- 6/4/2025
A wind park needs to get from Europe to Asia. Over two thousand tons of highly sensitive and valuable cargo. On one of the world’s largest heavy lift vessels.
The team has only 37 days for loading in two ports and travelling once around half of the globe. To be able to transport the entire cargo, the crew even has to build another level altogether – in the middle of the deck.
It’ll be an ongoing battle for five straight weeks. Against time. And against weather.
The load: Five gigantic nacelles, each as heavy as a Boeing 747 and nine 75-meter-long blades. All these wind park components have been specially designed to fit together – and can only be replaced with a huge effort. Any damage to the cladding or the electronics could delay construction of the whole wind park project by months.
The loading process is extremely complicate and has been developed especially for this transport! So no one has any experience with it. The crew has to trust the plans of the engineers. And they don’t have ANY margin of error. Just a couple centimeters too far to the left or right would mean: everything out again.
A project never before undertaken – anywhere in the world. And no one knows if the risky plan will prove successful in the end.
A mega transport in the superlative. Over two thousand two hundred tons of cargo on three levels. Below deck, on deck, and above deck.
The team has only 37 days for loading in two ports and travelling once around half of the globe. To be able to transport the entire cargo, the crew even has to build another level altogether – in the middle of the deck.
It’ll be an ongoing battle for five straight weeks. Against time. And against weather.
The load: Five gigantic nacelles, each as heavy as a Boeing 747 and nine 75-meter-long blades. All these wind park components have been specially designed to fit together – and can only be replaced with a huge effort. Any damage to the cladding or the electronics could delay construction of the whole wind park project by months.
The loading process is extremely complicate and has been developed especially for this transport! So no one has any experience with it. The crew has to trust the plans of the engineers. And they don’t have ANY margin of error. Just a couple centimeters too far to the left or right would mean: everything out again.
A project never before undertaken – anywhere in the world. And no one knows if the risky plan will prove successful in the end.
A mega transport in the superlative. Over two thousand two hundred tons of cargo on three levels. Below deck, on deck, and above deck.
Category
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TVTranscript
00:00A windpark to deliver much-needed green energy needs to get from Europe to Asia.
00:06Over 2,000 tons of highly sensitive cargo on one of the world's largest heavy lift vessels.
00:13To transport the entire cargo, the crew will have to construct an additional level in the middle of the deck.
00:26With 400 tons, it's too much of a risk.
00:29A project never before undertaken, anywhere in the world.
00:34And no one knows if the risky plan will prove successful in the end.
00:41A challenging megatransport, now.
00:59Kugseffen, in the north of Germany, our starting point for this windpark transport.
01:08The first portion of the cargo is already waiting at port.
01:11Five gigantic nacelles.
01:13Each one is 8 meters high and 21 meters long, weighing a hefty 400 tons.
01:23As much as a Boeing 747.
01:29To transport the nacelles to Asia, they need the services of none other than…
01:33The Anna-Sophie.
01:36One of the largest heavy lift vessels in the world.
01:42160 meters long, 24 meters wide, and a load capacity of 13,000 tons.
01:50Each of her three cranes can lift up to 700 tons in one go.
01:55The cargo deck, enormous.
02:00But even that's not going to be enough for a transport of this size.
02:04The crew will have to build a second deck on the ship during the journey.
02:09In Kugseffen, Germany, the crew starts by loading the nacelles.
02:16Then, it's off to Scandinavia.
02:20The second portion of the cargo, nine 75-meter-long blades,
02:24are waiting in the Danish port of Olburg.
02:30From there, the Anna-Sophie makes its way to Asia.
02:33The route runs through the historic Straits of Gibraltar
02:36and through Egypt's Suez Canal.
02:39All the way across the Indian Ocean
02:42and through the Straits of Mulaka.
02:44To its final destination, the port of Taichung in Taiwan.
02:53The time scheduled for the megatransport?
02:55Just 37 days.
02:57The person responsible for getting the high-tech equipment
03:00to its destination undamaged
03:03is project manager Jakob Jensen.
03:06He's been planning the megatransport for a year now.
03:09The whole thing is a major logistical challenge
03:12because any little delay sets off a chain reaction,
03:15which, in the worst case,
03:17could lead to a construction shutdown over in Asia.
03:20You're not really used to moving offshore turbines around the world.
03:24This is one of the first times that you do it for a major project.
03:28We can't afford any delays or anything like that.
03:31If something goes wrong,
03:33it would be bad for future business, right?
03:37So, everybody is really focused on this project.
03:43First, project manager Jakob's team must bring the nacelles
03:47from the safe storage area to the exposed pier,
03:50avoiding even the smallest vibration in the process.
03:55The suns are sensitive,
03:57and that's also why you drive so slow.
04:00The electronic control systems have already been mounted to the wind turbines.
04:05Any damage to internal parts could go unnoticed
04:08until the offshore wind park is installed and operational.
04:12Or not, as the case may be.
04:15The complex loading process has been developed especially for this transport.
04:21The first thing Jakob's team has to do
04:23is to position the five nacelles into the cargo hold with centimeter precision.
04:29Then, they close the deck.
04:31Because, on top of it,
04:33they'll have to position six of the nine blades they're carrying.
04:37At the end of the process,
04:39the team will have to increase the ship's overall load capacity beyond its maximum,
04:45which means going so far as building an entirely new level,
04:49the so-called mezzanine deck,
04:51which will carry the last three blades.
04:56To be able to load such a cargo at all,
04:58the team first has to pull up a huge stability pontoon alongside the Anna Sophie.
05:04It functions as a counterweight
05:08and is designed to keep the heavy lift vessel from capsizing.
05:12Because at 400 tons,
05:14every single nacelle is a major challenge,
05:17even for this highly specialized ship.
05:24Responsible for the smooth loading process
05:26is chief mate Stefan Hinkfoot.
05:28He and his people transport the valuable and highly sensitive cargo
05:33for the logistics providers.
05:42The thing that's so special about this cargo is
05:44that it's not just a big hunk of iron,
05:46but rather a piece of high-tech equipment.
05:50We have to be extremely careful with it.
05:52Stefan's crew now has to couple the stabilizing pontoon to the ship
06:00using a gigantic pin.
06:07They hook down.
06:09But from the driver's cab,
06:10the crane driver can't even see the guide.
06:13He has to rely totally on directions from Stefan and his team.
06:17Guys, we will bring it out now, yeah?
06:28Okay.
06:30Now, all that's missing are the bolts,
06:33thick as a human arm.
06:35Filled with water,
06:36the pontoon weighs in at 365 metric tons.
06:40Time is already pressing.
06:46Just one and a half sleepless days are left for the crew
06:49to load all the Windpark's nacelles.
06:55It's a major effort.
06:57Because despite the intense preparations,
06:59getting each of the nacelles on board
07:01is more than precarious.
07:03The pontoon offers some basic stability.
07:12But turning a crane carrying a 400-ton nacelle
07:15makes the load shift in a big way.
07:19To compensate,
07:20the Anasofi uses four ballast water tanks in the hull,
07:24which are joined together using pipes and pumps.
07:28During each loading process,
07:30the crew pumps around 550,000 liters of water
07:34from one side to the other,
07:36compensating for the crane movements
07:38and keeping the ship in balance.
07:44Meanwhile, project manager Jakob's team
07:46has since reached the pier with the first nacelle.
07:50The goal?
07:51To get three of the colossal units on board
07:53by the end of the day.
07:55It's the only way they'll be able to keep to the schedule.
07:58The heavy lift vessel's cargo hold is 110 meters long
08:06and 17 meters wide.
08:09Basically gigantic.
08:11But to fit all five of the nacelles in here,
08:14the crew has to position them just a half meter apart
08:17from each other.
08:19The loading process should begin any second.
08:23But the current weather forecast
08:24is giving the project manager some legitimate concerns.
08:30Hopefully the weather will hold.
08:32Not too much wind.
08:34So we're crossing our fingers for nice weather.
08:37The nacelle is huge.
08:39It's a big surface.
08:40So when you have strong wind on the side of the nacelle,
08:42it's gonna move.
08:44In the worst situation,
08:45our team could lose control
08:47and the cargo could smash against the side of the vessel.
08:51Chief mate Steffen's job
08:54to make sure that doesn't happen.
08:57I always tell the captain what's happening below.
09:00Then I get the weights.
09:02How much is already on the hook?
09:03And then I tell him when something starts to move.
09:06So that he knows when the crane can complete the lift.
09:08As soon as it's lifted, I'll take over again.
09:14Lift it up, swing it in,
09:16and then we can hopefully lower the nacelle into position
09:18without any damage.
09:23So let's see what happens.
09:25All the windpark components have been specially designed
09:30to fit together,
09:32and can only be replaced with a huge effort.
09:34Any damage to the cladding or the electronics
09:37could delay construction of the system by months.
09:45Slight breathing, half part shore side.
09:48Slight breathing.
09:51Responsible for the ballast water balancing, Frank Escher.
09:55As soon as the ship's crane begins moving with the load,
09:59the captain pumps 500,000 liters of water
10:01through the hull of the Anna-Sophie.
10:13There is no risk of the ship tipping over when we make the lift.
10:16But if the list is changed
10:18and the crane is no longer correctly aligned above the cargo,
10:21there's a risk that the cargo will swing away.
10:24Then you have to start counteracting quickly,
10:27because if the swinging increases,
10:28the effects on the ship increase,
10:31which means the ship begins to rock,
10:33and then also the cargo rocks more and more.
10:38Yet another risky point.
10:41The ships at port make waves,
10:43which set the Anna-Sophie to rocking.
10:45To prevent this,
10:47there's a speed limit of 18 kilometers an hour
10:50during the loading process.
10:51Meanwhile, the full weight of the nacelle is being suspended by the crane.
11:06Look up, it's airborne.
11:08Hey, look up.
11:10Tobias, watch out with your steering ropes. Keep those tight, yeah?
11:14Using only simple ropes,
11:16the crew tries to keep the nacelle from rotating.
11:19It's a tall order for controlling 400 tons.
11:22Chief mate Stefan has to be in several places at the same time.
11:27Everything's fine.
11:29Wind, waves, crane rotation.
11:32Every little thing can cause Stefan to lose control of the load.
11:35But this is what he is trained to do.
11:46And, later on, half meter to go to port side.
11:50Yeah, the list is about one degree now,
11:53so I will stop for the moment.
11:54The nacelle has swung over so far that we can lower it now.
12:07The pumps are stopped,
12:09the crane driver lowers the cargo.
12:11And when it is down in the cargo hold,
12:14about one meter above the floor,
12:16Stefan will start swinging it back over to port side,
12:19to the final position,
12:21and then we can set it down.
12:23First, the crane driver maneuvers the nacelle
12:26through the center of the hatch.
12:28This minimizes the risk of crashing against the bulkhead.
12:34Chief mate Stefan and his crew then take over the actual positioning work,
12:39using nothing but pure muscle, trained for the task.
12:43Okay, we have half a meter to the hatch cover now.
12:48Despite the gigantic dimensions,
12:50the margin for error when positioning is mere centimeters.
12:56Okay, then we have to go 70 centimeters more to the forward.
13:03Then I need the catcher first.
13:11This nacelle here is the one that determines the position of all the others.
13:14If I'm very generous here now with the space to the front,
13:18then we might not have enough space for the other four in the end.
13:21That's why we have to be very precise.
13:24Otherwise, the worst case scenario is everything out again.
13:29Now we're getting closer.
13:32And just two hours later, the first nacelle is in position.
13:36Made two zero now.
13:40All good.
13:42The workers immediately begin to secure the cargo.
13:45With 22 so-called stoppers, metal plates welded to the floor.
13:50And then, flashing wires made of steel.
13:53On the high seas, and with waves 10 meters high, the nacelles are not allowed to shift even one centimeter.
14:06Technicians also rush to connect the nacelle to a power supply.
14:10The rotor heads need to rotate during the entire crossing.
14:13Otherwise, the rocking motion of the ship could cause their highly sensitive custom machine bearings to loosen and break.
14:22Damage that would cost millions.
14:25On shore, preparations for loading the second nacelle are already underway.
14:43But the wind is clearly kicking up.
14:46Waves are rising higher.
14:48It's risky business for the megatransport.
14:56Oh dear.
14:58That's really cutting in here.
15:00Not just vibrating, but cutting.
15:03But the team makes an attempt anyway.
15:07But even the cross beam is barely controllable.
15:12The ship is rocking too hard from the motion of the sea.
15:17The waves are crashing in.
15:19This causes the ship to move, and therefore also causes the crane to rock.
15:25If we lift the cargo now, it would be uncontrollable.
15:29Ship and cargo would build up against each other like a pendulum that's out of control.
15:34With a weight of 400 tons, it's too much of a risk.
15:39For the first time, work has come to a standstill.
15:44The risk of a crash is just too great.
15:46It's a decision that puts the entire schedule of the million euro project at risk of failure.
15:56From the first day.
15:57Well, we have to plan from now on and see what we can do.
16:01But I don't think we will load any more today.
16:04Unfortunately.
16:06I think the wind is going to continue like this, this afternoon and tonight.
16:11So, we are starting to plan for tomorrow.
16:14It's such a desperate situation that all project manager Jakob and his team can do.
16:26Is hope.
16:27But Jakob has fortune on his side.
16:37Overnight, the winds die down.
16:39Early the next morning, the team is up and ready to start the next attempt.
16:47We are a little bit under pressure today to complete the loading themselves today.
16:51We will try.
16:52Hopefully, we will manage.
16:55By this time, they should have had three of the nacelles on board already.
16:59At the moment, they have only managed one.
17:02And the pressure is mounting.
17:13Frank to Steffen.
17:15Yes, the lifting tool looks good now.
17:17We can start.
17:185-0 on the hook already.
17:20Ready to lift.
17:215-0 on the hook.
17:23To reach Taiwan in 36 days, the Anna Sophie has to sail out in less than 24 hours.
17:36For the moment, the twin thread of wind and wave remains stable.
17:41The team loads nacelles number 2 and 3 in record time.
17:45It's very likely that we can manage all four today.
17:50But it depends on how well we can guide the next one in.
17:53If this goes well, then I'll start getting optimistic.
17:58By around noon, it's a different story altogether.
18:02And the Anna Sophie starts to rock again.
18:04Wind is at 20 knots.
18:13Wind force 5.
18:16But the team decides to carry on anyway.
18:21At first, everything seems to be under control.
18:25But another stronger gust of wind arises.
18:27Chiefmate Steffen sounds the alarm.
18:32Home down! Home down!
18:34Home down!
18:35Home down!
18:36Home down!
18:37It's been hot!
18:39Frank, it won't work!
18:40Okay, then set it back down.
18:42The gust of wind has caught the nacelle, almost sending it crashing into the ship's hole.
18:46The team consults for over an hour, checks the weather forecast, and then…
18:55They call it off.
18:57The worst case has happened.
18:59Because now the megatransport is already a whole day behind schedule.
19:04Nothing more to do today, but load less sensitive parts.
19:13And…
19:15Hope for day three.
19:17At this point, the Anna Sophie should already be at sea.
19:21On its way to the next stop, Denmark.
19:24But no one knows whether they'll be able to finally get the last two nacelles on board today.
19:29If we can load before launch, it's okay.
19:33After launch, I think the wind speed will be too high.
19:38And we have to suspend the loading for today, unfortunately.
19:43For the winds to triumph over our crew again today would be catastrophic.
19:49The construction crew in Taiwan is already waiting for the megatransport and its valuable cargo.
19:55You should be jumping.
19:59I am.
20:00It works.
20:01Yeah.
20:03Huge difference to yesterday.
20:06It's coming up and it's controllable.
20:08Yeah.
20:10That's what we need.
20:12According to the weather forecast, the team has four hours left.
20:16After half the time has passed, the next to last nacelle is finally in.
20:27All that's missing is number five.
20:30The most difficult of them all.
20:32Because the space remaining leaves a mere 50 centimeters of clearance on either side.
20:37Frank, about 30 centimeters to starboard side.
20:42Starboard side.
20:44Okay.
20:46Mission accomplished.
20:47Just in time.
20:49The last nacelle is right where it's supposed to be.
20:51Yeah.
20:52I'm happy.
20:54Done.
20:59Done.
21:01That was easy.
21:03Absolutely perfect conditions.
21:06Couldn't have gone better.
21:08Even if it ended up being a day later than planned.
21:13And the team has yet to face its greatest challenge at the next stop in Denmark.
21:20There, they will not only have to load nine blades, but also build a second floor on the ship.
21:28The so-called mezzanine deck.
21:35Captain Frank checks the route.
21:37He still wants to cast off today.
21:43Building the mezzanine deck is certainly something extremely challenging coming up.
21:49And once again, we're totally dependent on the weather.
21:52If it goes too hard, we'll have to take another break.
21:56In the late afternoon, the Anne-Sophie sets off on the next leg of the journey.
22:02The Megatransport takes the Anne-Sophie from Cuxhaven 700 kilometers around the tip of Denmark.
22:08In just one and a half days, the heavy lift vessel is scheduled to dock in Årborg.
22:17With a cargo in its belly that weighs as much as four Airbus A380s,
22:22the Megatransport draws closer to its destination without major issues.
22:28And at its highest speed, 20 knots.
22:31That's the equivalent of 37 kilometers per hour.
22:40Awaiting it there are nine giant fiberglass reinforced blades, some of the largest in the world.
22:47Each of them is 75 meters long and weighing 25 tons.
22:51Day five of 37 for the Megatransport.
23:00Despite optimum conditions, the Anne-Sophie has not managed to make up the time lost in harbor.
23:06In order to make time and catch up, the crew starts to prepare the next step immediately after docking.
23:17The construction of the critical mezzanine deck.
23:21The improvised structure will soon have to carry 75 tons over high and often wild seas.
23:27The first step is stacking containers two by two on both ends of the ship.
23:35These form the load-bearing walls of the mezzanine deck.
23:39Between the container stacks, the crew places six of the nine blades.
23:45Only after they have finished can they build the floor of the special deck.
23:51For this, they place reinforced steel segments across the container stacks.
24:00The segments have to carry the remaining three blades.
24:08The most important component of the mezzanine deck, the workhorses of the maritime world.
24:14Shipping containers.
24:16Six meters long, two and a half meters high and wide, and extremely stable.
24:21For chief mate Stefan, the most critical issue when building the deck is to adhere to the plants as much as possible.
24:28First, the containers. Then, the rest.
24:32It could happen that the containers no longer fit into their positions.
24:36If the blades shift just a tiny little bit.
24:39That's why we have to set the containers up first, and only then the windmill blades can be set in.
24:46Like Legos for grown-ups here.
24:48The engineers have designed the special construction to be as simple as possible.
24:55This saves valuable time when setting up, and minimizes the risk of errors.
25:00You hold tight. You hold tight.
25:10The mezzanine deck has been custom designed for this very mega transport.
25:15And, as with anything custom built, there is no playbook of experience.
25:20The crew has to trust each other and the plans of the engineers.
25:26How much?
25:3150.
25:32That way?
25:33Yes.
25:34Whether or not everything fits, they won't know until they're finished.
25:43Everything is going according to plan for now.
25:58By evening, two of the four container supports have been set up.
26:04We'll do exactly the same thing on the other side, and then we're ready to load.
26:09Work continues into the wee hours of the night.
26:13It's the only way the team can possibly make up for the delay.
26:17Day six of the mega transport.
26:25Shortly after dawn, the port crew is already moving the first blade toward the ship,
26:30using a special transporter, and with the greatest care possible.
26:38Even a slight bump is an almost 100% guarantee of a total loss.
26:43Trying to repair a blade that has been cast as a single piece? Impossible.
26:58Now, the 75-meter blades just have to fit between the containers.
27:04Our trusted project manager, Jakob, conducts the final check.
27:08We need to be careful that the distance between the blades are right.
27:14If we get too close, there's a chance that the blades can hit each other during the sea voyage.
27:19So, we want to make sure that we have the right distance.
27:23Both team leaders need additional support for the elaborate loading process from the on-site port crew.
27:28So, if one of your guys could take our guys off?
27:39Yeah, one by one, yeah?
27:49Because of the blade's enormous length, two cranes working in tandem are needed to lift it.
27:54A challenging process for a usual load, but any pressure on this blade would cause it to bend and break.
28:01First blade will be placed on seaside, at the aft, and the reason for that is we don't want to lift blades over each other.
28:15First blade will be placed on seaside, at the aft, and the reason for that is we don't want to lift blades over each other.
28:30Well, that's all about risks.
28:35So, if something goes wrong, we don't land on another blade, so we only damage one blade.
28:40But, of course, nothing will go wrong.
28:42Once again, Jakob speaks with his team about the exact end position.
28:56They don't have any margin of error.
28:59Just a couple of centimeters too far to the left or right, and the last blade won't fit into the space.
29:05We use a little extra time on the first one, just to have as much space for the remaining blades as possible.
29:17Between the tips of the blades, at least one meter clearance must be maintained.
29:22The dual threat of winds and waves on the high seas can cause the giant blades to sway back and forth up to half a meter.
29:31Any collision would mean two blades being damaged at the same time, at twice the cost.
29:36The original schedule foresees two days for loading, but because of the delay, the team of twenty wants to complete it in one.
29:47And, indeed, around noon, they have already completed the lower level.
30:07But then, the next bad news.
30:10We have a delay on shore on blade number six.
30:19We changed our plan.
30:21We are going to place the fifth blade now.
30:24And then we will spend it loading and then complete the aft missing in-deck.
30:31Wait for the last blade to be ready.
30:33Jacob has spent a year planning.
30:38And now, at the decisive moment, the last rotor blade he needs is just… not there.
30:46He has to make new plans, and to a design with which nobody has any experience.
30:53The stopgap solution.
30:55He sets up the rear part of the mezzanine deck first.
30:57An advantage in terms of time.
31:00But, in terms of loading, more complicated.
31:04In order to get the missing blade into position, his crew has to thread it in, under the deck.
31:10Clearance above? Only about two meters.
31:14The new plan is risky, but he knows his team can get the job done.
31:19They are the only thing he can trust to avoid further delays.
31:24And get underway to Taiwan as soon as possible.
31:31Okay, the next easy hookup.
31:34The steel segment of the temporary deck weighs no less than 40 tons.
31:39It's now being moved by the crew over the blades worth millions of euros.
31:44This was not part of the original plan.
31:49The chief mate desperately tries to find the construction plans for the deck.
31:55Well, that was the wrong note.
31:59It says something else.
32:01But, he doesn't let this minor detail throw him off.
32:06I memorize everything.
32:09If you're serious about it, it just sinks in eventually.
32:14Now we have to go up to reposition it.
32:24Only if precisely positioned in the center, with an optimal distribution of weight,
32:31will the 10 meter high special structure be able to withstand the stresses.
32:35Which now means just making sure everything is welded in the best possible way.
32:45Meanwhile, preparations are already underway on the rest of the ship for the next stage of the megatransport.
32:52The 20,000 kilometer crossing from Denmark to Taiwan.
32:55For the crew in the engine room, this means a thorough check of the ship's engine.
33:02The nine-cylinder diesel engine generates 17,000 horsepower and has been specially designed to operate under the high stress of full throttle.
33:17Konstantin Smirnoff, the second engineer of the Anasofi, is responsible for making sure the machine is running smoothly around the clock.
33:28When the engine is turning, the piston is going up.
33:34So we check if there is water inside.
33:37Normally, you can feel the air coming from that valve.
33:40If there is a problem, there won't come air, but water.
33:45It means something is wrong.
33:47That's why we make it turn, to check it.
33:52Only if the Anasofi runs continuously at top speed and doesn't get caught in a storm,
33:58can the megatransport arrive in Taiwan on time.
34:10Then, with a delay of several hours, it finally arrives at the pier, the sixth blade.
34:25The team immediately starts the loading process
34:31and has to watch out not to collide with the floor segment,
34:35which has already been installed on the mezzanine deck.
34:40Success!
34:53Only the second floor segment of the improvised extra deck is still missing.
34:58Can we stop?
35:00Stop!
35:02If there were a crash, the 40 tons of concrete slab would simply shatter the delicate blades.
35:10Just make what you can, and then you can start swimming through your life.
35:13Go for your life.
35:14Get in the back.
35:16Get in the back.
35:18Go for your life.
35:19You can start swimming through your life.
35:21Just make sure you've got the speed of your life.
35:23You can start swimming through your life.
35:25But no worries.
35:27Everything is running like clockwork.
35:29Now all they have to do is the welding work on the segment
35:33to ensure maximum structural stability.
35:35To do this, the team stretches 30 lashing wires on each side, each two centimeters thick and tear-proof.
35:44Everything went according to plan, quickly and smoothly on the first attempt.
35:52A major success for Steffen's team. The deck is up and appears to be stable, at least at port.
36:00The final challenge on land is yet to come.
36:05Placing three more 75-meter blades on top of the mezzanine deck.
36:21Project Manager Jakub and Chief Mate Steffen check over their processes one more time.
36:27At this juncture, it's not just that the clearance is tight, but more importantly, the load distribution.
36:38That will make all the difference. At a total weight of 75 tons, the container supports would otherwise threaten to collapse.
36:45We would like to root in and tip in to be in the center of the mezzanine deck.
36:54Both for having space for lashing.
36:58Looks good.
36:59At least here in the calm waters of the port, the construction seems to be holding.
37:17Relief for project manager Jakub.
37:29Yes, it's down. Happy. No incidents and no damage to cargo. So that's really successful loading.
37:35Now we just need to do the lashing and securing. And then we are ready to depart tomorrow morning.
37:53A mega transport in the superlative. Over 2,200 tons of cargo on three levels—below deck, on deck, and above deck.
38:04The Anasofi is fully loaded and decked out to travel.
38:09And making up the lost day on the open sea seems quite possible, as long as the wind holds and the waves don't get too rough.
38:16But if they do, it's just another challenge for our team to overcome.
38:22The blades on the newly built deck are sitting higher.
38:25This means the force of every wave and every vacillation of the ship is intensified.
38:33Mega transport day 8.
38:35In a good hour, the longest leg of them all, around half the globe, will begin.
38:41Chief mate Stefan uses the brake to check everything one more time.
38:46If any single part of the cargo should shift, it could spark a chain reaction.
38:51And then everything falls apart, like dominoes.
39:12I'm satisfied that the cargo is now secured.
39:15We have a few minor details to take care of, but we've still got one hour before the pilot arrives.
39:25A few levels below, in the engine room, they are also making the final preparations for casting off.
39:31And 20,000 kilometers at full speed ahead.
39:34Second engineer Konstantin Smirnov makes sure the engine is ready for start.
39:43Around 15 minutes, then it's warmed up and all systems are go.
39:48Yeah, this is the second engineer. We will start in the main engine now. Thank you.
40:21In a few minutes, the Anna-Sophie can cast off.
40:24Captain Frank prepares the maneuver.
40:32Tobias, the green line will go under deck.
40:35Yes, okay.
40:38All lines on deck opposition.
40:40All lines on deck.
40:43After a total of eight days, two complex loading processes, and more than a thousand working hours,
40:50this windpark embarks on its last and longest journey of all.
40:55From Denmark, the Anna-Sophie first sails around Europe and through the Suez Canal.
41:02Then, the heavy lift vessel crosses the Indian Ocean, where the weather is especially treacherous.
41:08It is expected to arrive in Taiwan in just 29 days.
41:09The cargo's worth in the hundreds of millions.
41:15The cargo's worth in the hundreds of millions.
41:22Captain Frank's greatest challenge, a balancing act involving route, time pressure, and weather conditions on the high seas.
41:37The weather program gives me an overview of the expected wind forces and the expected wave heights.
41:52But for now, it looks pretty good.
41:59Chief mate Stefan makes his way to the cargo hold.
42:07Every six hours, day or night, he and his team have to check whether the nacelles are still turning.
42:16If there is any technical defect, the Anna-Sophie has to stop immediately, get to the next port,
42:23and fly in a team of specialists to potentially rescue the cargo.
42:28If they can.
42:44That's the exhaust air from the nacelle.
42:47It has a lot of electronics inside.
42:50That's why it needs to be permanently dehumidified.
42:54So I'm testing whether the exhaust air comes out here.
43:01Luckily, the highly sensitive high-tech cargo has not caused any problems so far.
43:08All rotor heads are still turning.
43:10And the weather is still playing along.
43:19The Anna-Sophie can cross the world's oceans almost continuously at its top speed of 20 knots.
43:27That's 37 kilometers an hour.
43:40It seems as if the crew could finally make up for the day they lost at the beginning.
43:49And the makeshift deck is holding, too.
43:52In just four weeks, the gigantic heavy transport circles half the globe.
44:00Day 37.
44:02Sure enough, the Anna-Sophie reaches the port of Taichung in Taiwan.
44:05Just a few kilometers from the location of the new windpark.
44:10All that remains to be seen is whether any part of the cargo was actually damaged along the way.
44:20Project manager Jakob checks the blades for damage before unloading.
44:24A lot of things that can happen, so we are just checking if something happened and nobody noticed.
44:46But his worries proved to be unfounded.
44:48Looks good. No issues. Everything is fine.
44:50The final challenge. Getting it all off the ship without a scratch.
45:02At 40 degrees Celsius and humidity of over 80%.
45:07No easy feat.
45:08The transport vehicle, what they call a self-propelled modular transporter, is waiting at the pier.
45:25The person responsible for getting the megatransport across these very last meters is Thomas Birk.
45:31Maneuvering the 75-meter-long blades is a major challenge.
45:39Yeah, now we try not to drive the tip end of the blade into the ship because it's overhanging the SPMT with 15 meters.
45:48We don't want that.
45:50Any crash in the final stretch would be a complete catastrophe.
45:55I'm going a little faster now. We're out of the trouble.
46:10At 5 kilometers an hour, first the blades and then the nacelles make their way to their temporary home.
46:17Fortunately, the delivery location is right around the corner, just 10 minutes away.
46:36Now we are done. The cranes will do the rest of the work now.
46:41These windmills will soon be the basis for the brand new offshore windpark on the coast of Taiwan.
46:54They'll produce enough electricity to supply a city of 500,000 residents.
47:02Our project manager Jakob is more than just satisfied.
47:06The day's charging is going smoothly and we'll complete soon.
47:17And then the entire project is complete.
47:20It's been a nice project. No incidents, no damages.
47:24And everything done according to schedule.
47:29One of the largest heavy lift vessels in the world, together with Frank.
47:34Jakob, Stefan and their crew have achieved the seemingly impossible.
47:4120,000 kilometers across the world's oceans with an onboard structure that has never before been attempted.
47:49All the way to its final destination.
47:53An unprecedented first for this megatransport.
47:57Space
48:11Space
48:12Space
48:15Space
48:18Space
48:20Space
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