Shipment Overview
Origin: Dakar, Senegal
Transhipment Port: Antwerp, Belgium
Final Port: Blyth, United Kingdom
Freight Mode: Breakbulk Sea Freight | Feeder Vessel | OOG Flat Rack
Cargo: Oversized Trencher & Associated Project Equipment
Project Type: Breakbulk Export | OOG Project Cargo | Cost-Optimised Routing
The Challenge
DC Global Freight was appointed to coordinate the return movement of an oversized trencher and associated project cargo from Dakar, Senegal to Blyth in the United Kingdom.
The trencher was unsuitable for conventional containerised transport and required specialist breakbulk handling. Additional operational challenges were present at origin, where sections of port fencing and gates had to be temporarily removed to create sufficient access for the oversized cargo to reach the loading area.
A direct part charter could have provided a more straightforward routing, but transit time was not the principal concern. The priority was to identify the most cost-effective viable shipping solution while maintaining appropriate control over handling and vessel connections.
The shipment therefore required careful planning around vessel availability, port access, transhipment and the differing transport requirements of the cargo pieces.
The Solution
DC Global Freight arranged for the trencher to be loaded in Dakar as breakbulk cargo with top-deck stowage for shipment to Antwerp.
On arrival in Antwerp, the movement was coordinated so that the trencher could be discharged directly to a waiting feeder vessel for onward transport to Blyth.
This routing provided a substantially more cost-effective alternative to arranging a part charter while still maintaining a controlled end-to-end movement.
The remaining project cargo was shipped separately using flat rack equipment, allowing the transport method for each cargo piece to be selected according to its dimensions, weight and handling requirements.
By combining breakbulk and OOG containerised transport within the same overall project, DC Global Freight was able to match the shipping method to the individual cargo characteristics rather than forcing the full shipment into a single transport solution.
The Result
The trencher was successfully routed from Dakar to Blyth via Antwerp using a coordinated breakbulk and feeder vessel solution.
The project achieved the customer’s priority of cost efficiency over transit speed, while also managing the specialist port access, breakbulk loading and transhipment requirements associated with the oversized cargo.
The remaining equipment moved on flat racks, demonstrating how breakbulk and OOG container shipping can be combined within a single project movement to create a practical and commercially efficient logistics solution.
Key Project Facts
• Dakar, Senegal to Blyth, United Kingdom
• Transhipment via Antwerp, Belgium
• Oversized Trencher
• Breakbulk Top-Deck Stowage
• Feeder Vessel Connection
• OOG Flat Rack Cargo
• Port Access Modifications in Dakar
• Direct Vessel-to-Vessel Transfer in Antwerp
• Cost-Optimised Routing
• Alternative to Part Charter
• Mixed Breakbulk & Flat Rack Project Cargo Solution
