We arrange breakbulk shipping to Singapore for heavy and oversized cargo, including offshore equipment, industrial modules and project cargo shipments from the UK and across Europe.
This case study demonstrates how a non-standard transport solution reduced total logistics cost by approximately 70% compared to a traditional breakbulk liner option.
Cargo particulars and task
- Equipment: LARS A-frame (offshore handling system)
- Dimensions: 11.4 × 6.52 × 3.75 m
- Weight: 35 tonnes
- Origin: United Kingdom
- Destination: Singapore
The cargo exceeded standard container dimensions and required a breakbulk solution.
Transport concept Ro-Ro + barge + Breakbulk
The shipment was executed as a multimodal project cargo operation:
1. Inland transport to Tilbury
The cargo was transported by road to the Port of Tilbury (UK), prepared for Ro-Ro handling.
2. Ro-Ro shipment (cassette) to Antwerp
At Tilbury, the unit was loaded onto a Ro-Ro cassette (mafi trailer) and shipped to Antwerp.
This allowed:
- fast handling
- no lifting works
- cost-effective
3. Customs transit in Antwerp
Upon arrival in Anwerp, we arranged customs transit clearance to enable onward international movement.
4. Breakbulk shipment to Singapore
Instead of using a traditional breakbulk liner service, we arranged a breakbulk shipment on board a container vessel. The unit was loaded on a prepared pillow of flat-rack platforms, lashed and secured, prepared for further departure to Singapore.
Key challenge: terminal access restriction
The main operational issue occurred in Antwerp:
- The cargo arrived at one terminal
- The container vessel departed from another terminal
- The second terminal could not accept the cargo width via gate access
Solution: barge transfer between terminals
To overcome this constraint, we arranged barge transfer between terminals.
This solution provided:
- schedule continuity
- compliance with port restrictions
- no need for disassembly
- minimal additional handling
Result: 70% cost savings vs traditional breakbulk
The selected logistics concept delivered a significant commercial advantage:
- Total logistics cost: ~USD 50,000
- Estimated cost via traditional breakbulk liner / part cargo: ~USD 150,000
This project highlights a key principle of project cargo logistics: non-standard routing and mode combination can outperform traditional solutions.
By combining:
- Ro-Ro handling (cassette system)
- barge repositioning
- containerized breakbulk
we optimized both:
- cost
- handling risk
- transit efficiency
We regularly arrange breakbulk shipping to Singapore and other global destinations for:
- offshore equipment (LARS, winches, cranes)
- heavy industrial cargo
- oversized structures
- project cargo shipments
Each project is engineered individually to determine the most efficient routing and loading method.
If you are dealing with similar cargo, feel free to get in touch.