Saudi road transfer

Almajdouie Heavylift and Engineering (MHL) took the challenging task of installing a 266 tonne transformer at a project site on the outskirts of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The company offloaded the 266 tonne, 10.68 x 3.90 x 5.05 m (L/W/H) transformer from a heavy lift ship and loaded it onto Almajdouie's conventional trailers in Jeddah Port.

A 10-axle side-by-side conventional trailer was used to transport the transformer about 130 km from Jeddah Port to the Shoaiba Sceco project site. The transformer was then offloaded and installed, using jacking and skidding equipment, in seven days.

Strong winds made the operation difficult at Jeddah Port, says the company, so the MHL team used a lever block to hold the cargo before loading it onto the trailers.

Transport height was another challenge as it could hit signboards along the way. The team solved this by moving the cargo very early in the morning to avoid heavy traffic, making it easier to skirt around the boards. Cars parked on the street in urban areas were also moved to make way for the wide transport.