A hulking heavy haul
How do you safely and efficiently move millions of pounds of freight?
Very carefully.
The Illinois Department of Transportation combined efforts with Mammoet USA to assist Phillips 66 in moving three reactor vessels, weighing nearly 7 million pounds combined, to the Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Ill., during the 2020 holiday season.
The Mammoet crew provided more than 100 years of experience, according to Brandon Bryan, account manager for large projects for Mammoet, to ensure the loads successfully reached the destination.
Bryan, who has more than 21 years of experience with Mammoet, including transportation of a 2.5-million-pound generator as well as a 1.6-million-pound reactor vessel, detailed challenges faced during these types of hauls.
“Some challenges included moving and raising overhead power wires, trimming of trees, crossing railroads and improving turns to make the pieces drive around turns,” Bryan said. “Mammoet always aims to reduce the impact to public roads and people. In order to best accomplish this, Mammoet coordinates efforts with local cities and towns, and state and county permit offices. We also work with local police departments as well as with utility companies along the routes.”
This particular journey began thousands of miles away in Italy, where the reactors were fabricated. Following production, the vessels were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean to the Port of New Orleans. The reactors then traveled north on the Mississippi River to the Metro East region of southern Illinois.
On Dec. 15, the first reactor arrived from the Port of New Orleans and was transported to its final destination in Roxana, Ill., by Phillips 66 and Illinois DOT.
This vessel measured 52 feet and weighed a half-million pounds.
Less than one week later, Dec. 21, two additional reactors, measuring more than 250 feet and weighing more than 3 million pounds each, were moved to the Wood River Refinery, completing the transport from Italy to the Mississippi River to Metro East Illinois.
A configuration of Mammoet’s Self-Propelled Modular Transporter with 36 total axle lines and 288 tires was used.
“The 3-million plus pound moves in the Metro East are examples of the wide range of responsibilities IDOT has as the department continues to keep roads and bridges open and safe for the traveling public,” said Keith Roberts, IDOT’s Region 5 acting engineer.
The reactors will upgrade an existing process unit to enable better gasoline and diesel yields. LL
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