TCP Carries Out Groundbreaking Oversized Cargo Operation in South America

Earlier this May, TCP, the company managing the Paranaguá Container Terminal, carried out a groundbreaking operation in South America by lifting and positioning cargo onto multi-purpose boogies (MPB) — a type of wheeled platform used for transporting heavy and oversized objects, known as project cargo (CPJ).

In this operation, the cargo handled was an industrial tube dryer (rotatubos) manufactured in Curitiba by Ostergaard S.A. The equipment weighs 102 tons, measures 22.5 meters in length, and has a diameter of 4 meters. The dryer was transported from the Paraná state capital to the Paranaguá Container Terminal on a special truck equipped with hydraulic modular trailers.

Once at TCP, the dryer was hoisted by two mobile harbor cranes (MHC), each capable of lifting 100 tons at a height of 40 meters, and positioned onto two MPB modules. “The MPB is highly versatile and easier to maneuver than other trailer models because its module axles are mobile rather than fixed, as in conventional trailers. However, the hoisting and positioning operation is extremely delicate, requiring a highly qualified team and suitable equipment to ensure full precision and protect the customer’s asset,” explained Fabio Mattos, TCP’s Logistics Operations Manager.

Following the successful operation, the cargo was stored at the Terminal until May 11, when it was towed using two tugmasters (vehicles similar to terminal tractors, designed exclusively for port operations) and a reach stacker (large-capacity forklift). It was then loaded onto the roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) cargo vessel M/V Liberty, operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen, bound for its final destination in Panama. There, it will be installed at an industrial plant to process and dry fishmeal. The logistics company Over Projects was responsible for coordinating the operation.

A Reference in Project Cargo Operations

In March, TCP also handled the import of a Bell 412 helicopter. This multi-purpose aircraft, widely used in both civilian and military sectors, is equipped with twin turbines and a four-blade rotor. It measures approximately 17 meters in length, 4.5 meters in height, and weighs just over 3 tons.

“TCP’s strategy is to act as a ‘one-stop shop’ terminal for its clients, offering the most modern logistics solutions and services available for a wide range of demands. The helicopter operation reinforces the Terminal’s capability to handle special cargo movements safely and efficiently,” explained Giovanni Guidolim, TCP’s Commercial, Logistics, and Customer Service Manager.

The helicopter, transported in a MAFI container (with wheels but no roof or walls), was unloaded via the central ramp of a roll-on/roll-off ship and stored at the Terminal until the first week of April, when it was dispatched to its destination.

“The Terminal is recognized for its expertise in handling sensitive, high-value cargo with unconventional dimensions. The care and efficiency of our team in carrying out these types of operations, which require a customized and integrated logistics plan, are key differentiators that make TCP the market leader in project cargo handling,” Mattos concluded.

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