In spring 2017 “JURTRANSA” LTD fulfilled the order of “MT GROUP”, Lithuania, which constructed a storage facility for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Klaipeda port. For this project “JURTRANSA” arranged for a delivery of 5 large-sized LNG storage tanks from the port of Hamburg to the construction site at “Klaipedos Nafta”. JURTRANSA also organized the reloading of tanks in port and their installation on the foundation at the construction site.

The maximal dimensions of one tank were: length – 50 m, width – 6,29 m, height – 6 m. Weight of each tank was – 222 tons.

For this transportation by sea we chartered mv “Meri”, a special-purpose carrier with an open deck. The peculiarity of this reloading in Klaipeda port was that the cranes were not used at all. The tanks were unloaded rolling these off mv MERI through the stern, with the use of special hydraulic trailers. Further these 14- and 15-axle hydraulic trailers with turn-tables, pushed and pulled by a heavylift tractors, were used for transportation of LNG tanks from Klaipeda port to the construction site. Dimensions and weight of the loaded vehicles were : length – 64m, width – 6,29 m, height – 7,3 m, weight – 332 tons.

Thought the length of the route around the city and suburbs was only 35 km, but it took almost 10 hours to drive.

For unloading at the construction site and placing LNG tanks onto foundation, we needed assistance of our old partners, who lifted the tanks to the required height with special hydraulic equipment, installed rails under them, and moved the tanks to a length of about 50 meters, using special hydraulic cylinders.

All this operation required accuracy, not only because of the huge size and weight of the tanks, but also because all distance of 50 m the tanks were moved at the height of 2 meters above the ground.