The transport of a 350,000-pound “therm” steam boiler from fabricator to plant, a distance of 375 miles, required creativity and experience to safely move the component, despite some clearance limitations and unexpected construction along the way.

Out of the Shop

The boiler was fabricated in the Brask IEE shop in Sulphur, Louisiana—and there were clear challenges from the start. The boiler had a gross vehicle weight of 553,000 pounds. However, the door width and height of the fabrication facility were too tight to use a conventional transporter to move the steam boiler out of the facility.

Alternatively, the Deep South crew used a climbing jack to raise the boiler high enough to move a 6-axle-line Scheuerle SPMT equipped with temporary saddles in between boiler nozzles. Once out of the fabrication shop, a 500-ton Deep South gantry lifted the boiler off the SPMT and placed it on a 12-axle-line Dual-lane Goldhofer transporter for its transport to the client site.

Prior to getting on the road, the crew also used Deep South’s on-site wireless weighing system to measure component weight and center of gravity in minutes.

On the Road

Working closely with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD), Deep South transported the boiler along highways and roads to its final destination. Because of the height, LaDOTD routed the crew around the north side of Baton Rouge and then south on LA-61 toward the Sunshine Bridge where the transporter could cross the Mississippi River and head back to the final delivery site. The steam boiler was delivered on time and safely.

Manufactured with Pride

During the boiler transport, the crew passed by Deep South’s Baton Rouge headquarters (pictured above) and 140-acre primary manufacturing facility for the VersaCrane™ fleet. Company-wide, Deep South has more than 100,000 square feet of fabrication facilities that include the necessary equipment to fabricate specialty items such as crane components, steel mats, steel bridges, etc. All VersaCrane™ components are engineered and fabricated at our Baton Rouge facility by a team of certified engineers and experienced craftsmen. Every piece of structural steel used is stamped with a serial number so that each piece can be fully traced from the mill, through welding and inspection procedures, and all the way to the completed component.

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About Deep South: Deep South Crane & Rigging is a leading provider of heavy lift and transport solutions in the refining, chemical, and energy sectors and strives to provide its customers the best tools to complete the task at hand and is home of the VersaCrane fleet. The firm offers a complete range of services, from bare crane rental to turn-key heavy lift and transport solutions to clients in North and South America. It operates out of 7 locations including Baton Rouge, LA; Sulphur, LA; New Orleans, LA; Dequincy, LA; Beaumont, TX; Houston, TX; and Catlettsburg, KY. Sister company DS Americas operates out of Bogota, Colombia. Recent recognition includes 2020 Houston Business Roundtable (HBR) Best in Class Safety Excellence Award Finalist, 2022 Best in Class Safety Excellence Award in Crane and Rigging, and 2023 Mentor Award; 2020- 2023 Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) Safety Excellence Award; 2018-2023 Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association (SCRA) Safety Award; 2018-2023 Louisiana Worker's Compensation Corporation (LWCC) Safest 70); 2021 Texas Mutual Platinum Safety Partner Award; and 2021 and 2023 Safety Council of Southwest Louisiana (SWLA) Silver Level Contractor Safety Performance Award.