & Antwerp incluDing all the transportation planning and engineering.
The nominated performing vessel was SAL‘s MV Frauke (SAL Type 176 – geared 2×700 mts SWL) faced rough weather enroute to Dahej due to Cyclone Nisarga and was greeted with heavy rains due to south west monsoons.
Loading was quite a challenge due to swell and tidal range of approx. 8-9 metres during low tide at Dahej port .
The voyage was successfully completed in the committed transit time of 35 days despite 6 port calls en route, delay in the Suez canal crossing and COVID-19 related restrictions at every port.
