WSS comes to the rescue with new rudder

Pacifica Shipping had to source the replacement equipment from The Netherlands, almost the opposite side of the world to Christchurch, New Zealand, where the vessel was awaiting these parts. WSS used its unique ‘ships spares logistics’ service working from its central European Freight Forwarding Centre (FFC). This is the company’s single point of contact whose specialist knowledge manages the delivery of spare parts from manufacturer to vessel.

The units were too large and heavy for hold cargo in passenger aircraft so they were restricted to freighter aircraft which could only land at Auckland. WSS then had to move the units some 1,100km from Auckland to Christchurch which involved a choppy ferry crossing between the North and South Island.

On arrival, the units were quickly cleared by Customs and Quarantine due to WSS’s thorough preparation of paperwork. They were first loaded onto a heavy lift truck at the airport then loaded onto a line haul truck for the journey south. WSS photographed and measured the equipment to make sure it was correctly supplied before the overland shipment began.

The units, which totalled 11,400kg, were transported to Christchurch without incident, being delivered in a little over 24hrs after arrival in Auckland.

Steve Chapman, general manager operations for Pacifica Shipping, praised the effort. “The timeline that Wilhelmsen Ships Service operated to exceeded all our expectations. In an industry in which we at Pacifica Shipping also have a lot of experience, this is what all clients expect from logistics specialists, such as ourselves. Therefore it was particularly pleasing to deal with a transport operator with the same ethos as our own, with one person co-ordinating both the movement and the communications with the client from door to door.”