Logiventures scores regional first by relocating tunnel boring machine

Monday, 14 September 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Scoring another first in the South Asian region, Logiventures Ltd., Sri Lanka’s leader in project logistics successfully relocated a 300 ton tunnel boring machine within the country. The project consisted of an overland component and an underground component, both of which required specialised skills and equipment.

The underground segment of the mega move required Logiventures to carefully plan and load parts of the tunnel boring machine 300 metres below ground and transport it to the surface. One of the key challenges of the project was moving a 48 ton component, which, in addition to the weight, was also nearly the width of the tunnel, giving barely centimetres for the team to manoeuvre through rugged and slippery driving conditions.

The use of conventional moving equipment were not an option in this project and required highly specialised equipment and ‘zero error’ precision coordination, including the use of a multi-axel trailer and multiple heavy duty pullers, currently only available through Logiventures.

“The hydraulic multi-axle trailer owned by Logiventures is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Due to its uniqueness Logiventures has been able to assist in the transportation and relocation of many heavy weight material for many projects,” Logiventures Director Janitha Jayanetti said.

The meticulous planning process and the follow through practiced by the Logiventures team in critical projects of this nature is a crucial factor in the success of this project. In this particular project the team had to manage with underground situations, a tunnel height and width of less than six metres and rough inclined terrain.

Specialised teams visited the location multiple times to identify the safest route for the movement of the tunnel boring machine. The entire operation was monitored through advanced monitoring mechanisms by the 14-member team, which consisted of on-site engineers, surveyors, operations experts and the company’s most experienced drivers.

“Our specialised teams were able to relocate and shift this tunnel boring machine in record time due to the skills and expertise we have garnered over the years handling valuable heavy cargo ranging from electrical transformers and generators to wind turbines. In addition, due to the stringent safety measures taken we were able complete the project without any incident,” Logiventures General Manager Shadil Rizan said.

A member of Hayleys Advantis Ltd., the transportation and logistics arm of the Hayleys Group, Logiventures specialises in a wide variety of services related to logistics, including cargo handling, transportation, storage; sale and hire of converted containers (Convertainers) and empty containers; marine container handling, repairs, refurbishment for garments on hangers; supply of flexi-tank containers for bulk liquid transportation; and supply of tamper-evident seals and stickers. The company is credited with being the pioneer in developing a car carrier trailer in Sri Lanka to transport cars on a large scale.