Antwerp, Belgium, April 21, 2026 – On behalf of their client Worley, deugro Belgium, deugro Netherlands and deugro Oman, in close collaboration with dteq Transport Engineering Solutions (dteq), successfully delivered over 7,324 cubic meters and over 1,441 metric tons of critical equipment from Oman to Belgium for the INEOS Terminal Expansion Project.
The cargo encompassed a variety of oversized and heavy lift units with weights of up to over 200 metric tons: three up to over 13.05 x 6.08 x 10.83-meter ethylene vessel skids, three up to over 13.50 x 6.00 x 9.90-meter refrigerant chiller skids, and three refrigerant compressor skids with volumes of up to over 14.35 x 7.00 x 7.45 meters.
These impressive cargo units were picked up by SPMTs and hydraulic trailers at the supplier in the Sohar Industrial Estate in Oman. During a preliminary inspection at the manufacturer’s premises, dteq observed that some cargo units had been positioned too close to obstacles, preventing direct self-loading for road transportation. As a result, these units required double handling: They first had to be loaded using a temporary transport solution, then moved to an area with sufficient maneuvering space for stooling down, and finally reloaded in accordance with the approved final transport solution for road movement.
Once loaded and secured on the trailers and SPMTs in accordance with dteq’s loading and load-securing plans, and under deugro’s personal supervision, as well as after inspection and testing, the impressive components were moved over 18.5 kilometers to the intermediate storage area at Sohar Port. Due to their size, weight and the local restrictions for public road transportation, the units were moved during nighttime hours at walking speed. While within the Sohar Industrial Area and the Sohar Port area they were escorted by deugro’s local teams and the escort vehicles, they were additionally guided by the Royal Oman Police when traveling on public roads. For a safe and trouble-free overland journey, the route had been assessed in a detailed route survey conducted by dteq on deugro’s behalf, prior to the physical transportation.
While the ethylene vessel skids were moved by conventional trailer with four files x 15-axles and SPMT with four files x 12-axles files, the refrigerant compressor skids were moved by two files x 15-axles trailers and the refrigerant chiller skids by SPMT with four files x 12-axles.
Drawing on experience from previous projects in the area, the movements were engineered in consideration of the local requirements and restrictions of a maximum 14-metric-ton axle line load for road transportation. After 15 days, all the units were safely delivered to the storage area and stooled down according to the staging drawings prepared in collaboration with dteq, except for the refrigerant chiller skids, which remained on the trailers and were loaded once lifting operations commenced.
Upon vessel arrival, the cargo units were moved at controlled walking speed to the appointed loading quay. Due to the demanding lifting height requirements for the highest cargo, the vessel was moored portside with the vessel cranes on the quay side and the vessel gangway positioned to allow direct access from the loading berth. To ensure safe loading operations, a preliminary survey of the jetty and a review of previous operations executed at the same location confirmed that the quay was free of obstacles and allowed for safe cargo movement within the vessel’s gears. Once positioned in the designated loading position at the pier, in accordance with the lifting drawings, the impressive skids were lifted on board from the trailers by the vessel cranes, avoiding lifting over cargo already stowed on board to minimize changes in the rigging set-up for different cargo.
The skids were originally designed with lifting lugs for 300-metric-ton shackles. However, since six out of nine skids featured lifting lugs positioned on the top, deugro and dteq identified this as a potential safety risk.
“Working at a height of 12 meters with a shackle and pin weighing over 100 kilograms becomes challenging and dangerous. Therefore, we requested approval to use lower and lighter shackles to ensure easier and safer lifting operations. Because the lifting lugs could no longer be modified, and because the lifting operation had to comply with the DNV standard as required by the MWS, we immediately arranged for the design, manufacture, and procurement of a set of tailored spacer rings and sleeves for each cargo unit. These were pre-installed on the existing lifting lugs to compensate for the significant difference of over 6 millimeters between the lug and the designated rigging shackle pin diameters, thereby enabling the safe use of 120-metric-ton shackles. This equipment was installed on all cargo lugs as well as on the lifting beam lugs, and it remained on board to be used again at the POD during discharge,” said Giovanni Nigro, Senior Naval Architect, dteq Transport Engineering Solutions.
The cargo securing concept consisted of vertical H-beams, which were welded all around the skids’ lower frame to prevent horizontal movement. Wire lashing was instead used to secure cargo against tipping and looped around vertical cargo columns featuring proper rubber material around the column edge to prevent chafing. Upon completion of loading and after fully inspected to the satisfaction of the Chief Mate, Vessel Master, deugro and the MWS, the vessel prepared for its 10,794-nautical-mile, 38-day ocean voyage to the Port of Antwerp, Belgium via the Cape of Good Hope.
After arrival at the PSA Breakbulk terminal in Antwerp, the vessel was moored starboard side, with the cranes facing away from the quay due to the subsequent vessel discharge by double-banking lifting operation. For this purpose, deugro Antwerp secured two RO/RO flat-top pontoons, which were positioned alongside the vessel one after another. Once mooring arrangements were confirmed to be secure and stable, lifting operations commenced. During discharge, the pontoons were repositioned as required to ensure all items remained within the crane’s safe working radius. Maintaining stability during cargo landing required accurate and continuous pontoon ballasting.
Once the cargo units were safely lashed and secured, both pontoons were pushed by tug to their offload location at Singelweg Quay, located four nautical miles away. Due to the pier’s limited ground bearing capacity and maneuvering space, deugro arranged for a floating crane to safely and efficiently discharge the cargo units from the pontoons onto SPMTs and/or hydraulic trailers.
After the cargo had been released from its lashings and the lifting rig prepared, and once the SPMTs had been maneuvered into their required positions on the pier, the floating crane aligned itself with the designated cargo unit on the pontoon. It then maneuvered away with the load suspended and positioned itself in a favorable location alongside the quay, allowing the cargo to be safely lowered directly onto the waiting SPMT or hydraulic trailer. In order to improve efficiency and reduce operational time, all cargo units of the same type were lifted before rigging was adapted for the next cargo type. As the quay experiences significant tidal height variations, the worst-case scenario of low tide was used to determine the required lifting height. In these conditions, the sea level can be up to 11 meters below the quayside. For maximum safety and smooth operations, all steps were closely supervised and coordinated by deugro’s project managers.
“Meticulous planning and preparation, combined with close and clockwork-like operational collaboration and communication between all partners, as well as the seamless coordination between on-site project management and transport engineering, made this project a success,” said Joost Maranus, Project Manager at deugro Antwerp.
