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International Forwarding Association Blog » Sea freight in Europe » Handling Oversized Cargo with Specialized Maritime Vessels

Handling Oversized Cargo with Specialized Maritime Vessels

Specialized maritime vessels are equipped to handle various types of heavy and oversized cargo in sea freight in Europe. Heavy lift ships, windfarm installation vessels, and open-top container ships each offer unique features tailored to meet specific operational demands and logistical challenges.

 

Heavy Lift Vessels

Heavy lift ships are used for transporting exceptionally large items such as industrial machinery, oversized vehicles, and construction components that exceed the capabilities of standard shipping methods.

These ships are designed with cranes that have a lifting capacity of up to 3,000 tons. This capability allows them to lift extremely heavy loads that standard port equipment cannot handle. Moreover, heavy-duty cranes can move cargo directly from the pier onto the ship which eliminates the need for intermediate handling. Such ships may also feature hatches or openings on the deck that are larger and allow for large items to be smoothly moved in and out of the ship. Additionally, heavy lift ships have large, unobstructed deck areas to ship oversized cargo that cannot fit into standard container dimensions.

Some ships also have several permanent decks stacked vertically. Each deck can be used for a specific type of cargo to enable specialized securing methods tailored to the requirements of each item. Distributing different cargo types across separate decks also allows the ship to optimize space usage and maintain proper weight distribution.

In addition to multiple decks, heavy lift ships also use interlocking steel platforms or panels to set up temporary decks. These can be stacked on top of each other and come with adjustable features like hydraulic lifts or sliding systems for raising and lowering. This setup helps to fit cargo of various sizes.

 

Wind Turbine Installation Vessels

These vessels are engineered to transport and install components of offshore wind farms, including turbine blades, nacelles, and towers.

Like heavy lift ships, they are equipped with specialized cranes with a lifting capacity of up to 3,000 tons. However, they often feature enhanced precision controls for precise installation tasks such as accurately placing turbine components onto their designated foundations within the wind farm site. Additionally, these vessels are equipped with jack-up legs or stabilizing pontoons to reduce movement when positioned for installation. Some ships also come with subsea tools and remotely operated vehicles to help install foundations and underwater infrastructure like monopiles, transition pieces, and anchoring systems which are necessary for the stable foundation of wind turbines.

 

Open-Top Container Vessels

Open-top container ships have the flexibility to carry both standard shipping containers and oversized cargo. They are well-suited for transporting large equipment such as construction machinery and tall industrial components, alongside containerized cargo like electronics, manufactured goods, and perishables.

On these ships, standard containers are stacked in the cell guides located in the hold and on specific areas of the main deck, typically toward the center and rear to balance the ship’s load. Oversized cargo is placed in the mid to forward areas of the deck where the roof opens and allows bulky items to extend vertically without obstruction.