Bolloré Logistics, Heavy Lift Transportation of LPG Tank Modules

Bolloré Logistics recently completed two shipments of LPG tank modules for Japanese firm Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI).

KHI’s scope of work on the Ichthys Project Onshore LNG Facilities, together with their consortium partner Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd., consisted of the construction of four cryogenic tanks (two LNG tanks with 165,000 cubic metre capacity each and two LPG tanks - one Propane tank with 85,000 cubic metre capacity and one Butane tank with 60,000 cubic metre capacity) to store the LNG/LPG produced by the plant before they are loaded onto LNG/LPG carriers.

In addition to the transportation of all the materials for the construction of those tanks, which was performed by Bolloré Logistics Japan, KHI contacted our teams to assist with the transportation of large prefabricated modules to be attached to the top of the tanks. The prefabrication of the modules took place in Batam, Indonesia. The modules had to be transported by RORO (roll on / roll off) method on a barge from the manufacturer’s jetty at the Batam fabrication yard to the Module Offloading Facility at the construction site in Darwin, Australia.

The first module (Propane) weighed 535 tons and was 57-meter long, 19-meter wide and 11-meter high.
The second module (Butane) weighted 484 tons and was 53-meter long, 23.5-meter wide and 11.5-meter high.

Both the modules were picked up at the Batam fabrication yard using Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT), with two files of SPMT of 24 and 32 axle lines; loaded onto barge by Roll On method; and stowed and lashed on the barge as per the specifications agreed with the selected carrier and the client. The butane module was stowed at the bow of the barge, while the propane module was stowed at the stern. After lashing and securing had been completed, the barge sailed all the way to Darwin, towed by a tug, based on towing arrangement agreed with the selected carrier and the client.

At the module offloading facility at the construction site, the modules were similarly discharged with SPMT using Roll-Off method.

The teams of Bolloré Logistics from Japan and Singapore which assisted with the arrangements in Batam and Australia were congratulated by the client for a final and impressive job well done and well-coordinated.

The Ichthys Project Onshore LNG Facilities in Darwin is one of the largest construction projects in the world. Bolloré Logistics (formerly known as SDV) has been performing “Integrated Freight Forwarding Services” for the construction of Ichthys LNG onshore facility on account of JKC (a consortium of JGC, KBR & Chiyoda) since 2012, and Bolloré Logistics Japan (previously called “SAGA Japan”) has worked with the KHI and Laing O’Rourke consortium on the Project since 2013.