Case Studies

Sumbagut II Power Plant Project

Published

Project Outline:

Ben Line Agencies has successfully handled the unloading of project cargoes. The operations were performed in Blang Lancang Port, Lhokseumawe, Aceh. During this project, Ben Line Agencies had mobilised one unit spacer barge, one unit mobile crane 65 Ton, five units  of lowbed and also supported by vessel’s crane 450 Tonnes.

Challenges Faced:

  • Draft at terminal
  • Arrangement and mobilization of heavy equipment to site
  • Implementing a safe workplace best practices to prevent and incident or accident during project

Project Solving Process:

  • Utilize spacer barge to secure vessel in suitable draft and stable position
  • HSEQ performing a detailed inspection for all units to ensure compliance
  • Perform daily safety tool-box meeting prior to starting the work

Refinery Project Oil & Gas

Published

Ocean shipment door to door of approx. 1,009.60 cbm / 139.7319 tons with max weight per piece 41 tons plus 5 x 40’ GP SOC.

Client Profile:

The chemical division of a large American O&G multinational with existing network of refineries all over the world and major activities in Singapore. A large multinational EPC contractor contracted to execute the FEED + EPC 1 of the project.

Challenges Faced:

  • The project consisted of downstream units including a steam cracker ethylene complex; two downstream plants for the production of ethylene and propylene derivatives such as ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, cymene / phenol, oxo alcohols, acrylic acid and isopropyl alcohol
  • BLA were responsible for the largest part of the project in terms of cargo volumes (550,000.00 FRT over a period of 24 months)
  • The project consisted in the construction of a second train to double the capacity of the Singapore plant of our customer.
  • PO’s placed on a worldwide scale with shipments into Singapore

Project Solving Process:

  • Cargoes inbound Singapore from worldwide locations
  • Cargoes comprising of general freight, HLV, ultra HLV etc
  • Multimodal logistics solutions
  • Time chartering of Tug & Barge
  • Project implants in Batam fabrication yard
  • Special scheme customs clearance
  • HLV’s chartering
  • Daily Status Reporting
  • Warehousing

United Nations Project

Published

UN shipment from Laiyang to Mombasa
UN shipment from Harbin/Jilin to Abidjan

Client Profile:

A global transportation partner focusing on containers, break bulk and Ro-Ro cargoes

Challenges Faced:

  • 2nd hand container purchase and positioning to remote site
  • Management of container stuffing
  • Trucking distance more than 1200km
  • Customs declaration for hazardous cargo
  • Ocean freight arrangement
  • Truck – vessel direct loading

Project Solving Process:

  • Immediate reaction after being awarded, purchasing 2nd hand container/trucking arrangement within 3 days
  • We received special permission from local communication bureau for trucking heavy machinery more than 1200km, allowing plenty of time to account for any unforeseen over weight/over width obstacles
  • DG/army item security guard arrangement before loading
  • Dealing with local port authority to allow vessel quick berthing/best connecting truck arrival time

Tug And Barge

Published

Ben Line Project Logistics was appointed to perform an Ocean freight shipment of 2 new tug boats and 6 barges. Ben Line Project Logistics arranged a barge for delivering cradles to vessel first.
Tugs for towing Customer’s newly built tugs and barges to alongside Heavy Lift Vessel for lifting with lifting lugs.
Permits for floating units from Customer to moor alongside Heavy Lift Vessel.

Client Profile:

Client is a French owned company established in Vietnam from 2005. Their products are mainly exporting to French Colonies like New Caledonia, and Seychelles

Client Relationship:

Ben Line Project Logistics has managed the full scope of logistics services from customs clearance, wet towage for tugs and barges to alongside Heavy Lift Vessel, insurance, cargo inspection, loading survey, delivering cradles to vessel by barge and chartering.

Challenges Faced:

  • Ben Line Project Logistics know the operation very well after handling many previous shipments from the same loading and discharge ports.
  • We experienced heavy rains during the loading operations which proved to be challenging but with our HSE coordinators present, we were able to perform the loading in a safe manner without any incidents.

747 Air Charter

Published

Project shipment via air from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to General Santos/ Philippines, chartering a Malaysian Airlines 747 cargo aircraft.
Following which customs clearance at destination and overland transport to client’s powerplant site was undertaken. Cargo was made up of 21 packages of air preheater
parts, with a combined size of 51 tons/262 cbm

Client Profile:

A subsidiary of one of the largest power companies in the Philippines

Challenges Faced:

  • A 747 cargo aircraft requires a main deck unloader for unloading but the equipment of the proposed airport of destination (Davao) had been unserviceable for some time already and there was no repair schedule known.
  • The alternate airport (Gensan) had a working unloader but the reliability was uncertain due to the age of the equipment.
  • The said airport only had an aging 2 ton capacity forklift which could not lift the 14 pieces of cargoes that weighed over 2 tons.
  • Customs approval to release the cargo was uncertain since the entry will not be filed immediately due to the tax exemption being applied for by the client.

Project Solving Process:

  • Ben Line was able to source out an aircraft capable of loading all 21 packages in one lift in the form of Malaysian Airlines 747 cargo freighter.
  • General Santos Airport was found out to be the only suitable place to land and unload a 747 cargo aircraft.
  • Ben Line coordinated with the HQ of the ground cargo handler which resulted to the sending of 3 mechanics that serviced the unloader and then remained on site for the duration of the delivery to conduct repairs in case of equipment breakdown.
  • Also dispatched a 7.5ton capacity forklift that handled the handling and loading of the heavy packages.
  • Through close coordination and the good relationship of BLPL with customs authorities, the cargo was cleared within the same day of arrival.

Full Package Solution Vietnam

Published

BLPL was appointed to transport Fabricated steel housing cases 9,000 cbm from Phu My to Turkey.
We arranged the trucking and delivery to port, chartered a vessel to deliver to Turkey.

Client Profile:

Australian based global power solution provider to the gas turbine power industry

Challenges Faced:

  • Our client required a very fast and fixed transit time from Vietnam to Turkey but also required flexibility as the finish date of the fabrication was tentative and extended multiple times.
  • Ben Line worked with a local trucking company to ensure the right amount of trucks had been booked for the tentative ready dates. Through multiple meetings with the fabricator, the client and Ben Line in Vietnam were able to determine the correct dates for loading. This was completed in a safe manner without any incidents. The vessel was fixed in April with a tier 1 European break bulk carrier and communication for the lay day of the vessel was perfect and without delay. Ben Line were the appointed port agents by the carrier so this was a full package under Ben Line control. The vessel loaded all cargo within a timely manner, safe and as per the documentation, then sailed as per schedule direct to Turkey.
  • With cargo readiness dates moving multiple times we had to leverage on solid relationships with the local trucking company and carrier to ensure there were no added costs to our client. There were a few extra services added to the Ben Line scope at last minute (extra purchase of containers and surveyor reports) but Ben Line Vietnam’s professionalism came through and solved these issues without delay.

Refinery Project EPC

Published

BLA was appointed to transport over 94, 055 freight tons. From March 2014-February2015, moving from Shanghai to Philippines. Shipments were separated in 12 lots by break bulk vessels, including heavy units of over 100MT.

Client Profile:

A state-owned EPC, engineering and consultation company.

Client Relationship:

Undertaking customs clearance, receiving cargo in port, ocean freight – complete door to door service

Challenges Faced:

  • BLPL staff had to be on standby at port to check the shipments due to complex nature and scale.
  • Various suppliers sent shipments without plans so BLPL staff waited in port for imminent shipments and arranged cargo in port itself
  • Supplier had no export experience and so they had no idea of how to pack safely. BLPL staff visited supplier and gave suggestions and advice on packing.
  • We checked the packing once cargo arrived in port, and found certain packing unsatisfactory. We gave notice to client to amend packing in order for safe sailing.

Jack Up Rig Blocks – B Class

Published

BLA was appointed to carry out customs clearance (both ends), vessel agency (both ends) and barging the cargos back to Singapore.
We carried out beach preparation a few days in advance. When actual operation day arrived, we performed RoRo operation (for the blocks) from yard onto the barge.
After this, sea fastening took place. Once approval from Marine Warranty Surveyor was obtained, vessel set sail back to Singapore.

Client Profile:

Client and its network of offshore yards have successfully delivered almost half of the world’s new-build jack-up rigs and semi-submersibles in the past decade

Client Relationship:

Ben Line Agencies was awarded the ocean and heavy lift task to ship two blocks of a jack-up rig from Thailand to Singapore. Till date, we have completed 4 shipments

Challenges Faced:

  • Beach preparation
  • Ramp installation on the beach
  • Having SPMT safely lift the blocks and move them from yard onto barge, across the beach – RORO OPS
  • Ballasting – Seafastening – Engineering
  • Ocean transport TH – SG
  • Custom clearance of cargos
  • Vessel agencies both ends

Project Solving Process:

  • The team was flown in a few days earlier to ensure that the ramp supports were erected as per engineering plans.
  • When the barge beached, ramp was installed immediately. Sometimes, it took longer than usual, due to varying tide.
  • With ramp properly installed, RORO ops is then almost a success. However, we still need to clear out a defined path for the SPMT
  • Ballasting and Sea fastening were carried out as per engineering calculations
  • Cargo custom clearance and vessel agencies under BLAS account

Maritime Barge And Tug Lift

Published

Client Profile:

A new customer bidding for the building of floating docks, 20 barges and 16 tug boats for the Noumea market

Client Relationship:

BLA was awarded the project shipment from Ho Chi Minh to Noumena in providing the services of ocean freight and heavy lift

Challenges Faced:

  • Setting up a suitable schedule for wet towage cargos from yard to alongside vessel
  • Unsuitable cradle could have caused damage for tug boat in loading, transport and unloading
  • Accessories inside barge
  • Ocean transport Vn – NC
  • Permit for wet stowage cargos from yard to alongside vessel
  • Since the crew needed a lot of time to open the pontoon the cargoes had to be tied alongside to wait for loading
  • Position of tide meant that the tug boat could not be put in the optimum position in cradle

Project Solving Process:

  • We had to push the crew to open the pontoon as quickly as possible and had to designate a worker to look after the cargo at all times to ensure no loss or damage was caused
  • Since BLAV has a close relationship with local partners we were able to help merchant arrange permit for wet stowage cargo exactly on time
  • Due to the backward tide we decided to wait until next morning, when there was suitable tide to place tug boat in the best position.