SAG mill components on the way from Germany to Africa
Complex oversized mining equipment transport
DSV managed the complex cross-border movement of four oversized Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mill components from Germany to South Africa. Collectively weighing more than 365 tons, the shipment is destined for final delivery to a mine in Africa.
The project builds on DSV’s long-standing experience supporting Africa's mining sector, with specialised expertise in complex logistics, supply chain management and the transportation of oversized mining equipment to operations across the continent.
Each of the four components measures 14 metres long, 5.8 metres wide and 3 metres high, requiring specialised handling and transport throughout the journey.
Managed by DSV in South Africa, the project included a dedicated manager overseeing key loading and handling stages from the manufacturing facility in Germany through to delivery in South Africa and onward to the staging warehouse in Vanderbijlpark. The successful execution of the initial phases was made possible through close collaboration between DSV's teams in South Africa and Germany, with the team in Bremen providing operational expertise, planning support, and local coordination at origin to ensure a seamless start to this complex movement.
The journey began with the components travelling by barge from Papenburg, Germany, to the Port of Hamburg. From there, the cargo was transported by ocean freight to Durban, South Africa, before continuing north on specialised hydraulic multi-axle trailers to Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, for temporary warehousing. From Vanderbijlpark, the shipment will continue onwards to its final destination within the Africa region.
Throughout the movement, DSV has deployed advanced tracking technology to provide live location monitoring, as well as temperature and shock measurements, helping the project team monitor cargo conditions throughout transit.
“This is a typical example of how DSV’s Global Projects and Industry Solutions (DPIS) work together as one project team globally,” said Kris van Heerden, Director, Projects, Mozambique, Namibia and DAS. “A movement of this scale requires detailed planning, from risk management, route planning through to execution, with DSV teams involved throughout the process to ensure a successful end-to-end movement.”
The journey from factory to final destination is expected to take approximately 203 days and involves close coordination with government agencies and logistics stakeholders across Germany and Africa, including customs clearances, special transport permits and police escorts for abnormal-load road movements.
The project demonstrates how DSV’s global network, local expertise and specialist project logistics capabilities come together to manage complex mining movements across international borders.