New clamps allow transportation of larger tower sections and fewer modifications to roads

The new tower clamps allow even large tower sections to pass underneath low structures

Mammoet has purchased four new ultra-wide onshore wind tower clamp sets meaning that fewer modifications are necessary to verges, street furniture or bridges during onshore wind transport projects. It also allows new, larger designs of wind turbine generator to reach remote wind farm sites much more efficiently.

Turbines are growing taller to reach stronger, more consistent winds and therefore the base sections of these turbines have grown from around 4.5 metres wide a few years ago to more than 6 metres today. Conventional trailers are not considered stable enough to transport the larger turbine sections so an alternative was needed.

The only alternative has been to transport them on top of a trailer with hydraulic suspension. This combination, however, needs crane loading and unloading, is far less manoeuvrable and has a ride height 1.2 metres higher than a clamp solution; putting it well within striking distance of bridges.

This new system, fabricated by Greiner, is installed on turntables between a mixture of an air suspension jeep-dolly and conventional multi-axle hydraulic trailers in the rear, forming a modular vehicle capable of completing narrow sequences of turns without leaving the road surface. Like other clamp systems, the new system can receive tower sections directly from supports – no cranes are required at any stage of the journey.