Al Faris was contracted to transport and install 30 huge at a Solar Park site. For the journey from Jebel Ali Port (UAE) to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the experienced logistics and heavy haul company once again placed its trust in its tried-and-tested Goldhofer THP/SL heavy-duty modules. The safe and reliable transport of 52-meter-long loads weighing 235 tons involved extensive logistical preparation and various permits. Every journey was made in a convoy of two files, each comprising 30 Goldhofer heavy-duty axle lines and a Mercedes Arocs tractor. This ensured punctual delivery of all the tanks to the solar park. The tanks are used together with an expansion tank as part of an overflow storage system, in which the expanded thermal fluid can be stored and reused. With a final generating capacity of 5,000 MW, the plant in Seih Al Dahal, which is partly operational already, will be the world’s largest single-site solar farm. 

Safe journey on Goldhofer THP/SL heavy-duty modules with 30 axle lines: from Jebel Ali Port (left) to the offloading point at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (right). (Photos: Al Faris)
Safe journey on Goldhofer THP/SL heavy-duty modules with 30 axle lines: from Jebel Ali Port (left) to the offloading point at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (right). (Photos: Al Faris)

Focus on Fast Operations

The biggest challenges involved in this heavy haul project were keeping loading times as short as possible and planning the optimum route from the port to the solar park. Strict specifications had to be met due to time restrictions and the storage volume in the port. The route itself had to be meticulously planned in terms of modifications to the roads, detours and temporary bypass roads so as to avoid any obstacles for the transport. As the ideal solution for such a demanding journey, the experts at Al Faris chose towed heavy-duty modules in Goldhofer’s THP/SL series, which combine a high bending moment for extremely heavy loads with easy handling and an impressive suspension stroke. That avoided any problems with uneven terrain on the construction site. In view of the length and weight of the tanks, the Al Faris specialists decided on a parallel combination with 30 axle lines each. “Our planning was 100% successful and we were able to move the tanks to their destination within a very short time,” says Mr Pinto, founder and managing director of the Al Faris Group. On arrival at the site, the tanks were offloaded and moved about 100 meters by a 400-ton crawler crane and placed on the awaiting foundations. Dean Exner, Goldhofer’s Regional Director of Sales for the Middle East, was equally delighted with the outcome of the mega-project handled by his customer Al Faris: “When it comes to transporting ultra-heavy and voluminous cargoes on and off- road, the THP/SL modules are often the most economical solution. They are the key to extremely high payloads in combination with long continuous operations.”