Vanguard has successfully carried out two wind turbine blade offloading operations at the same time—one at the Port of Richards Bay and the other at the Port of Coega. This achievement highlights the company’s growing capabilities in handling large-scale renewable energy logistics within South Africa’s port infrastructure.
Shunt trailers
Both operations made use of Vanguard’s specialised wind blade shunt trailers, which are engineered to handle blades in either the top or tail orientation as they are received directly from vessels. In Richards Bay, three trailers were deployed to unload the blades and move them to a designated storage area. A matching operation occurred at Coega, proving that the system works effectively across different port settings.
The shunt trailers were designed in-house by Vanguard to simplify blade handling and minimise the need for reorientation or double-handling, which are often time-consuming and risky. The trailers are equipped with drawbars at both ends and feature adaptable beam structures capable of supporting blades longer than 90 metres. Once the blades are delivered, the trailers can be reconfigured by replacing the rear axle set, transforming into a 7-axle trailer to handle heavier items like nacelles—without needing to bring in extra equipment.
According to Vanguard Director Laura Hodgkinson, completing two major offloading operations simultaneously speaks to both the quality of the equipment and the expertise of the operational teams. She noted that as the wind energy industry in South Africa grows, efficient logistics solutions like this are essential for accelerating project timelines and improving safety standards.
This dual-port operation not only enhances Vanguard’s position as a key logistics player in the renewable energy space but also offers a model for scalable, efficient transport solutions that can be replicated across the continent.