The Brief

Willship International has a longstanding partnership with Specialized Concrete Pumping, providing reliable freight forwarding services for their shipments of concrete pumping booms and associated equipment from all over the world. Recently, Willship was tasked with transporting a used concrete pumping boom from the United States to the client's site in Brisbane, Australia. Specialized Concrete Pumping (SCP) is a leading Australian company based in Brisbane that provides comprehensive concrete pumping services nationwide.

Solution

Out-of-gauge items like a concrete pumping boom presents a number of logistical challenges due to its weight, irregular shape and height. The boom, with its length of approximately 11 meters long and 3 metres tall and is considered ‘out of gauge’ cargo, requiring specialized handling and transportation methods. Pumping booms also consist of interconnected pipes and tubes which makes it delicate and fragile to ship. On top of that, most used equipment requires quarantine cleaning and treatment to comply with Australian biosecurity regulations. All these factors are considered in order for us to pull off this shipment successfully.

Willship International's team of out-of-gauge and heavy machinery shipping experts meticulously planned, researched and executed the end-to-end logistics process of shipping:

• Usage of a 40ft Flat Rack container: The boom was carefully lifted using a crane and then secured on a flat rack using specialized equipment to prevent damage during transit.
• Multimodal transport: Our team took extra care to safely transport this fragile cargo using a combination of road and sea transportation. We only work with the most dependable shipping companies to handle these valuable items. We used our advantage of having a worldwide network allowing us to carefully plan and carry out every step of the journey.
• Quarantine management: Shipping used heavy machinery is often risky and unpredictable. There's no way of knowing for sure what problems might be lurking beneath the surface of a secondhand machine. Therefore, we made sure the equipment had to be thoroughly cleaned and treated before it was permitted to enter Australia. As a result, the customs clearance process was smooth and the boom was released on time and on schedule.
• Timely Updates and On-site Supervision: During the transit, we actively communicated with our client and updated them on the boom’s location using our real-time tracking technology. Upon arrival at the quarantine depot, we went above and beyond by meeting our client onsite to handle the quarantine clearing process, which was particularly rewarding for us.

Results

The pumping boom arrived on schedule and in perfect condition, much to our client's delight. SCP was thrilled to add it to their fleet and praised the smooth and effortless shipping process of Willship. They were also grateful for our team's extra effort in physically overseeing the quarantine clearance.

Key Takeaways

This case study further solidifies Willship International’s reputation in international freight forwarding particularly importing heavy machinery and equipment to Australia.

• Specialization in heavy machines and out of gauge cargo: Willship International possesses the expertise and resources to effectively manage the transportation of oversized or out-of-gauge machinery. No job is too big for us!
• Quarantine and Customs expertise: Our in-house customs broker gave us the best advice and direction possible to make sure the pumping boom does not get detained at customs and the quarantine depot. Willship coordinated with quarantine authorities to ensure compliance with all regulations and facilitate the boom's timely release. This also helped us to manage customer’s expectations and make sure we tick all the boxes for biosecurity compliance so that the machinery can be cleared through quarantine and customs without any hitches.
• Customer-first approach: We maintained open and transparent communication with our clients throughout the entire shipping process. This means regular updates, proactive problem-solving, and a willingness to answer any questions or concerns promptly.

Willship International Ships All Kinds of Out-of-Gauge (OOG) Cargo and Machinery: Project Logistics Like No Other

• Willship has had the opportunity to ship heavy machinery and equipment for over 50 years. We service all industries that require heavy machinery shipping such as construction, building and renovation, mining, agriculture or farming, oil and gas, energy sectors and more.
• We utilize a range of transportation methods such as BreakBulk, Flat Rack Shipping, Roll on Roll Off (RoRo) and many more.
• Shipping large equipment and machinery is no walk in the park, but our seasoned commercial freight forwarders take it all in stride. We've got the expertise and experience to navigate the complexities of this process, from planning every detail, finding the best route, to ensuring your customs paperwork is in tip-top shape. We're always on the lookout for potential roadblocks and have a knack for smoothing them out before they slow you down.

If your current forwarder is not giving you the best results, give Willship a try on your next shipment!

If your current forwarder is not giving you the best results, give Willship a try on your next shipment!

Willship International is a Brisbane-based freight forwarder specializing in commercial and automotive international shipments. Need a quote for your next shipment? Get in touch with our commercial freight forwarding experts at 07 3267 0575 or e-mail us at commercial@willship.com.au