Seeland Builds Bridges

The Hamburg-Based Heavy-Goods Logistics Company Is Involved in a Project to Enlarge Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland Model Railroad

Hamburg – 14.07.2020 – Hamburg-based heavy-goods logistics company Gustav Seeland has been awarded a contract to transport and assemble a footbridge in Hamburg’s historic Speicherstadt warehouse district. The walkway will connect Miniatur Wunderland’s exhibition areas, which are located in two former warehouse buildings facing each other. The tourist attraction plans to enlarge its exhibition space and make it possible for visitors to access the two buildings via the new bridge. The steel-and-glass construction—which has been built by bridge specialist Lamparter from Hessisch Lichtenau—measures some 25 meters in length and weighs 38 metric tons.

Gustav Seeland has been tasked with transporting the footbridge to the Speicherstadt warehouse district and installing it on-site, as well as with all logistics services connected with project execution. These included a feasibility study taking into account local conditions, the commissioning of geostatic reports, and the procurement of the permits required to transport the bridge. Execution of this major project poses a unique set of challenges for Gustav Seeland, both in terms of transporting the almost 40-metric ton bridge along narrow roads in a lowboy trailer and in terms of assembling the bridge over the Kehrwiederfleet canal to connect the two buildings. The company also has to contend with difficult ground conditions, with the ground in the Speicherstadt district not necessarily suited to handling heavy loads.

A large, 750-metric ton crane—which itself needs to be erected using a 100-metric ton crane—will be used to assemble the footbridge. Seeland will be deploying twelve ballast vehicles, with a length of 18 meters and counterweights totaling 204 metric tons, to erect the large crane. In order to keep ground damage to a minimum, sand will be dispersed beneath the crane supports, with excavator mats in hard azobé timber positioned on-site. A launch, situated on the canal, will also assist with assembly.

“This is not only an exciting and multifaceted project for the team at Seeland, but also significant for Hamburg,” remarks Johann Evers, CEO of Gustav Seeland GmbH. “In order to successfully execute a project of this kind, a long and detailed preliminary planning phase is imperative, as is great teamwork at Seeland,” adds Evers.

All work is being carried out in accordance with tightened safety requirements. The applicable coronavirus guidelines, such as hygiene regulations and workplace distancing rules, also have to be observed by all involved. As such, the Seeland project personnel will be provided with special protective clothing.

Seeland has allocated just five hours for the process of lifting the new walkway into position. Numerous traffic restrictions are anticipated in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt district for the purpose of securing the construction site. During assembly of the bridge, a wide area around Miniatur Wunderland will be closed off. The bridge is scheduled to be lifted into position on July 15.

About Gustav Seeland:
In its capacity as one of Germany’s largest providers of heavy goods logistics services, Gustav Seeland can offer the perfect solution for every task. The Hamburg-based company’s service spectrum encompasses the entire range of truck-mounted cranes, heavy haulage and specialized transport, industrial installations, and warehousing for heavy cargo. As a partner and founding member of BigMove AG, Gustav Seeland has a pan-European network at its disposal and has been certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and SCCP:2011.

Press contact:
Gustav Seeland GmbH
Press office
Catrin Bedi
Werner-Siemens-Straße 29
22113 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 40 271 670 80
E-mail: news@seeland-hamburg.de

Photos: Timo Sommer
Photo imprint free, copyright Gustav Seeland GmbH