Barnhart was contracted to receive a 340 Ton Reactor from India at the Port of Everett in Washington and barge it to a refinery site. The reactor was discharged directly to a waiting Barnhart barge via two large on board ship cranes. The barge was outfitted with 12 lines 1.5 wide of self-propelled hydraulic platform trailer, which assisted in reducing discharge time for the over the road transport to the plant. At the discharge location near the plant, crews safely installed the ramps and unloaded the vessel.
The self-propelled trailer continued the journey to the plant. The vessel was then staged inside the plant near the foundation, so the installation and final touches could be installed prior to erection.
One month later, Barnhart mobilized to the site again to start the construction of the Modular Lift Tower (MLT) which was used to rough set the reactor. The MLT was configured to allow sliding of the vessel in multiple directions. A new swivel system was also utilized to allow 360 degree rotation. Despite the wind and rainy condition the MLT was erected in record time without any safety incidents.
On lift day, everything went as planned and the vessel was over the anchor bolts before lunch. The location of this project required very close coordination with several government agencies including the wildlife department, and state and local officials to obtain the necessary permits. In addition, the team had to overcome weather conditions and tidal issues, requiring careful timing.