Manuport Logistics: From Patagonia to Barcelona - A Dinosaur Transport
Manuport Logistics Spain successfully transported the largest dinosaur in the world from Argentina to Barcelona, Spain. This case study highlights the challenges, meticulous planning, and innovative logistics solutions that made this endeavor possible.
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From Patagonia to Barcelona
The dinosaur, named Patagotitan, was discovered in the Patagonian region of Argentina. Weighing approximately 76 tons and measuring over 120 feet in length, it was a paleontological sensation. The challenge was to transport this dinosaur replica safely and securely to Barcelona, where it will be the centerpiece of the Museo de la Ciencia Cosmo Caixa in Barcelona.
Dino-Logistics
Size and weight posed the initial significant challenges for us. With a length approaching 40 meters and a height of 12 meters, this cargo proved to be enormous. Attempting to fathom the weight of this fossil becomes even more astonishing when considering the original animal's weight of 77,000 kilos, equivalent to the mass of 14 African elephants.
Fragility: Despite its size, the replica dinosaur fossil was very delicate. The bones were fragile and susceptible to damage, making it crucial to ensure minimal movement and vibration during transport.
Distance: The dinosaur had to be transported over 10,000 kilometers from Argentina to Spain, therefore it was required to use our multimodal transport solutions, including land, sea, and some of the pieces needed to be transported by air for their safety.
Safeguarding the Prehistoric World
Manuport Logistics Spain approached this task with a well-thought-out plan along with the expertise from the Museo de la Ciencia CosmoCaixa and their partners. They designed and built custom transport equipment, including a huge steel cage to safely deploy the dinosaur, equipped with special shock-absorbing materials to protect its fragile bones.
MPL Spain planned the transport route, considering road conditions, and other possible challenges. We coordinated with local authorities and conducted trial runs to make the journey as smooth as possible. The journey consisted of multimodal transport, with land transportation from Trelew (Patagonia Argentina) to a nearby port, where the dinosaur was carefully loaded for its sea journey to Barcelona. The project relied on a highly skilled crew with experience in handling delicate and oversized cargoes. Some parts were too fragile and important to be transported by land or sea, so our team in Spain decided to use air transport.
Rrroaring Success
Manuport Logistics Spain's meticulous planning and execution paid off when the parts transported via land & sea, and the parts via air arrived safely in Barcelona. The replica of this dinosaur was delivered to the museum, where it became a centerpiece of an exhibition, drawing visitors from all over the world. This transport not only showcased our expertise but also contributed to the world's understanding of paleontology and prehistoric life.
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Market situation – container flows – June '24
As part of our commitment to our partners, we share information and try to provide some context with periodical reports such as this one, containing relevant information on the logistics industry. In order to keep some overview, we have broken down this report into geographical regions and written it in bullet points. Although not all trades are in the report, similar trends apply. If you require more detailed info on a specific trade or topic you can always reach out to your usual Manuport contact.