Premiere in Söderhamn! Components of wind turbines handled for the first time in the port of Orrskär, Sweden

First handling of tower segments in the port of Orrskär / Söderhamn for Swedish onshore wind farm. Start of long-lasting project with further shipments. Port of Orrskär proves its ability to handle project cargo and heavy loads.

A total of 36 tower segments for onshore wind turbines with individual weights of up to around 91t were unloaded from the general cargo ship "Ronnie" in the port of Orrskär of Söderhamns Stuveri & Hamn AB (SSHAB) and temporarily stored on a storage area which has been especially prepared for this project. This premiere was a milestone for the port. Orrskär/Söderhamn is part of the SCHRAMM Ports & Logistics network.

The successful handling marked the start of a nine-month project with several project partners, among others the logistics company deugro Danmark A/S. A total of 360 tower segments are going to be transshipped from the Vietnamese city of Phu My to Orrskär with expected ten ship calls. All components will be temporarily stored before being successively transported by heavy-duty truck to their destination Björnberget, near Ånge. Around three hectares of new storage space with direct access to the port was developed and prepared for the storage of the massive tower segments. After completion of the project, these storage areas will be available for further heavy-duty projects.

Tomi Gladh, CEO of Söderhamns Stuveri & Hamn AB, explains: “We are very pleased that we were able to successfully demonstrate the capabilities of the Orrskär port for handling heavy loads and project cargo, and that we will continue doing so in the coming months. For the logistics of wind turbine components, efficient ports are an important link in the transport chain. Orrskär Port already offers, next to also significant handling of wood products, all conditions needed for the growing wind energy industry in Sweden. 

SSHAB and the port of Orrskär are part of the German based port network SCHRAMM Ports & Logistics, comprising a total of 17 locations in Germany and Sweden. The port network also include the ports of Brunsbüttel and the heavy-duty port “Rendsburg Port”, providing many years of experience in handling wind turbines. The expertise within the port network was incorporated into the project at Orrskär Port.

Frank Schnabel, Managing Director of SCHRAMM Ports & Logistics and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SSHAB, emphasizes: “The broad structure of our port network has once again proven itself. Cooperation and exchange of experience between the German and Swedish colleagues in preparation for this first wind energy loading in Söderhamn made it possible to offer our customer the best possible service. For the port of Orrskär, the entire project leads a promising path for continued positive future development."