CJ Logistics wins 40 billion KRW contract for Uzbekistan 'Natural Gas Processing Facility'

CJ Logistics' heavy cargo transport vehicle heading to Uzbekistan is climbing Manatahil in the Mangystau region of Kazakhstan.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] CJ Logistics has additionally secured logistics for a super-heavy cargo project related to the construction of a petrochemical complex in Uzbekistan.

CJ Logistics announced on the 10th that its Middle East subsidiary, CJ ICM, successfully won the ‘SGCC Project Logistics’ contract worth approximately 40 billion KRW to transport heavy equipment for a natural gas processing facility in the Shurtan area of the Guzar district in Uzbekistan. This follows the contract won last month on the 24th for a natural gas processing facility project being constructed in Surkhandarya.

This contract involves comprehensive logistics services including sea transport, transshipment, customs clearance, cargo handling, and inland transportation for heavy equipment shipped from nine countries: Korea, China, Japan, Russia, India, Belgium, Spain, Germany, and Italy.

The transport list includes super-heavy cargo weighing up to 450 tons and measuring 98 meters in length. The total weight and length of the cargo amount to approximately 80,000 tons and 680 km, respectively. The one-way transport distance from each country to the construction site in Uzbekistan via sea and inland routes reaches about 20,000 km.

Sea transport starts from various countries worldwide, passing through the Mediterranean Sea, arriving at the Black Sea region including Turkey and Romania, then passing through the Volga-Don Canal to enter the Caspian Sea. When passing through the narrow and shallow Volga-Don Canal, the cargo is transshipped onto several small barges and passes through 21 locks that adjust upstream and downstream water levels.

For inland transportation, a ‘chain trucking’ method is used, connecting special towing vehicles with over 500 horsepower at the front and rear of modular trailers. To transport cargo weighing hundreds of tons, a ‘power chain’ technology is applied, loading up to 15 tons of cargo on each connected special vehicle to increase friction with the road.

During the total 2,000 km land transport, to withstand the weight of the super-heavy cargo and prevent shaking, the vehicles operate at speeds around 5 to 20 km/h, covering about 50 to 70 km per day. From the pre-production stage of the heavy equipment, CJ ICM collaborates with manufacturers on center of gravity and vibration coefficients, enhancing transport safety through verification before shipment.

CJ ICM operates six bases across Central Asia, performing high-level project logistics through a dense logistics network. To transport cargo to Uzbekistan, a ‘double landlocked’ country, it closely cooperates with relevant government agencies through each corporation and conducts police escorts for super-heavy cargo over 100 tons. Tailored to regional characteristics, CJ ICM performs ‘civil works’ such as creating temporary detours and reinforcing or dismantling bridges, and ensures safety during passage through large industrial complexes by preventing friction between high-voltage power lines and heavy cargo on roads.

CJ Logistics anticipates that with rising oil prices, large-scale construction projects in emerging energy resource development regions such as Central Asia and Africa will become more active, potentially expanding the project logistics market. Accordingly, it plans to strengthen its super-heavy cargo transport business based on its global network and technological capabilities.

A CJ Logistics official stated, “CJ ICM has secured advanced logistics design technology and project experience, establishing unrivaled competitiveness in the super-heavy cargo transport sector. We will continue to provide a higher level of comprehensive logistics services and enhance the reliability of ‘K-Logistics.’”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.