TEXAS TOWER DELIVERY TAKES AN INTERNATIONAL ROUTE

Barnhart specializes in transporting cargo from Point A to B – even when those points are roughly 9,000 miles apart. In this instance, four Texas Towers in Italy required delivery to Illinois. This journey including oceanic travel, inland US waterway navigation, over the road super-heavy transport and brutal winter weather.  

The towers, which were 87’ long and weighed up to 325,000 poinds, were barged to the Port of Marghera in Italy by the local fabricator. Barnhart received the towers from the barge at the port directly to the heavy lift vessel, BBC Everest.

After nearly a month’s journey by sea, the towers arrived at Associated Terminals in New Orleans. Barnhart’s crew received the towers to a 250’ X 54’ deck barge by the ship’s gear. The barge then headed to its final stop, a refinery in Joliet, IL. 

Enroute to Joliet, the towers traveled through various inland waterways – the Tombigbee, Tennessee, Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The barge journey was made under a dedicated tow to the roll off location.   

Upon arrival in Joliet, the Barnhart crew rolled the cargo off the barge and transloaded it to self-propelled platform trailers. The towers would then be delivered over the road to the project site. Barnhart had acquired the necessary road permits for this stage and planned for obstructions along the way. But Old Man Winter had other ideas.  

During the roro operations, the crew faced arctic winter weather. Snowmageddeon 2021, the paralyzing snow storms in February, resulted in icy roads and subzero temperatures. Working conditions were impossible. The arctic blast complicated the final leg and delayed delivery for days.

Once the weather finally lifted, Barnhart transported the towers to the site one by one. The sections were self-offloaded to stands and beams. Final delivery was safely completed in early March.