ABC India: End-to-End Logistics Services for Project Logistics

Sr. Vice President, ABC India
ABC India offers end-to-end logistics services for Project Logistics through our four project offices and 18 general cargo offices.
M.M.Tripathi - Sr. Vice President, ABC India


We offer end-to-end logistics services for Project Logistics through our four project offices and 18 general cargo offices. Services include conducting feasibility study and route survey including multi modal transportation, transport planning and equipment selection depending upon the size, weight and route of cargo axle configuration (THP or SPMT), barge selection (capacity, size and draft); and a full bouquet of logistics related to civil construction, including designing and executing the civil work required for transportation of large and very large cargo. This includes construction of RO-RO jetties, bypasses for limited capacity bridges, steel bridges for super heavy cargo on flowing rivers, etc.

We also undertake import - export documentation, chartering of vessels and barges, and arranging MWS inspection and third-party certification for projects undertaken. The company serves heavy industries like oil refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer plants, power plants (thermal, hydro, nuclear), steel and other mega construction projects.

End-to-End logistics services for Project LogisticsTransportation of 430 MT, 62 Mtr Long Crude Distilation Unit (CDU)

 

Case Study (Ongoing Project)

Project: Expansion of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL)

Client: Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a government of Assam undertaking, under the leadership of Oil India Limited.

Project Overview: NRL is expanding its refining capacity from 3 million tons (MT) to 9 MT. The project commenced in July 2023 and is expected to be completed by June 2025. As part of this expansion, we are undertaking the multi-modal transportation of Super Over-Dimensional Cargo (ODC) and heavy lifts to the NRL refinery site in Numaligarh, Assam. The weights of the equipment being transported range from 450 MT to 1,300 MT.

Transportation and Equipment: There are 18 core pieces of equipment, such as the CDU/VDU, FPCC, Coke Drum, and EB Reactor, being transported from Kolkata to the NRL erection site. These pieces are transported using a combination of road, river, and sea routes. The heavy lifts are received at Diamond Harbour, near Kolkata, via heavy-lift vessels. They are then loaded onto self-propelled deck barges and transported along NW2 (National Waterway 2), following the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route via the Brahmaputra River.

The equipment is unloaded at a RO-RO (Roll-On/Roll-Off) jetty built on the tributary of the Brahmaputra at Numaligarh. The barges used in this project have a draft of around 1.8 meters, which avoids the need for dredging along the IBP route. However, challenges arise when the barges reach the confluence of the Dhansiri River and the Brahmaputra, as the Dhansiri has a shallow draft. Dredging is often required at certain points along this river to facilitate navigation.

End-to-End logistics services for Project Logistics1286 MT EB Reactor Road Transportation

Road Transportation Challenges: From the RO-RO jetty to the NRL refinery site located 14 km away, the equipment must be transported by road. Due to the immense weight of the EB Reactor (1,300 MT), the existing highway bridge, designed to IRC norms, is insufficient. Therefore, a custom steel bridge with four 18.5-meter spans was constructed to handle the load.

All transmission lines along the route had to be elevated to provide a vertical clearance of 14.5 meters. This involved replacing the existing electric poles with taller ones. Special lay-bys were also constructed along the 14-kilometer route to allow the trailers to park safely. For the transport of the 1,300 MT EB Reactor, Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) were used, configured with 34+34 axles. The longest equipment transported is the 73-meter Splitter Column.

Infrastructure Challenges: The NRL heavy-lift project required the construction of a permanent RO-RO jetty and a custom 4-span steel bridge to manage the transportation of extremely heavy and oversized cargo. The cargo transported has a maximum height of 12.8 meters and a diameter of 12.5 meters. Given these exceptional dimensions, the planning for this project started well in advance to ensure smooth transportation.

Heavy-lift vessels equipped with 2,000 MT capacity cranes were used to load the cargo onto the barges. Vertical clearance for bridges and transmission lines along the waterway was meticulously checked in collaboration with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). Where required, dredging was carried out, particularly in the Dhansiri River, to facilitate smooth movement of the barges.

End-to-End logistics services for Project LogisticsBarge Transportation of 1286 MT EB Reactor from Kolkata


Cargo Safety Measures: For safety, extensive calculations were carried out to ensure the deck strength and stability of the barge, as well as proper lashing of the cargo. These calculations were reviewed and approved by Marine Warranty Surveyors (MWS). Similarly, the stability of the trailers used for road transport was also verified.

The custom steel bridge design was vetted by IIT Mumbai, while the fabrication of the bridge was supervised by TÜV, a third-party inspection body. Professionals, including SPMT operators and engineers, were involved throughout the process to ensure the success of the transportation operations. Given the inherent risks in transporting such massive equipment, a third party was always engaged to check and certify the safety measures.

Logistics Planning and Fleet Used: For the multi-modal transportation, primarily self-propelled deck-loading barges are being used for the water leg of the journey. On land, 68 SPMT axles are deployed for road transportation. Each aspect of transportation, from barge selection to SPMT configuration, was carefully planned, taking into consideration the draft availability in the Brahmaputra for water transportation and the stability of roads for land transportation.

End-to-End logistics services for Project LogisticsRO RO of Transformer 250 MT at Mongla in Bangladesh for 2x660 MW Maitree Power Project


Conclusion: The NRL expansion project, with its complexity and scale, required significant planning, infrastructure development, and safety measures to ensure transportation of the super-heavy and oversized equipment. Despite the challenges posed by river navigation, road transportation, and the size of the equipment, the project is progressing steadily, with a completion target of June 2025.

Project Name: 2x660 MW Maitree Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh

End-to-End logistics services for Project LogisticsTransportation of Heavy Lifts using Multimodal Transportation for 2x660 MW Maitree Power Project in Bangladesh

Project Overview: ABC India was responsible for the complete logistics for the 2x660 MW Maitree Thermal Power Project in Bangladesh. This project was a joint venture between NTPC (India) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) with a 50: 50 partnership. BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) was awarded the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contract, and we were selected as the logistics provider through a competitive tender process. The project required handling approximately 500,000 FRT of cargo, including Heavy Lifts such as the Boiler, Turbine, Generator, and Transformer.

Ports and Transport Routes

  • Chennai Port: Used for cargo manufactured in BHEL’s southern India plants (Trichy, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru).
  • Kolkata Port: Selected for cargo manufactured in BHEL’s northern India units (Bhopal, Haridwar, and Jhansi).
  • Ro-Ro Jetty near Kolkata: For Heavy Lifts from BHEL's Bhopal and Haridwar units, a Ro-Ro jetty was constructed on a tidal river about 50 km from Kolkata. This jetty was connected to the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route (NW2).

Transportation Methods

  • From Chennai Port to Mongla Port (Bangladesh):
    • 53 chartered vessels with an average capacity of 20,000 DWT were used.
    • Mongla Port was selected for its proximity to the project site, with the cargo transported by road from the port to the Maitree Power Project site (20 km away).
    • Large vessels were avoided due to draft limitations at Mongla.
  • From Kolkata Port to Mongla Port
    • 56 barge trips were made using self-propelled barges with an average capacity of 2,500 DWT.
    • Heavy Lifts were transported via Ro-Ro operation at Kolaghat and unloaded at a Ro-Ro jetty on the Passur River in Bangladesh, with tidal windows offering limited operational time.

Logistics Strategy

  • Chennai-Mongla Route: Found to be more economical for shipping as it offered a faster transit time of two days from Chennai to Kolkata.
  • Kolkata-Mongla Route (via NW2): Chosen for barge transport to save costs, since break-bulk vessels were unavailable at Kolkata. The barge route took about seven days of sailing.

Challenges & Solutions

Draft Management: Dredging Corporation of India was engaged to ensure required draft levels for barge movement. Dredgers were employed where necessary to maintain navigable waterways.

Road Movement: Coordination with multiple agencies, including:

  • NHAI: Removal of permanent road dividers and replacing them with concrete block dividers.
  • Electricity Department: Shutdown of high-voltage transmission lines and replacement of electric poles with taller poles (14.5 meters) to accommodate cargo heights.

Crowd Management: With the entire road width covered by trailers, managing traffic and public safety became critical. Civil administration and local police were involved in planning and executing these movements.

Fleet & Equipment:

  • 53 Charter Voyages from Chennai.
  • 56 Barge Trips from Kolkata.
  • 56 Hydraulic Axles for Ro-Ro and land transportation.

Safety Measures

  • Coordination with the Electricity Department, Civil Administration, and Police ensured smooth transit, safety, and timely delivery.

ABCIL successfully handled this complex and multi-modal logistics operation, overcoming challenges related to infrastructure, road conditions, and coordination with multiple agencies. The project was completed in December 2022, despite interruptions caused by the Covid -19 pandemic, with work pausing only between March 28 to April 16, 2020.

LIFTING & SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT, January - February 2025

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