Omega Morgan tackles paper mill project at the Port

A leader in breakbulk projects, the 99-year old Port of Longview in Longview, WA has eight marine terminals and waterfront industrial property spanning 835 acres on the deep-draft Columbia River.

The Port of Longview recently discharged a 171-metric ton drum pulper for the nearby North Pacific Paper Company.

Located 66 miles from the Pacific Ocean in southwest Washington state, the Port plays an important role in local and national economic development, creating jobs in manufacturing and international trade.

The Port recently discharged a 171-metric ton drum pulper for nearby North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC). The drum arrived from Shanghai via the BBC Diamond. It was lifted off the ship in two major pieces.

The ship’s two 250-metric-ton capacity TTS cranes lowered the first and then the second piece of the pulper in tandem directly to a trailer positioned below the ship. Rigging for the first crane was from hook to doubled up 50-metric-ton grommet wire sling to 85-metric-ton shackle to 72-metric-ton flat belt synthetic sling around the pulper to 85-metric-ton shackle to doubled up 50-metric-ton grommet wire sling back to hook.

Rigging from the second crane was from hook to doubled up 68-metric-ton grommet wire sling to 85-metric-ton shackle to 72-metric-ton flat belt synthetic sling around the pulper piece to 85-metric-ton shackle to doubled up 68-metric-ton grommet wire sling back to hook.

Precision maneuvering

Omega Morgan maneuvered the pulper pieces though the Port of Longview’s industrial area to the paper mill. Omega Morgan used a 6-axle Kamag K 25 modular platform trailer. Each axle has eight tires for a total of 128 tires.

Precision maneuvering was required as the first section of the pulper measured 47 feet 11 inches long by 17 feet 8 inches wide by 16 feet tall. It weighed 82,674 pounds. The second section measured 107 feet 4 inches long by 17 feet 8 inches wide and was 17 feet 10 inches tall. It weighed 376,991 pounds.

Two Grove ATs worked in tandem to place the drum pulper pieces.

Once at NORPAC, the two pulper pieces were set into place separately. The largest piece was set first and then the smaller piece. The final connections were made to marry the pulper drum together.

At NORPAC, Omega Morgan used a Grove GMK7550 rigged with 264,500 pounds of counterweight and a Grove GMK6300L-1 rigged with 203,900 pounds of counterweight. The cranes worked in tandem and the rigging consisted of 150,000-pound endless round slings and 82-ton capacity shackles, using the same configuration from the hook of both cranes – 150,000-ton sling to 82-ton shackle to 150,000-ton sling to 82-ton shackle to 150,000-ton sling back to hook. The basket hitch capacity was 300,000 pounds.