2,450 Tonnes Across the Imo River

August 2009 - Nigeria

Alaoji Power Station - Phase 2

Rockson Engineering was awarded a US$480m contract by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Energy for the engineering, procurement and construction to double the capacity of Alaoji Power Station by converting the existing 504MW Simple Cycle Power Plant to 1074MW Combined Cycle Power Plant.

Too Heavy for the Imo River Bridge

Two 300 megawatt steam turbines arrived at Onne Port, Rivers State in July 2008 to be delivered to the Alaoji project site using Rockson’s specialist Goldhofer heavy lift equipment. But, weighing in at over 200 tons each, the two steam turbines and other heavy equipment were simply too heavy for the Imo River Bridge and had to be stored at Onne Port until a solution could be devised.


GE generator at Onne port ready for the 30km trip to the river.	Preparing the ramp.

Ramps, Bulldozers, Tug Boats and a Barge

Modifying the existing bridge proved uneconomical so a plan to use ramps and a barge was formulated. Enormous, 40mm thick steel plates were carefully manouevered into positon using bulldozers, tug boats and ingenuity to create a firm base on either bank of the River Imo.

By carefully grading and preparing the approaches, the impressive Goldhofer self-propelled heavy lifting unit, with its 600 tonne load-carrying capabiity, could be driven down the ramp and directly onto a massive floating barge for its trip across the river.


Rockson’s Goldhofer transporter negotiates the newly constructed ramp which is overlaid with steel chequered plates to distribute the load.	Transporter safely on the barge. Ballast at shore end of the barge to be pumped out to restore level bouyancy.

2,450 tonnes of Heavy Equipment

Between July 22nd 2009 and August 5th 2009 2,450 tonnes of equipment was safely transported across the Imo River.

4 x GE Gas Turbines (202 tonnes each).
4 x GE Generators (175 tonnes each).
2 x Hyundai 400Mva Transformers (219 tonnes each).
2 x GE Stators (252 tonnes each).


Bulldozers pulling barge against the shore while cat excavator aligns transition plates.	Arriving at Alaoji project site

Read the letter of congratulation from Intercontinental Bank >>