Sometimes you have BUF - big, ugly freight - impossible to move by conventional means of transport. This may require disassembly, packaging and transportation arranged in multiple portions to be re-assembled on site. Surface delivery may also require bridge strengthening, removal of overhead lines and other adjustments to the infrastructure. Such moves are painfully slow, incur additional payments for road use and require specialized trucks/rail cars. They also increase risk because BUF is often delicate. Airships can increase delivery speed for project freight and reduce the risk of damage in transit.
Doubling the length of wind turbine blades, quadruples the power output. The most efficient wind turbine blades in the world are over 66 metres in length. Such wind turbines are common in off-shore facilities, but not inland because the longest blade that can move by the existing road infrastructure is only 33 metres. This fact is well-known in the wind turbine industry and they have encouraged the development of cargo airships that can carry a 66-metre blade.
The cargo that can be hauled via airship is limited only by weight. Dimensions of the cargo are seldom a problem. A 30MT cargo airship could carry wind turbine blades even longer than 66 metres directly to the desired location of the wind farm.
In project developments and remote communities, the breakdown of a major piece of equipment can have an enormous impact. Take for example a grader or front end loader with engine failure. Currently, the engine would be removed and sent out for rebuilding when the winter road opens. If the mechanics can make a quick turnaround during the 6-week ice road season, the equipment is back in service. If they miss that window, it will be almost an entire year until the engine is back.
As shown in the diagram above, a rental machine could be arranged and delivered when the broken machine is scheduled to be picked up. In this scenario, the communities would suffer no loss of use while their machines were being repaired. Instead of removing the engine, the machine could be delivered whole to the repair shop. This would allow a more thorough inspection and refurbishment helping increase the overall longevity of the equipment.
Please reach out to the BASI team via our contact page for more information. We would be glad to provide more information on how BASI can build a transportation system to meet your needs.