Record throughput at LHG's Nordlandkai

It was the heaviest project cargo ever handled at Lübeck's Nordlandkai: On Monday 20 January, the Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft, together with the heavy cargo specialists Thömen Spedition from Hamburg and Baumann Move from Bornheim, ensured that two transformers with a total weight of 572 tonnes and dimensions of around twelve metres in length and three and a half metres in width could be unloaded and transported to their destination in Stockelsdorf in Schleswig-Holstein.

Gigantic dimensions

The two transformers arrived at LHG's Nordlandkai terminal on Sunday 19 January on board the River Trader coaster from Rotterdam. They had been manufactured by Hitachi Energie in Bad Honnef and transported to Rotterdam via the Rhine. The River Trader was brokered by Lübeck shipbrokers Meerpahl und Meyer.

Thömen, Baumann and LHG have been preparing for this challenging task for weeks. To handle the heavyweights, Thömen used a 750-tonne Liebherr lattice boom mobile crane, the LG 1750 - an impressive and powerful machine. It is so large that it can be seen for miles around on a clear day. The logistical dimensions were also impressive. As the crane had to be equipped with counterweights, it took four days to assemble it and the same amount of time to dismantle it. The necessary weights and accessories were distributed among 26 lorries that had already made their way to the terminal the week before.

Two transformers, two hoists

The mobile crane was used twice to bring the two transformers safely to shore. This was a fantastic job for our big crane. Everyone involved worked together very well and everything went like clockwork,' says Marc Bernschneider, Project Manager at Thömen Hamburg. Part one of the mission is now complete, and the second part is to follow: the heavy transport by road, which is no easy task either. On Monday, 20 January and Wednesday, 22 January, a heavy load with a total length of 87 metres is scheduled to start its journey at 10 pm. It will travel along Posener Straße and Schwartauer Allee to Stockelsdorf. There, the packages will be used in the Tennet substation for the East Coast Line. This is a key project for energy transition and grid stability. It transports green electricity from East Holstein to the south and connects Germany to the European electricity grid via the Baltic Cable.

Just a few days before the handling of the two heavy-lift transformers, the LHG handled a Vectron locomotive from Siemens at Skandinavienkai on its way to Finland. With these latest activities, we are consistently expanding our role as a universal port, especially for demanding project cargo," explains Timo Beyer, Head of Operations at LHG.

About the companies

Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft mbH is Germany's largest RoRo port operator on the Baltic Sea. Its four port terminals offer high-frequency sea transport to the Baltic Sea region. The cargo units are bundled and connected to the hinterland by efficient systems. LHG is a reliable partner to the paper, steel and automotive industries and a member of the Port of Lübeck.

With locations in Hamburg, Brunsbüttel, Leipzig and Potsdam/Berlin, Thömen is part of the Hüffermann Group, a full-service provider of cranes, heavy haulage and project engineering. The Group currently employs more than 800 people at twelve locations in seven federal states and is active in a wide range of sectors, both regionally and throughout Germany and Europe. As a full-service provider, Hüffermann offers more than 1,200 cranes, machines, vehicles and rental equipment from a single source. Customers are supported from the initial consultation, site inspection, preparation of CAD lifting plans and project management through to the successful implementation of (heavy) lifting projects. If required, this also includes comprehensive services such as the use of erection equipment, SPMT & lifting systems and the organisation of traffic engineering and heavy transport permits.

Viktor Baumann is one of the largest heavy haulage companies in Germany. The heavy haulage, mobile crane and assembly divisions are combined under one roof, eliminating the need for coordination between different service providers. This makes 'Baumann move' a reliable partner for energy suppliers in the implementation and expansion of the energy transition in Germany and Europe.

Two transformers, each weighing 286 tonnes, launched for energy transition.

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