Heavy-load handling in the Emsland region
Meppen/Haren – This past Sunday, two new pipe bridge segments of impressive dimensions were transported from a production facility in Meppen to the Eurohafen Emsland, located about five kilometers away. At the port, the massive steel structures were transferred onto inland vessels using two 700-ton mobile cranes.
Each bridge segment measures approximately 71 meters in length and weighs 220 tons. The two steel components are expected to reach the port of Bottrop via inland waterway in about five days. There, two 1,000-ton crawler cranes from WASEL will be on standby for unloading and subsequent transfer onto self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). For this operation, a section of the A42 motorway between Essen and Bottrop will be closed for ten days.
The two pipe bridge segments, each weighing 220 tons and measuring 71 × 7 × 5.6 meters, were loaded onto inland cargo vessels.
Destination and heavy-load handling site at the Port of Bottrop
In calendar week 22, the inland vessels from the Emsland arrive in Bottrop and are unloaded using two 1,000-ton crawler cranes. In the photo, the first crane has already been assembled. Later, one of the crawler cranes will be repositioned to the old pipe bridge (visible in the background on the right). After reloading and transporting the new pipe bridge segments along the closed section of the motorway to the old bridge, the same 1,000-ton crawler crane will carry out the dismantling of the old structure and installation of the new components. All of this takes place within a ten-day full closure of the A42 motorway.
