Vanguard has completed two simultaneous wind blade offloading operations using their wind blade shunt trailers at the Port of Richards Bay and the Port of Coega.

"This milestone marks another significant achievement in Vanguard’s ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of wind turbine logistics across South African ports," reads the release.

At both locations, Vanguard deployed its specialist wind blade shunt trailers, purposefully-designed to receive blades in either top or tail orientation directly from vessels. In Richards Bay, three trailers were mobilised to offload wind blades from the docked vessel and transport them to a nearby laydown area. Simultaneously, an identical operation was carried out at the Port of Coega, showcasing the scalability and adaptability of this solution across different port environments.

These advanced trailers were commissioned and developed by Vanguard to allow for the direct receival and transport of blades without the need for double handling or complex reorientation procedures. Their ability to operate efficiently in restricted port spaces reduces disruption and improves turnaround times at busy terminals. Each trailer features a drawbar at either end and bespoke beam configurations to accommodate blades of varying lengths, including those exceeding 90 metres.

The trailers also have the added benefit of a quick reconfiguration to a shorter beam. Once the blades have been discharged, the transport arrangement can be reconfigured into a 7 axle trailer with a shorter beam, by replacing the rear 3 axle bogie with a modular 4 axle trailer. This enables the heavier pieces, such as the nacelle, to be discharged from the vessel without having to send additional trailers to site.

“This is a major step forward in our commitment to deliver high-impact, cost-effective logistics solutions to the renewable energy sector,” said Laura Hodgkinson, Director at Vanguard. “Successfully completing two operations concurrently is a testament to the versatility of the trailers and the skill of our teams on the ground. As renewable energy projects become increasingly reliant on efficient logistics, Vanguard’s approach sets a new benchmark for wind blade handling across Africa and beyond.”

The release also read, "The dual-port operation further solidifies Vanguard’s position as a leader in heavy logistics innovation, demonstrating how the company continues to solve real-world infrastructure challenges. With the South African wind energy sector growing rapidly, Vanguard's solution supports faster project deployment and safer port operations."

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