COLI Group has recently completed a six-month transport project for GE Vernova, moving 14 large power transformers from GE Vernova's Turkish factory to a job site in Poland supporting the Baltica 2 offshore wind farm. The cargo was shipped across three voyages on three separately chartered vessels, and the project marks the second collaboration between COLI and GE Vernova's team in Poland.
The transformers were picked up at GE Vernova's factory and loaded at Safiport in Derince, Türkiye.
Ten units, ranging from 110 to 170 tonnes each, were offloaded at the port of Gdynia and transported onward by land to the job site. The remaining four transformers, each weighing 361 tonnes, were barged to Władysławowo, where a complex roro operation had to be carried out. Additionally, a temporary storage area was set up at Władysławowo while the job site itself was being prepared to receive the units.
The onward land transport of the heavy transformers presented a series of legal, technical and logistical challenges. Several existing bridges along the route were unable to carry the weight of the cargo, requiring a temporary flyover structure to be mounted on top of the existing infrastructure. The operation also had to be coordinated closely with multiple local Polish authorities, and carried out through harsh winter conditions, with temperatures dropping to -15°C.
For COLI, the project represents a milestone, as it's the second time working directly with GE Vernova's team in Poland, and a contribution to Baltica 2. Scheduled for commissioning in 2027, Baltica 2 will be Poland's largest-ever renewable energy investment, featuring 107 wind turbines with the capacity to power over 2.4 million households.
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