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Success Stories
EIC Survive 2024 EIC Survive&&Thrive Thrive 2024
JulyJuly 2024 2024
Story type #service & solutions (main category) #people & competency
CEVA Logistics
Benefits
Supporting East Africa’s largest ongoing hydroelectric project with complex, out-of-gauge cargo deliveries Siddiq Khatri
Key findings
Technical Project Logistics Engineer
How is CEVA Logistics thriving? In provisioning a series of the largest and most complex logistical cargo deliveries ever witnessed on an East African energy infrastructure project, CEVA Logistics is making a name for itself on the continent. Thanks to its meticulous attention to detail and timely delivery of components, the project continues to progress. The challenge - CEVA Logistics decided to grow its business across the African continent in 2019, when CEVA had direct presence in less than five countries in the region. After several acquisitions, the company has direct offices and operations in more than 20 African markets. One of those acquisitions, that of Spedag Interfreight in 2022, has been particularly influential. Spedag has dedicated industry teams which specialise in fulfilling logistical requirements for complex projects – essential expertise in the ongoing delivery of cargo transportation services to East Africa’s largest hydropower project. With a generating capacity of more than 2GW and construction work taking place at a remote site location, CEVA Logistics was faced with a challenge when it was approached to deliver 300 complex and out-ofgauge cargo items. The solution - It is the first time such a logistical exercise has been carried out in East Africa, with the most challenging aspect being how CEVA could utilise existing road and rail infrastructure to safely transport the exceptional loads. The loads in question concern nine of the third largest rotor bodies the world has ever produced, 7.5 metres in diameter. These are made up of a variety of enormous components, including pressure kits measuring 7.4 metres in diameter, rotor valves weighing 163 tonnes, runners weighing 90 tonnes, downstream and upstream extensions up to 7.4 metres wide, and 36 sensitive stator sections with height of 4.7 metres. The size of the cargo was only one aspect of many challenges. Transformers are highly sensitive and must be handled with precision
▸ Company on track to deepen its business in the African continent. ▸ Involvement in one of East Africa’s most important renewable energy projects.
and care to ensure that their internal integrity stays intact upon arrival at the site. Due to the cargo’s sensitivity, procurement lead time needed to span over 10 months. No stone has been left unturned. CEVA’s logistics engineers painstakingly planned every detail, producing drawings and project schematics well before the cargo even made the sail to the Port of Dar es Salaam. This included calculations of ground bearing capacity, ensuring adequate handling equipment availability (especially at intra-rail stations), and measuring the impact on the cargo, among other key factors. To give an example of a specific cargo journey, a rotor body of 8 metres in length, 7.5 metres in width and weighing 111 tonnes took more than six months of planning. It was transported via road from the port to a rail station, trans-shipped on rail wagon with a 200-tonne capacity, and then trans-shipped at the arrival rail station safely on to specialised trailer ready to be transported to the project site the next day. In total, the journey encompassed 100 kilometres of road, of which 30 kilometres were gravel road, 120 kilometres of rail and finally more 40 kilometres of gravel road. So far, 85% of the cargo has been successfully delivered to the site. Such has been the competency of the delivery to date, CEVA Logistics has emerged as the sole logistics services provider for the rest of the project. The company has also received enquiries from other parties, opening up the possibility of securing more work on the continent. Involvement in critical energy infrastructure projects such as this will only serve to deepen CEVA’s ties in Africa. As it became a top-five global player, successfully executing highly complex, first-of-its-kind projects in the region will strengthen its track record and reputation. On a broader level, the company is also playing a crucial role in accelerating progress on one of East Africa’s most important renewable energy projects that will help to bolster energy security for generations to come.
For industry ▸ Trust the supply chain: an efficient supply chain is at the core of every functioning economy. For government ▸ Collaborate and open healthy dialogue with industry players.
CEVA Logistics at a glance: Key products and services: one of the top five world leaders in third-party logistics. Headquarters: Marseille, France Year established: 1946 Number of employees: 110,000 Revenue: £15.1bn Revenue from exports: N/A