Anchor Industries, a supplier of lifting and rigging as well as marine and offshore mooring equipment in Southern Africa, has recently received ten bundles of stud link chain, weighing 36t each, and one bundle of kenter shackles, which will be supplied to a semi-submersible drilling rig for its mooring applications.
With the cargo valued in excess of R10 million, this 360t project was the largest single shipment of chain that Anchor Industries has supplied to date. Manufacturing the equipment took a period of 60 days and shipping the products from the factory in Europe to Anchor Industries in Cape Town required an additional 30 days on-board the Diamond Land.
Precise planning was required to coordinate the 40t low bed trucks, mobile cranes and quayside riggers needed to offload, transport and store this large quantity of chain. This was a task made more complicated by the fact that the vessel’s exact docking date and time was repeatedly changed due to weather and scheduling delays in the Cape Town port.
Operations director of Anchor Industries, Peter Minnaar, says: “The challenge experienced in this process was that the project had to be completed within a very short delivery time with hardly any notice in advance. Although the bundles were correctly slung, loading and offloading of stud link chain always takes longer than anticipated and requires additional resources than initially planned. Working around the clock, our experienced team of highly skilled staff met this challenge with dedication and precision.”
The two-day process of offloading and managing the paperwork of the cargo at G-Berth and at the yard was closely monitored by well trained Anchor Industries staff. The chain and kenter shackles will be stored for approximately three months until the rig leaves the harbour.
In line with their continued emphasis on quality and reliability, Anchor Industries has formed partnerships and alliances with major equipment suppliers worldwide. All Anchor Industries’ equipment is available for rental or sale and testing services are an integral part of Anchor Industries’ service offering.