TRATEC is now with TII

Probably the biggest news in heavy transport in India in 2015 was the acquiring of India's first hydraulic platform trailer manufacturer TRATEC by German Trailer Manufacturer TII Group. TII were to officially announce the acquisition in October 2015 in the presence of German VC. However, this didn't happen as VC couldn't make it.
TII acquired the Bawal plant of TRATEC and is now manufacturing from here. As per TII, this is all to take forward Indian PM's call for "Make in India" initiative.
This news is both Good and Bad.
Good because India will now get German quality trailers (hopefully) at much lower price now sans the hefty import taxes.
Bad news because it would be not exactly the "Make in India" thing which our PM must have thought of. This acquisition finished-off an Indian company. TRATEC had seen glorious days in the past but forgot to update itself and at the end had to sell-off its Civil business.
Goldhofer, another German Trailer manufacturer had a near monopoly in imported hydraulic trailer market in India, will have sleepless nights. Few years back they did try to do similar thing but the project did not take off. Now, with lower priced German trailers available in India without the import hassles, it would be interesting to see, what would Goldhofer do now.

Things I learned at the BHP 2014 exhibition in Mumbai

It is 3 months since i posted anything on this blog. Maybe nothing interesting happened or i was too busy. Anyways, here i am again.

Last month i was at the BHP 2014 or The Breakbulk, Heavylift and Project Forwarding expo as an exhibitor for my employer. The 2012 edition exhibitors were mostly transport operators but this time around mostly shipping lines and the so called project forwarding guys were there.

I would say it was a disaster of sorts for at-least people like me who are from heavy lift industry. Perhaps for shipping line and "project forwarding" guys, heavy-lift meant something totally different. I talked to the organisers and my fellow exhibitors about what they understood about heavy-lift. An overwhelming majority thought heavy-lift was lifting of ODC from a heavy lift Geared vessel or heavy lift by a port crane. A very select few included loadouts with SPMT or Hydraulic Trailers. Those who don't know what heavy-lift is and would trust wikipedia more than me... do visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_lift for enlightenment.

In my opinion the word heavylift should not have been used by the organizers in the first place.

The conferences were as boring as watching paint dry. All i could here was Bleh..bleh...

Why is India good...why is India bad...what are procedures of XYZ etc...A kind of a show-off fest for few peacocks.

The cocktail dinner was all about Cosco Shipping and its greatness. It seemed they were heirs of some Chinese Poseidon.

Here's what i learned from this exhibition. That Indian heavylift industry is a hopeless bunch. If our own related fraternity doesn't know much about us then imagine what pathetic ignorant world our service seekers are in.

Expos and exhibitions are supposed to be a view to the future, an advancement in implementation of new techniques and technology. Instead, this exhibition cum conference was same old story. It was like people had opened branch offices in a common marketplace.

What is needed in India is infusion of efficient techniques, optimum safety practices and flushing out of old prehistoric redundant execution techniques. 

Indian contractors don't have the will to do so because of the anomaly in the system. It just irritating to know that our rules and the law treats ODC project movements as an offence to the Motor Vehicle Rules and not a part of it. This makes these movements exposed to widespread persecution and bribe fest through out the route.

Effects of slowdown- Daimler AG's Indian truck business financially ‘sick’

Just read this piece of depressing news. The prevailing situation can only become better in two conditions- One...the economic evironment gets better in next one year, which is only subject to speculations. Second...the Transport Ministry starts some strong and honest vigilance regarding inspection of old Commercial vehicles.

We in India are strong believers in putting everything to use until its kaput. Its a miracle that most of the commercial vehicle in their current state run on the road. Its an open secret that the motor vehicle inspectors in India are the most corrupt of the lot. Without phasing out of the old junks...no body will by the new vehicles.

Projects: Exceptional freight on barge and road - Boxco transports 880 ton splitter column for Mexican refinery to Mumbai Port on 2 x 28 axle lines of SCHEUERLE-KAMAG K25 SPE

Below is a press release from the TII Group on a record transport by an Indian Transport Company- BOXCO in October 2013

Boxco Logistics has set the bar high yet again, by roll on-roll off of the longest column ever that was transported in and out of Mumbai port on SCHEUERLE KAMAG K25 self-propelled modular transporters.

It all started in the industrial township of Dahej in the state of Gujarat at ISGEC Heavy Engineering’s manufacturing plant. A 91 meter long, 880 ton splitter column built for a refinery in Mexico, shadowed the workshop buildings. Apart from the splitter, a 380 ton quench water tower and a 250 ton demethaniser were also to be transported along with their accessories. The transportation of the columns from ISGEC plant to Adani port was a challenge, as the splitter measured 91 m x 9.5 m x 9 m in dimensions. Civil works

like road widening, removal of obstacles including dividers and light poles were carried out prior commencement of transportation. Electrical line shutdowns also had to be arranged with the local electricity boards. In coordination with the local police, the transportation was carried out using SCHEUERLE-KAMAG K25 self-propelled modular transporters. The team faced a large number of challenges including turning restrictions like dividers road ends and conveyor belt structures which were mastered by the

elaborated steering modes of the SCHEUERLE-KAMAG K25 SPE. The transportation of all 3 pieces of equipment was carried out in a span of four days. The entrance wall to Adani port was razed to move the convoys into its premises. On site transportation at the port also posed a challenge due to narrow passages existing especially for the 91 m long splitter.

The shipment schedule for equipments from Dahej stood on the edge of the harsh ongoing monsoon season. The derrick barge “Triton Vision” under tow by 30 t bollard pull “MT Canara Progress” had been chosen to complete this mammoth task of sea transportation from turbulent waters of the Narmada delta in Gulf of Khambat up to the port of Mumbai. After engineering the required stowage plan, executing the jetty civil

works and ramp construction the barge arrived at Dahej jetty under tow by smaller tugs due to low draft conditions of the Narmada basin. After stowage of the cargo, seafastening was carried as per pre-calculated. Upon survey of the cargo and fastenings, the barge loaded with the refinery equipment was hauled by the smaller tugs up to Dahej anchorage, where it was handed over to “MT Canara Progress”, which

transported the loaded barge up to Mumbai port. Upon arrival and alignment of the barge at Mumbai port, delashing was carried out based on the hot works and rigging plan. The SCHEUERLE-KAMAG K25 SPE used at Dahej were also used to successfully carry out the roll off operations at Mumbai port. “MV Roll Dock Sea” arrived at Mumbai in last week of June for loading the columns on board. While the smaller two

columns were lifted by the vessel hook, the 91 meter long splitter was too large and heavy for the same. It is for this reason that rolling on the column using SCHEUERLE KAMAG K25 SPE was the obvious option.

New Blog on Heavy Lift (Alternate Lifting)

I have finally started my new blog heavyliftindia.blogspot.com
This blog will explore the rarely discussed world of Alternate Lifting, focusing on India. Feedback is welcome.

Launch of Australian Oceanographic research ship "Investigator" weighing 4500t with Skidding technique in Singapore

Announcement: New Blog on Heavy Lift on Diwali 2013

Since heavy transport is incomplete without heavy lift, i am in process of creating a new blog on heavy lift. I will concentrate more on non-crane onshore special projects in this blog. Hoping to get it running by Diwali this year. Wish me luck :).

Registration of Hydraulic Trailers: A misguided government mechanism

Things have been getting from frustrating to ridiculous. The previous process of registration of hydraulic trailers was in itself a pain. Now it has become absurd too.

Rule No.126 of CMVR clearly states that all motor vehicles OTHER THAN trailers and semi trailers shall submit prototype for test by...

The why on earth is the office of Ministry of Road Transport asking for type approval? I don't have the letter but from what i hear is that the top official has released a letter which asks for prototype testing of hydraulic trailers.

The funny part is, his predecessor had issue a letter which said that design approval from any Govt. engineering college would be enough (i have a copy).

Don't these officials know that they can be legally challenged for issuing the letter for prototype testing.  Will the ministry now function with personal whims and wishes of these IAS babus now?

I have a feeling that with the next change in the office, this procedure will again change.