We know the world is round, and views from outer space suggest it is small. Thomas Friedman, in his latest book, "The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century," argues that major regional construction projects demonstrate just how connected the world already is.
Witness, as a case in point, the Port of Duluth-Superior this fall when "hydro cracker" reactors from Japan, upgrader units from Italy and the Netherlands, and heat exchangers from India arrived here via Dutch heavy-lift vessels for a Canadian tar sands project.
The MV Fairlane and the MV Stellaprima of the Rotterdam-based Jumbo Ship fleet called at Duluth's Clure Public Terminal Nov. 15 and Nov. 17 respectively to discharge heavy-lift cargo destined for the vast, oil-rich tar sands of Northern Alberta. The arrivals represented the conclusion of an elaborately orchestrated plan that was set in motion more than two years ago by Long Lake, Alberta, project engineers.
As a journey example, the Stellaprima began what has been described as a "world tour" in June when she departed the Arabian Peninsula port of Dubai for Japan, where two giant hydro cracker reactors and some proprietary coolers for a gasifier unit were loaded in Kobe. From Japan, the vessel sailed to Kuantan, Malaysia, and then on to Mumbai, India, to pick up additional project components. The Stellaprima then steamed through the Suez Canal to Port Marghera, on the east coast of Italy, before swinging around to the Italian west coast port of Cagliari. Before leaving Europe there was one more port of call, Rotterdam.
With the last of the cargo on board, it was time for the voyage from Rotterdam to Duluth, marking four months of travel and seven ports of call. Discharge TOOK 10 days, with five days spent unloading an 805-ton reactor vessel and securing it to a specially designed heavy-haul railcar for the last segment of the trip- -- a rail delivery to Long Lake, Alberta, -- which can only be completed after the ground beneath the rail track has frozen. As a footnote, these shipments will represent the largest (in terms of length and weight) loads every carried over U.S. and Canadian railways.
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So what is the significance of these feats as we look closer to home? Besides the employment such projects bring to the Port, the real impact will be seen in the design, engineering and construction of major regional projects. Currently, five major plant constructions or expansions are being discussed (Polymet, Minnesota Steel, Mesabi Nugget, Excelsior Energy and UPM Kymmene), all north of Duluth on the Iron Range. The fact the Port of Duluth has a global connection to manufacturers around the world means these plants can mitigate construction risk by maximizing modularization of the major components. In plain language, plant construction costs can be reduced and better controlled through the use of offshore manufacturers. If the construction costs can be kept low, the ultimate success of the project will improve and long term employment will be created.
The experience and reputation that the Port of Duluth has gained in the handling of major heavy-lift cargoes gives local plants the opportunity to reverse-engineer the largest modules to maximum length, height and weight, and move them efficiently to the construction site for assembly.
And while northern Minnesota does not have northern Alberta's estimated 176 billion barrels of recoverable tar sands oil, it does have vital mining and forest products industries. So as these two ships crisscrossed the oceans picking up large pieces of specialized equipment from multiple manufacturers in multiple countries for delivery to our port, we can only hope the next special cargo will be for a project even closer to home -- with our world connection contributing to its construction.
Adolph Ojard can be contacted at: Duluth Seaway Port Authority, 1200 Port Terminal Drive, Duluth, MN 55802 Phone 218-727-8525, Fax 218-727-6888, E-mail aojard@duluthport.com
