The first shipment of tubes for SADDN Project has left India
Published 18.10.2023
The pipelines are expected to arrive in Chile at the end of October. In total, there are 1,467 48” pipes.
This will be a long trip. The first shipment of pipes destined for the SADDN (Desalinated Water Supply for the Northern District) project, has sailed from Mundra Port, in Gujarat, India. It will round the Cape Peninsula in South Africa and pass through the Strait of Magellan on its way to Chile. If the weather conditions hold, in some 50 days the vessel will dock at the Port of Angamos, in the Antofagasta Region.
Thus, the first of the seven shipments including a total of 162 kilometers of pipeline set sail without incident—and ahead of the contractual date agreed— thanks to the joint efforts of the Techint Engineering & Construction team and the supplier (Jindal).
In accordance with Martin Savino, Activator of the Line Pipe Provision Contract, the success of this activity was clearly based on all the learnings obtained from previous experience. “The shipment itself was carried out quite quickly, thanks to the fulfillment of the deadlines by the supplier, and the commitment of all our people in India, who have been working very hard to validate and inspect the work. The balance has been positive from all sides,” he explained.
Rodrigo Larralde Campos, Deputy Project Director on behalf of Techint E&C, pointed out that this first shipment “is a major milestone, requiring the extensive experience and professionalism of the entire team working on the project. They carried out a superb job of coordination thanks to their permanent presence at the supplier's plant so we could meet this first milestone.”
For Sergio Vacarezza, the Project Activation Manager, “we are lucky to have very talented people working with us who have the experience necessary to handle this type of operations. For the shipment, all the requisite resources were mobilized and received great corporate support.”
“This really is a great milestone in the SADDN project and the result of many months’ work, especially in operational and logistical terms. As our priority is to ensure the supplies required arrive when needed, we are delighted to be a key factor in the safety and efficiency of the logistics chain," pointed out Jorge Gentile, Supply Manager.
One job, many challenges
Among the biggest challenges of this shipment is the cultural issue: differences in language and a significant time difference. As Martín Savino explained, maintaining effective communication is essential to ensure safety, the correct exchange and execution of ideas between all those involved. He highlighted the role played by the Techint E&C team in India who stepped up to the plate with “a highly professional and responsible attitude.”
The manufacturing process involved in making these pipes consists of several phases: the steel sheet is manufactured in China and then sent to India, which is where the pipe-making process begins. “First, we make the bare pipe; then comes the double joint process, where two pipes are welded together to obtain a single 18-meter pipe. Subsequently, the external coating is applied before painting the inside with an internal coating. “Making all of that happen is not easy so it was extremely gratifying to see that it took place smoothly and without any hitches,” detailed Savino.
The first shipment test has been successfully passed!
Now main focus is on manufacturing and shipping the next six batches.
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