realogistics provided port-to-door transportation services for the country’s first set of ultra-large heat exchangers

As China’s manufacturing industry transitions towards high-end development, the demand for oversized equipment transportation is increasing. In 2024, the core equipment of a national-level energy project—the country's first set of three-body heavy-duty heat exchangers (total length of 66 meters, total weight of 279 tons)—will be transported from the United States to the Xi'an Industrial Park via Tianjin Port. This project presents triple challenges in terms of transportation precision, safety, and timeliness, setting a new benchmark for complexity in the industry.

I. Project Overview

From November to December 2024, realogistics undertook the transportation task for this key national project, covering the entire route from Tianjin Port to the Xi'an Industrial Park. The main tasks included:

• Comprehensive loading and unloading inspection at the port

• Continuous escort and status monitoring of the equipment

• Over 2000 kilometers of land transportation through 4 provinces and 12 cities

• Full GPS positioning and three-axis pressure sensing monitoring

• Precision unloading positioning

  
  

II. Project Difficulties and Solutions

1. Oversized Equipment Specification Breakthrough

   1. Challenge: The single hot section measures 22×4.5×4.5 meters (exceeding national level two oversized standards), and the single piece weighs 93 tons, requiring a special axle vehicle combination.

   2. Solution: Adopted a double longitudinal 10-axis vehicle for transportation, using a three-dimensional center of gravity simulation system for calculations, dynamically adjusting the connection layout between the tank saddle and the vehicle deck, and implementing a dual-layer steel cable and hydraulic locking strapping system designed in partnership with APCI for securing the equipment.

2. Multi-Terrain Composite Transportation Routes

   1. Challenge: The route passes through 217 bridges and culverts, 63 height restrictions, and 9 tunnels. The slope from the North China Plain to the Loess Plateau reaches 8%, with frequent winter fog affecting visibility.

   2. Solution: Implemented a three-tier route survey mechanism (satellite mapping → on-site measurement → dynamic re-inspection) and configured a meteorological warning system, developing five alternative routes.

3. Traffic Coordination Challenges in Urban Clusters

   1. Challenge: The route must pass through 7 major cities, including Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou, and Xi'an, with some toll booth railings needing temporary removal.

   2. Solution: Engaged multiple escorts throughout the journey to improve average daily transportation time, deploying laser scanning vehicles to clear the way in front of the main transport vehicle and monitor road deformation in real-time.

      
      

III. Innovative Technology Applications

realogistics applied an intelligent monitoring system during transportation, with an onboard inclinometer precision of up to 0.01°, enabling automatic warnings for oversized loads. Additionally, a digital twin of the transportation process was established, simulating over 200 potential emergency scenarios to ensure that the actual transport trajectory matched the simulated path with a consistency rate of 98.7%.

IV. Project Outcomes

• Timeliness improved, with a 27% increase compared to the average efficiency of similar scale projects in the industry

• Zero unplanned stoppages throughout the journey ensured transportation safety

• Pressure gauge data fluctuation values maintained at ≤0.15MPa (60% lower than the design threshold)

• Cargo displacement kept below 3mm (achieving aerospace-grade fixed standards)

• Economically, route optimization reduced fuel consumption by 18.6 tons

  
  

Conclusion

This transport set three industry records: maximum single-piece land transport weight, most comprehensive monitoring parameters, and crossing the most administrative regions. The realogistics team managed the entire process with “millimeter-level” precision, further confirming its leading position in the heavy logistics sector. In the future, realogistics will continue to deepen the construction of intelligent logistics systems to provide strategic transportation support for the country's high-end equipment manufacturing industry.

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Realogistics International Group Co., Ltd. Established in 2012 in Hong Kong.