CASE STUDY
COMPLEXITY OF MODULAR MOVE Pre-planning Keeps Design Costs in Check BY MALCOLM RAMSAY
A
t its simplest, cement production can be completed by hand, but the relative minimalism of this ancient process belies the complexity of the modern industrial cement plant and the huge diversity and scale of machinery required for its construction. Freight forwarder UTC Overseas navigated many of the challenges involved in shipping such a varied cargo when it recently helped establish a new greenfield cement plant in Mexico. The complex project involved transport of 3,500 pieces of equipment for the Progreso Plant of Cementos Fortaleza in the Yucatán region of Mexico. With shipments scheduled to arrive from around the world, this project required careful preplanning and close monitoring throughout.
“The client contacted us to run a route survey and ports assessments to identify the destinations ports and their human and operational resources,” Rodrigo Chittoni, vice president projects and head of UTC Cement Division, told Breakbulk. “Global trade today is facing tremendous challenges, and flexibility is key as plans made today may need to change tomorrow. A massive cement plant move requires that all aspects be reviewed daily and adjusted due to Covid-19, weather and other circumstances. Constant monitoring and astute attention to detail are paramount to successful delivery.”
PREPLANNING
UTC had to complete extensive route surveys in advance to ensure that the regional infrastructure could support delivery of all the items. This involved careful analysis of all
potential sea and land routes and was closely tied to the design of the plant, with UTC’s findings helping to shape the manufacturing and construction process. “The first task was to identify the maximum allowable dimensions and weights without modifying the local infrastructure. Next, the client engineered their equipment based on our findings,” Chittoni explained. “Concomitantly, we assessed the ports in the region and studied the existing shipping routes from export locations to these ports to determine which shipping services to utilize and identify the best shipping plan for the breakbulk items.” Based on this detailed data, the partners were able to design modular cement equipment to reduce transportation costs. Chittoni noted that UTC had the “entire project thoroughly planned before the client started the
TOP: UTC Overseas identified the maximum allowable dimensions of the cargo in advance, allowing the partners to design modular cement equipment to reduce transportation costs. CREDIT: UTC 74 BREAKBULK MAGAZINE www.breakbulk.com
MAY-JUNE 2022
