Staffordshire-based specialist shipping company Robert Wynn and Sons Ltd. has successfully completed a rotor swap for the Paluel Nuclear Power Station transporting a rotor, and its replacement, between France and the Netherlands.
The unique heavy lift ro/ro barge Terra Marique loaded a 236-tonne rotor — carried on a 72-tonne trailer — at Fécamp for onward transport to Rotterdam. Once alongside in Rotterdam, the rotor was lifted off using a shoreside crane and transferred direct to river barge ‘Meander’ for onward delivery.
A second river barge ‘Expecto’, carrying the replacement 220-tonne rotor then arrived and was offloaded by crane onto the quay, before being lifted onto the Terra Marique, where Robert Wynns’ crew lashed and secured the cargo ahead of the return voyage to Fécamp.
The project was not without its challenges. On arrival in Fécamp with the new rotor, a temporary breakdown of the port’s swing bridge prevented the planned transit. To keep the project on schedule, the Terra Marique undertook a nighttime manoeuvre, through the Bassin de Mi-Marée with centimetres of clearance into the Bassin Freycinet.
Carrying out the precise operation in darkness introduced additional navigational and operational challenges, but the vessel and crew completed it successfully before performing the offload the following morning. Once repositioned end-on to the quay, the vessel’s hydraulic roadway and ballast system were configured for a seamless ro/ro discharge of the replacement rotor, ready for onward transport to Paluel Power Station.
Working for Ziegler Group, Robert Wynn & Sons’ engineers and crew coordinated the loading, lifting, and ro/ro elements of the project alongside partners in Rotterdam and Fécamp.
Robert Wynn & Sons General Manager, Andy Manners, commented: “This project showcased not only the versatility of the Terra Marique but the skill and adaptability of all involved. While we have loaded and discharged cargo at Fécamp on many occasions, this was the first time we have navigated the 17.5m wide entrance into Bassin Freycinet in darkness. Navigating under our own power with such tight clearances was a challenge, but one our team met head-on. Our thanks go to our client Ziegler and all our partners for their commitment in ensuring both rotors were delivered safely and on schedule.”
