The latest equipment news from the professional transportation department. Christian Shelton reports

Bread and butter. Gin and tonics. Lift and move. Some things just happen together. Where large objects need to be lifted, they inevitably need to be moved in or out of the lifting position. The equipment and technology used for this are as diverse as the equipment used for lifting.

Take Mammoet, the world's largest lifting and transportation company, as an example. The company is known for its innovative use of SPMT to move large loads. It has just started a new cooperation with Italian trailer manufacturer Cometto-using Cometto’s MSPE self-propelled modular transporter and electronic steering as its global SPMT fleet. Part.

Mammoet's first mission using Cometto MSPE is being performed in the UK-using 84 axes to move jacket structures weighing between 1,850 and 2,300 tons.

After the training course for the new SPMT, Mammoet operators performed their first job, moving the tripod foundation as part of the offshore wind power project Seagreen OWF-a joint venture between TotalEnergies and SSE Renewables. The wind farm will include 140 turbines and is located 27 kilometers off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea. Once completed, the project will provide electricity to consumers in Scotland.

The tripod is 90 meters high and weighs 2,035 tons. The 84 axes used by Cometto MSPE each have a payload capacity of 48 tons and are powered by three power units, each with an output power of 368 kilowatts. The 28 axes are used in combination side by side, located under each leg of the tripod. The entire project is expected to last at least 12 months.

With the vigorous development of the global wind energy industry, other professional transportation companies are also looking for new solutions to transport larger and larger wind turbine components. For example, the Greek transportation expert Anipsotiki was one of the first companies to purchase the new FTV 850 blade transporter from Memmingen of the German heavy transportation expert Goldhofer.

Goldhofer said that the blade conveyor is the "big brother" of the established FTV 550 model, which can be used in a standard three-meter width or a combination of split modules with a width of up to four meters or more. Depending on the configuration, the FTV 850 can transport the latest generation of rotor blades that require a load torque of up to 850 meters.

These blades can be picked up and transported in towing or self-propelled mode.

Goldhofer stated that through split-combination options and installation behind the loading area, the FTV 850 provides significantly higher stability and low-pressure load capacity. The result is that the transportation system has a low center of gravity and maximum tipping protection. It also ensures low axle load and cost-effective work.

Provides a series of options and adaptors suitable for various parallel combinations. Goldhofer says this makes the FTV 850 ideal for transporting the extra-long rotor blades of a turbine on site with low wind speeds.

The installed rotor blade can freely rotate around its own axis and lift to a 60 degree angle, so sharp bends, buildings and trees on the roadside will not become obstacles.

According to Goldhofer, the FTV 850 is designed for fast and efficient setup for any configuration and can be used in conjunction with other Goldhofer modules (ie PST/SL-E, THP/SL and ADDrive).

Another German manufacturer of specialized transportation equipment, Scheuerle, which is part of the Heilbronn-based Tii Group, has also expanded one of its main product ranges. Its EuroCompact low-bed trailers can now be equipped with larger wheels, which the company hopes will help open up new businesses for heavy-duty transportation companies and construction, demolition and recycling companies that transport construction machinery, wind power components or industrial components. And energy system.

With the new 285/70 R19.5 tires, the EuroCompact low bed trailer has a higher axle load. Scheuerle stated that customers in the United Kingdom and all Scandinavian countries have specifically requested upgrades, because the previous use of 245/70 R17.5 tires meant that the total vehicle capacity allowed by the United Kingdom and Scandinavia could not be fully utilized. weight. However, thanks to the new tires, axle loads of up to 17.4 tons can now be achieved.

Scheuerle said that EuroCompact with larger tires is also interesting for markets that allow lower total weight, because the 19.5-inch wheels provide two inches of ground clearance due to their larger size.

Scheuerle emphasized that this means that, for example, the risk of getting stuck on the roadside has been significantly reduced.

The operation of the vehicle gooseneck has also been optimized and more user-friendly, and the access to the controls has also been ergonomically redesigned. According to the company, this means that the lifting gear, steering circuit and gooseneck cylinder can now be operated more intuitively and easily, and the driver can connect without having to enter the hazardous area.

Remote controls have also been introduced, such as EuroCompact's smaller FL02 and FL03 models. With the push of a button, the remote control can raise, lower and manipulate the semi-trailer from the cab.

Scheuerle added that it is the only manufacturer that offers continuously variable fifth-wheel load regulation as a standard.

Faymonville, a Luxembourg-based manufacturer of heavy-duty and special transportation vehicles, has optimized its MultiMAX Plus semi-trailer (formerly EuroMAX), which the company claims is particularly suitable for the transportation of mobile lifting and aerial work equipment. Faymonville optimized its design for weight and stated that the semi-trailer provides high point load capacity. The outer beam structure is designed to provide users with the maximum possible length of the loading area, and the hydraulic lifting platform is designed to provide easy access to the gooseneck. The winch can be installed on the front or top of the gooseneck, and different headboards are provided to provide storage space for strapping materials.

In order to load the machine smoothly with a small ground clearance, Faymonville stated that the MultiMAX Plus has a flat drive angle and an optimized back chamfer in the ramp and gooseneck area.

The loading platform can be extended by 3,000 mm to optimize load distribution. There are 44 lashing loops and 28 lashing points on the loading platform, and up to 30 lashing points on the gooseneck, designed to provide the best load fixation.

The three-axis MultiMAX Plus is available internationally, and power steering and friction steering versions can be ordered. Although the vehicle is covered with a full-surface sawtooth grid floor, the loading height is lower-Faymonville says this is an advantage when transporting tall machines. The width of the double ramp is 900 mm, and it is also equipped with a sawtooth grid floor.

The ramp includes a wharf loading bracket with a carrying capacity of 18 tons. Faymonville says the hydraulically controlled ramp tip can open the ramp without putting pressure on the material. It added that due to the hydraulic ramp displacement, the optimal load conditions can be created for each machine.

From an overview of the latest developments in professional transportation equipment, it is clear that innovation in the industry remains strong. The flexibility and range of options available for all of the above equipment means that transport companies are in a better position than ever to find the perfect combination needed to transport various loads.

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