Erium Senegal, a leading Pan-African industrial and medical gas supplier, had a daunting task ahead of them - the safe and efficient transport of an 85-ton, 27-meter tank from Dakar Port to a remote project site 365 km north of the country.

With cargo that exceeded standard trailer capacities, Erium knew they needed an experienced partner that could customise an end-to-end logistics solution. Enter Maersk Project Logistics.

Facing rough roads and restrictions along the way

While rain can be beautiful and fulfilling, it can also result in certain challenges. That’s exactly what happened to Erium. Their oversized cargo had to be moved immediately after the rainy season. This meant navigating damaged, soft, and uneven roads along the north corridor. Without making significant modifications, the route remained inaccessible to longer vehicles.

Adding to the complexity of the project was the fact that night delivery of out-of-gauge cargo required special government authorisation and direct coordination with the Gendarmerie Nationale. And all of this had to be done under a strict budget.

Simplifying project logistics with a customised strategy

With Maersk Project Logistics, Erium Senegal gained a tailored end-to-end solution that could move their oversized cargo seamlessly under the challenging conditions. This strategy involved:

• Specialised transport engineering
  The project used a custom logistics plan centred on a hydraulic extendable trailer (up to 22m) to accommodate the 27m tank. This involved tailored loading procedures, axle-load calculations, and specialised routing.
• Route survey and terrain preparation
  To ensure safe movement, we conducted a full road survey that assessed bridge limits, turning radii, and overhead obstacles, along with ground reinforcement work and establishing controlled movement zones.
• Regulatory & escort management
  This solution also secured special exemptions for night transport, escorts from the Gendarmerie, and continuous coordination by Maersk to mitigate risks during restricted-hours operations.
• Cost-optimised execution
  The solution reduced costs through optimised trucking configuration, minimised idle time, eliminating additional lifting through a single continuous movement plan, and using local experts and vendor networks.
• Operational excellence
  Transporting cargo of this scale across complex geography required precision. Erium could ensure this through our real-time monitoring, technical supervision, environmental and safety assessments, and seamless coordination with local authorities.

Another project delivered seamlessly

Partnering with Maersk Project Logistics to execute this project proved to be a big success. The large tank was delivered on time, in perfect condition, despite the post-rain rough terrain and regulatory barriers. This was all done under a strict budget without compromising safety or technical integrity.

With this project, Maersk showcased its capability in specialised heavy transport, road engineering, and project orchestration in West Africa. This in turn helped ERIUM recognise Maersk as a trusted partner capable of handling oversized cargo through challenging corridors with full transparency and reliability.