Oversized compressor goes land-sea-land to Ninilchik

Delays in super-load permits and customs paperwork created some nail-biting moments for Lynden employees who were charged with transporting a 120,000-pound load from Calgary to Anchorage and on to Ninilchik near Kenai. The compressor was not only heavy, its 30-foot by 14-foot by 12-foot high stature required special paperwork for a ship sailing and truck transport – and the customer needed it right away.

“We brought the compressor from Canada to Seattle to make a Friday ship sailing to Alaska. In addition, five support loads, including three oversized, had to be transported via truck and on site to beat the compressor delivery,” explains Jacob Harrison, Account Executive with Lynden Transport in Anchorage. 

Another challenge came with delayed customs paperwork. “By the time we received it, it was too late for Keith Hall at Lynden Logistics to clear the shipment, so we were pushed back a day. Keep in mind, this unit needed to move as soon as possible to make the sailing cutoff time,” Jacob explains.

Lynden Transport Fife’s Neil Cranford was at the ship transfer site when the compressor arrived. When it was lifted via crane, one of the picking points began to bend under the stress of the weight. Neil found an alternative connection and the crane operator successfully transferred the unit to Lynden’s “Dakota” trailer which the Anchorage operations team had previously moved to Seattle.  

 “Drivers Ron Calkins and Anthony Brocato worked against the clock to make sure the unit was lashed correctly and moved to the ship safely,” Neil explains. “If not for their professionalism on site, this unit would not have made it through the stringent flatbed tying requirements.”

The compressor finally arrived in Anchorage and was transported to Ninilchik by Alaska West Express Driver Brian Ambrose. “Larry Kohlmaier, Cale Larson and Myles Hursley of Canadian Lynden Transport were key in the planning and execution of this move,” Jacob says. “With the contributions of Neil, Keith, Eric Wilson, Mark Graves and Justus Uphus of Lynden Transport, we made the customer’s deadline and secured future business.”