Brief Summary
This video documents the extraordinary journey of a massive, 1,100-ton autoclave from Belgium to a gold plant in eastern Russia. The autoclave, designed to extract gold from stone using state-of-the-art technology, faces numerous logistical challenges, including navigating narrow roads, crossing motorways, traversing canals and rivers, and battling against a severe flood. The success of this mega transport is crucial for doubling the gold production at its destination.
- The autoclave, weighing 1,100 tons, is transported from Belgium to Russia to extract gold.
- The journey involves navigating roads, canals, and rivers, with a tight schedule due to seasonal river conditions.
- The team faces challenges such as crossing motorways, passing under low bridges, and dealing with unexpected floods.
- The successful delivery of the autoclave is essential for doubling gold production at the destination plant.
Introduction: The Mega Transport Begins
The video introduces a massive autoclave, weighing over 1,000 tons, designed to extract gold from stone. This colossal machine, built in Western Europe, is destined for a gold plant in Eastern Russia. Its journey involves navigating motorways, bridges, and rivers, with transport limited to a few weeks each year due to weather conditions. The entire operation is a race against time, highlighting the challenges of mega transport.
The Autoclave: Purpose and Construction
The autoclave, constructed in Belgium over two and a half years, is as tall as a house, with a diameter of 7.5 meters and a length of 51 meters. Weighing 1,100 tons, it's designed to extract up to 18 tons of gold per year using pressure oxidation, a process where gold-bearing minerals are mixed with oxygen under high pressure. The transport faces the challenge of avoiding any impact that could damage the sensitive technology inside the autoclave.
Departure and Initial Challenges
The transport crew loads the autoclave onto two self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) to move it out of the production hall. The first stage involves transporting it to the national border, with the entire journey to Russia expected to take 65 days. The route includes roads and rivers to Antwerp, where a heavy-lift cargo ship will carry the autoclave to an eastern Russian seaport, followed by transport along the Amur River to the gold plant, covering a total of 25,000 km.
The Clock Is Ticking: River Amur and Production Goals
Transport on the Amur River is only possible for a few weeks each year due to fluctuating water levels. Missing this window would delay the project by a year, impacting the gold plant in Amor, which aims to double its annual production of 13 tons of gold with the new autoclave. Any delays in the transport process result in financial losses for the gold producer.
Navigating Belgian Roads and Canals
In Belgium, the transport team maneuvers the autoclave out of the production hall, adhering to Belgian law that allows heavy goods transports only one night a week. A heavy-duty barge arrives to transport the autoclave to the seaport of Antwerp, with the challenge being the barge's hold is only slightly wider than the autoclave. The plan is to use a ramp to carefully drive the autoclave onto the barge.
Crossing the Motorway
The team faces the challenge of crossing a motorway to reach the canal, with a tight schedule to cross between midnight and 1:00 AM. Preparations include unbolting a 12-meter wide section of the crash barrier. The unpaved ground between the carriageways is soft, requiring the team to lay down plates for safety.
Overcoming Obstacles on the Road
The route follows a narrow road, requiring precise maneuvering. The team uses radios to communicate with the driver. Upon reaching the motorway, police stop traffic to allow the mega transport to cross. The team has one hour to complete the crossing.
Final Road Sections and Barge Arrival
After crossing the motorway, the route continues along a narrow temporary road. The team drives forward in the opposite direction onto the main road and then reverses towards the canal to save time. Two trucks ignore roadblocks, causing delays and angering the transport supervisor.
Loading the Autoclave onto the Barge
To safely load the autoclave onto the barge, the team immobilizes the barge by installing a wooden platform underwater and flooding the ballast water tanks to lower the barge onto the platform. Safety measures are emphasized to prevent accidents during the hazardous loading process.
Positioning and Securing the Barge
Barge supervisor Mikil DT is responsible for positioning the barge, using specific areas on the pier that have been reinforced to withstand the enormous loads. A diver ensures the barge is in the correct position before the crew starts lowering it. The crew pumps around 1,000 liters of water into the ballast tanks to sink the barge onto the platform.
Final Preparations and Cautious Loading
The transport team installs a special ramp for the autoclave to roll onto the barge. The loading process is planned to take three hours, with extreme caution needed to prevent the barge from tipping over due to the one-sided load. The crew pumps out ballast water to compensate for the weight of the autoclave.
Successful Barge Loading and Canal Transit
After three and a half hours, the autoclave is successfully loaded onto the barge. The next stage covers 45 km along a canal to the seaport of Antwerp, passing through two locks and under numerous bridges. Captain Antony veston starts the barge's engines, noting that the height of two bridges is critical.
Navigating Locks and Low Bridges
The barge reaches the first lock, where maneuvering is difficult due to the size and weight of the autoclave. The barge rams the lock wall, but fenders prevent serious damage. Exiting the lock, the barge approaches the first of two critical bridges, requiring a clearance of at least 10 cm to avoid getting stuck.
Critical Bridge Clearance and Freighter Arrival
The barge successfully passes under the first critical bridge, but an even lower bridge is ahead. Meanwhile, the freighter NVs svena, which will take the autoclave to Russia, has arrived at the seaport of antwork. The crew of the svena prepares steel cables to lift the autoclave on board, reinforcing the deck where the autoclave will sit during the crossing.
The Lowest Bridge and Final Canal Section
The barge approaches the lowest bridge on the journey, with a calculated clearance of just 10 cm. Successfully passing under the bridge, the barge completes the final kilometers to the seaport of ANW worp, where the autoclave will be transferred to the cargo ship.
Arrival at the Seaport and Preparation for Transfer
After a 6-hour journey, the mega transport reaches the interim stop as planned. The captain berths the barge alongside the cargo ship to prepare for the transfer. The team aims to lift the 1,000-ton autoclave into the hold of the swena in two hours, with crane operators coordinating to prevent swaying.
Attaching the Crane Cables
The crane operators attach the lifting cables to each end of the autoclave, with dockworkers securing them like a sling. The ends of the cables are connected using a 500-kilo shackle, secured with a cotter pin to prevent loosening under the enormous load.
Problem with the Shackle and Continued Preparations
A problem arises when the cotter pin on one of the shackles opens, halting the loading process. The team works together to resolve the issue, and loading continues half an hour later. The second crane is attached, and the crane operators prepare to apply tension to the ropes slowly.
Lifting and Positioning the Autoclave
The crane operators slowly apply tension to the ropes, lifting the autoclave. The full weight of 1,100 tons hangs from the two cranes. The autoclave is raised to deck level and maneuvered over the cargo hold, with crew members observing from different angles to ensure it doesn't hit anything.
Final Positioning and Securing the Load
The crane operators lower the load very slowly, using wooden blocks to compensate for minor height differences under the transport supports. Once the cargo is in position, the crew switches off the cranes and takes a break. The crew then lash down the autoclave, using more than 50 wires to secure the high-tech machine for the sea voyage.
Departure for Russia and Voyage Challenges
The svena sets off for Russia in the middle of the night, embarking on a 20,000 km journey. The voyage is scheduled to take 31 days, with any delay potentially worsening weather conditions in Russia. The route goes around Europe, through the Suez Canal, and across the Indian Ocean towards Eastern Russia.
Preparations at the Destination and Flood Concerns
At the destination near the gold factory in Amor, preparations are underway, including building an access road and pier. However, transport supervisor Alexis shamco expresses concern about the highest water level measured in 100 years, which has flooded parts of the pier.
Arrival in Dicastri and Final River Journey
The svena reaches the port of dicastri as planned after a 31-day voyage. From here, the mega transport begins the final 1,200 km journey along the river Amore. After 10 days, the barge reaches its destination in Amor, but workers are still struggling with the floods.
Mooring Challenges and Flood Preparations
The team attempts to moor the barge, but the river level is too high. Transport supervisor Alexis's team ensures the strong current does not cause the barge to drift, using new ropes and three tugs to push together at full power. Additional steel cables are attached to prevent the barge from tearing loose during unloading.
Ramp Construction and Flood Impact
The autoclave is unloaded using an spmt, with a heavy-duty ramp built from shore to barge. However, the flood means the ramp sections no longer fit perfectly, creating a kink. The team plans to lower the barge by filling the ballast tanks to align the ramp sections.
Adjusting the Barge and Testing the Ramp
Engineer Nikita daniloff calculates how to distribute the ballast water to keep the barge level. Despite their efforts, the kink in the ramp remains. Alex decides to test the ramp with the unloaded spmt to determine whether to unload the autoclave from the barge.
Decision to Unload and Final Preparations
After testing the ramp with the unloaded spmt, Alexi decides to attempt unloading the next day. The team fixes and checks everything, paying close attention to the water movement and current. The next few hours are crucial for the success of the mega transport.
Unloading the Autoclave and Overcoming the Kink
The autoclave rolls off the barge in slow motion, reaching the critical point where the ramp sections connect. The team proceeds cautiously, ready to stop immediately if the transporter comes into contact with the kink. After a nail-biting process, the autoclave is successfully unloaded onto land.
Final Kilometers and Arrival at the Gold Plant
At night, the mega transport departs for its final kilometers, taking a temporary road towards the town. The team covers 10 km, reaching the gold plant the next day. The successful transport is a first for Russia, with the autoclave now ready for operation.
Conclusion: A Unique Mega Transport
The mega transport covers 25,000 km in 65 days, overcoming numerous challenges, including motorways, narrow roads, bridges, and a severe flood. The unique journey concludes with the autoclave successfully delivered to extract tons of gold.
