Replacing a 78-ton engine to prevent power plant failure in Chad

CEVA Logistics picked up a replacement engine in Finland and transported it 3,530 miles to N’Djamena in Chad

23/3/2023

PROJECT OVERVIEW

A major supplier of electricity to N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad, was facing a severe problem: one of the engines at its power plant had failed, preventing the plant from running at full capacity. The 78-ton replacement engine, located in Vaasa, Finland, was some 3,530 miles (5,680 kilometers) away from N’Djamena. CEVA picked up, delivered, and installed the replacement engine along with all the associated auxiliaries, and removed the legacy equipment to get the plant running efficiently again.

Our customer's business challenges

With the loss of an engine at the plant, the surrounding areas were experiencing power outages. Replacement was time critical, requiring the fastest delivery possible once the green light was received.

The nature of the cargo and its destination posed unique and complex challenges for the project. Chad’s distance from the coastline, with infrastructure in poor condition and limited installation equipment available restricted methods for delivering the cargo.

TRANSFORMATION STORY

The project took thoughtful and elaborate planning. Once we received the official green light, CEVA’s proposed timeline and plan were accepted, and the engine was replaced on time.

ceva-project-logistics-unloading-in-chad

The project had several distinct phases:

Determination of delivery method: CEVA determined that the safest and most efficient way to send the replacement engine was by air and chartered the Antonov AN 124 cargo plane. It would be the largest aircraft to ever land at N'Djamena International Airport, and approval had to be obtained to use the military terminal.

Acquiring the cargo: The replacement and its auxiliaries were picked up in Vaasa, Finland and transported by truck to the airport where the plane was ready to depart for N’Djamena.

Safe and efficient loading: A 300-ton mobile crane lifted the engine onto the loading ramp where it was pulled into the aircraft and secured by the crew. Antonio Iglesias, CEVA Logistics Operations Engineer noted: “Because there would be acceleration and force during the air transport, we knew we needed to have additional lashing points to keep the engine safely in place.”

Safe and efficient unloading: After arriving in N’Djamena, the engine was skidded out on a rail, jacked up on elephant legs, and tandem lifted to the trailer.

Route preparation: The roads from the airport to the plant are busy and in poor condition, and some parts required restoration beforehand.

Final leg of transportation: Once safely on the trailer, the engine was transported to the power plant. The main road was shut down, and local police escorted us to the plant.

Installation: With limited equipment and space at the plant, the crew used jacking and skidding to remove the engine from the trailer. Expert CEVA team members supervised the offloading of the cargo and oversaw its safe and successful installation.

TANGIBLE RESULTS

78 tons

of cargo moved safely

3500 miles

distance traveled

CEVA Logistics and ADB planned all processes and procedures, and the components were reviewed and checked several times, keeping the client well informed throughout every stage of the project.

Despite thorough planning and preparation, not everything always goes 100% accordingly, and in those cases, experience was key to keep the project on time and on budget. When a quick decision needed to be made, having the right experts with the right experience in the right place at the right time made all the difference in this project’s success.

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