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Nov 30, 2020 at 6:58 AMBroekman Logistics has handled a major project involving a 150-ton crystallizer through the Port of Rotterdam. Breakbulk is one of the key pillars in the Port of Rotterdam. The goal of the Port of Rotterdam is to become the largest port in Europe for breakbulk.
(Rotterdam) Breakbulk has always been a strength of the Port of Rotterdam. In 2019, 6.6 million tons were transported through Rotterdam. Breakbulk remains one of the important pillars of the seaport. Moreover, it is a growth market, as Twan Romeijn, Business Manager Breakbulk and Offshore Industry at the Port of Rotterdam, reports. ‘Steel, forest products, non-ferrous metals, and HLPC – Heavy Lift and Project Cargo – are increasingly finding their way to Rotterdam from and to the hinterland,’ he notes. One of these success stories is that of the 150-ton crystallizer, which recently left the seaport on its way to the Middle East. “A unique project that proves there are no limits in Rotterdam,” says Romeijn.
Heavy Lift Centre
The crystallizer was assembled at Broekman Logistics’ Heavy Lift Centre on Heijplaat in Rotterdam on behalf of GBT, a company from the German city of Marl. The full-service logistics organization specializes in sea, road, rail, air, and multimodal transport and is particularly strong in handling and storing complex and heavy products and their transport using intelligent solutions.
“Our Heavy Lift Centre was a unique selling point for this project,” says Joep Hoogsteden, Sales Representative at Broekman Logistics. Broekman has four covered halls in Rotterdam with a footprint of up to 16,000 m2, a maximum clearance height of 25 meters, and a height of up to 17 meters. Hoogsteden explains: “Here we can lift up to 700 tons. Additionally, the Heavy Lift Centre is directly connected to a quay specifically designed for offshore and heavy cargo. The spacious basins of this port ensure that even the largest ships can enter and exit 24 hours a day. It is ideal for transporting complex and heavy cargo to and from locations around the world.”
Strategic Considerations
“The size and location of the Heavy Lift Centre were absolutely crucial for our choice,” agrees Avdi Alicki, responsible for procurement at the GBT Group. After a comprehensive market analysis, the GBT Group examined all available alternatives. The decision in favor of Broekman and Rotterdam was based on strategic considerations, as Alicki knows: “Excellent port connectivity, ample space, the availability of the required crane capacity with corresponding crane heights, the agreement to perform all work – from steel construction to blasting and painting to rubberizing and vulcanization – in the hall, as well as the local proximity of the GBT shipyard were the main driving factors for us.”
A total of twelve components for the crystallizer were delivered by inland shipping and road transport. The assembly took three months. After that, Mammoet transported the giant with a 14-axle self-propelled conventional trailer Scheuerle K25 to the adjacent quay. There, it was lifted onto a ship of the SAL Heavy Lift shipping company to continue its journey to the end customer in Jordan.
The project was complex and technically demanding, but it was executed as planned. “This is partly due to the attitude and service of Broekman; fast, flexible, and straightforward,” says Avdi Alicki.
Excellent Cluster
According to Romeijn, the extensive network provides absolute added value to supply chain participants. “Characteristic of the breakbulk segment is the large number of supply chain actors required to complete a project. Rotterdam has an excellent cluster where competence and knowledge are unmistakably present. This know-how and expertise are crucial; ultimately, it often concerns very high-quality products,” explains the Business Manager.
Furthermore, the hinterland connections, both by road and inland shipping and rail, are optimal, and the Port of Rotterdam continuously invests in new technologies, such as digitization, to make the supply chain more transparent and efficient. It also invests in solutions that make the chain more sustainable. “Our goal is to become the largest and most important breakbulk port in Europe,” says Twan Romeijn. “We differentiate ourselves from other seaports through our no-nonsense mentality. A business is truly a business in Rotterdam, and we are always ready to think one step further in this regard. We call it Bigger Better Breakbulk.”
Photo: © Port of Rotterdam / Caption: Crystallizer at Broekman Logistics in the Port of Rotterdam
