Page 21 - Port of Hamburg | Brochure | Port of Hamburg Magazine 2.2020

Power for the world
BEHALA of Berlin uses special lighters to bring Siemens export gas turbines along inland waterways to Hamburg, where these are loaded on to oceangoing vessels and transported to a great variety of countries across the globe. With bulky elements weighing up to 500 tons, that’s quite a challenge.
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They are real giants, 13 metres long and weighing al- most 500 tons: Siemens gas turbines are running world- wide to produce heating and electric power. They are manufactured in the Moabit district of Berlin. BEHALA – Berlin Port & Warehousing – uses a specially designed lighter to transport them by inland waterway to the sea- port for worldwide export. “For us in Berlin, Hamburg is our main destination,” says Klaus-Günter Lichtfuß, Head of Logistics for BEHALA.
The gas turbines are loaded directly on to the oceango- ing vessel at the long-established Hamburg company Wallmann & Co., the heavy cargo specialists. One order, for example, comprises 24 gas turbines to be delivered within two years, for three power stations in Egypt. “We drew up a transport plan for these weighty units so
that we can now deliver the turbines directly from the plant without needing crane transfers. This involves Ro- Ro handling, almost one kilometre by road, then over a ramp on to the inland waterway craft,” he explains. The self-propelled heavy-load module for the road was built for BEHALA by Goldhofer, specialists in heavy vehicles. This has 2 x 12 axles and is therefore easily manoeu- vred.
All the turbines weighing more than 350 tons that Sie- mens exports globally are shipped this way via the Port of Hamburg to their destinations all over the world. There are between 30 and 40 units per year. The lighter requires about a week for the journey from Berlin to the Hanseatic port and back. “If numbers are greater, we need to handle transhipment with the aid of mobile
13 ha
Professionals at the waterfront
Handling and Warehousing
► General cargo ► Iron products
► Heavy lifts ► Steel products
Quay Operation and Warehousing
Wallmann & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG) Pollhornweg 31-39, D-21107 Hamburg Phone: +49(0)40-7 52 07-0
5,5
ha 13m
Port of Hamburg Magazine | September 2020 | 21