Playing our role in generating wind power

Seven role-players, a busy harbour, high winds and excessive swells were among the elements DSV Projects had to navigate to offload thirteen windmills from a ship in Saldanha Bay.

We had been contracted to arrange the offloading from a large charter MV vessel “Da Kang v.38” .

Once the necessary documentation was in place, we obtained the necessary customs release for the 165 pieces of breakbulk and 20 containers, 5104,5 tons – 42062.00 CBM of complete windmills.

The vessel had to remain anchored for two weeks because of harbour congestion, and then the operation took ten days once we started – and this included various weather induced delays.

The lifting of all abnormal pieces – 60m blades, and the heaviest pieces weighing 72 tons – had to take place during daylight, and the different sizes and weights of the items made offloading a precise and tedious operation – which was completed without any incident.

Once the cargo was offloaded into a lay-down area in the port, transporter ALE took over to deliver the windmills to Swellendam, where a windfarm is being built.
The project – the third of its kind, but the largest by far – demonstrated our ability to coordinate many role-players in a significant exercise and meet deadlines and expectations.

The role-players included Goldwind (the importer); ALE (transporter from Saldanha Bay to Swellendam); DSV (customs clearance, port charges and supervision); AR Brink (warranty surveyor appointed by Goldwind’s client); Rennies (ship’s agent in Saldanha for Cosco); BPO (stevedoring) and Transnet (landing orders, cargo dues, berthing schedule).