September 14, 2026

COLI Antwerp handles four out-of-gauge shipments across four continents

Starting in February and continuing into September 2026, the Antwerp office of COLI Group completed four project cargo shipments for their clients, end-clients, suppliers and partners in eight countries. A used mobile crane, an industrial compressor, a metro railcar and a set of 90-tonne generators; each requiring their own and individual logistic concept.

Used Liebherr crane to an Ivorian mine

COLI Antwerp moved a used Liebherr mobile crane from the Dutch village of Geertruidenberg, the Netherlands, to the port of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for onward delivery to a mining site inland together with their trusted partners.

Compressor from Antwerp to northern Chile

A single Atlas Copco compressor was booked as flatrack cargo, but its weight and size exceeded what standard road equipment could carry. To ensure safe transport, COLI’s Antwerp team arranged a special truck to lift and load it at the collection site and arranged for a specialist supplier to carry out Lashing, Securing and Dunnage (LSD) and fit the protective tarpaulin. The unit then travelled to the port of Antwerp as an escorted abnormal load; and from there to the port of Antofagasta.

Metro railcar from Brazil to France

COLI shipped a metro railcar from Brazil to the railway test Centre at Petite-Forêt near Valenciennes, France, one of only a handful of facilities worldwide able to run the required trials. Eduardo Pijpe, Account Manager at COLI Antwerp, says: Winning this tender meant a lot to us. Our client had worked with us before, and having our own people in both Brazil and Antwerp meant we could offer a one-stop shop solution from factory to test track rather than a handover halfway.” COLI Antwerp and COLI Brasil worked in close collaboration to complete the project to the satisfaction of their client.

90-tonne generators from Bergen to Abidjan

The fourth shipment carried heavy generator sets of 90 tonnes each, together with their specific lifting gear and additional 30 t alternators, from Bergen (Norway), to Abidjan (Ivory Coast). COLI arranged the ocean transport, including chartering a breakbulk vessel and handling the vessel’s agency. The units were loaded directly on MAFI-trailers. Lashing, seafastening, marine surveys, port agency etc. were all handled in-house.

We’ve had an interesting Q1, 2 and 3! These four were not our biggest projects ever, and that is rather the point. Individually they can be seen as routine project cargo; together they map what our team handles frequently, and show the versatile portfolio we can offer to our clients. Four shipments, four continents, eight countries, and different sets of rules, languages and expectations in every one of them. From small breakbulk consignments to full heavy lift charters, a client only hands you a job like that if they trust you with every part of it – that is what makes me proud.

Eduardo Pijpe

Share this update