Raise the Hammer

Wow, such a nightmare. If only Hamilton had a brewery conveniently located within the same industrial area as the docks.

If only.

@Pxtl - I was going to link you to someone saying the exact same thing on reddit... Then I noticed that it was you there too!

Great work Jeff, the fact that Mammoet transport is moving the vat is information that was not known, nor was it stated in the press releases.

Journalism is uncovering this information, not re-writing press releases.

This morning, the vats are at Dundurn and York for the day. TheSpec is reporting "the vats travelled through Waterdown on Highway 5 before stopping early Saturday at Kerns Road in Burlington."

Any theories about why the secrecy in the change from Challenger to Mammoet?

Great read Jeff and photos. Never thought beer vats would get so much press time but a cool read for sure.

we went out to see these last night - very cool. An excruciatingly slow process though.

I still don't understand why it was not possible to build these in Canada. I think it is at least partially about the publicity of the news and the name recognition of the manufacturer. Surely we have facilities and skills locally to build a few giant stainless steel tanks

The spec's "reporting" on this is hilarious. Gotta love when the unpaid "staff" of these websites scoop the paid reporters :-)

Even though Mammoet and Anderson Haulage are moving these vats, it is still Challengers job. Challenger spent a lot of time and money preparing for these moves only to find out that they are not capable of it. They never even should have attempted it. The first time the move was delayed was when they discovered that the equipment that they wanted to use wouldn't do the job. The second time the move was delayed a Challenger rep said it was because of safety concerns around the Christas holidays. While they were saying this, the vats were sitting on the ground at the docks an not ready to move anywhere. Challenger had to turn to actual professional heavy haulers, Mammoet and Anderson, to to the job properly on their behalf. The only reason there are a couple of Challenger trucks hooked to these loads is for the pictures for the media. Unfortunately for them, they've been bragging about this move for a while and have been left with egg on their face so it seems as they are going to great lengths to keep the public thinking that it is all Challenger. If they weren't such media whores they could have just walked away from it and left it to the professionals.

Hey guys, here is the real scoop:

Originally it was a Challenger job. Challenger experienced some technical difficulties and asked Mammoet for assistance.

Mammoet took over the transport contract, and hired Challenger and Anderson as subcontractors.

Challenger retained control of all of the permits, traffic management, and utility work.

Challenger deserves credit for the job, not Mammoet. They provided most of the solutions to safely deliver these tanks. Providing the equipment to move the tanks is relatively easy. Negotiating a 108-kilometre route which involves the relocation of 1600 overhead wires is not. Challenger came up with these routing solutions, not Mammoet. And when Challenger had some difficulties with equipment, they brought Mammoet to the table, which was also Challenger's solution and nobody else's.

I love how People comment on things that they really have no Idea about. The post posted above mine is completely not accurate at all. Please get real facts before posting such nonsense. This is A Challenger move 100%. Maybe you should call Challenger your self and I am sure they will explain why Mammoet and Anderson were added. 1 Mammoet, 1 Anderson and 3 Challenger.

I would like to add some more and clarify...

There was no "finger-pointing"; is was wet falling snow, and the heroes at Horizon were charged with progressively removing and re-installing very old wires. The blame goes to the reality of January in Hamilton.

It was also observed to me the "German" Mammoet staffer may have been Dutch by birth. That is possible; it was loud, and he may have been referring to Germany as a "we" for professional reasons, not personal ones. We should revise the story to indicate "European", just to be clear.

More photos to come; sorry, I lost Photoshop/PC abilities when they pulled our plug, did the work so far from my iPad in the dark.

We do continue to investigate any story where there is more, and answer to facts, so all comments are appreciated.

Comment edited by Wentworthst on 2011-01-08 12:10:15

Challenger has alway been the preferred non-union company used by Mammoet (Latta) company. When the drivers and shop employees went union at Latta, and were on strike, we caught Challenger drivers trying to do the work for Latta. I believe this is a 100% Mammoet job, and watch to see which crane company is sitting to do the unloading, any taker's I am betting it will be Mammoet cranes. Looks like a duck, quakes like a duck..........

To the assertion that "it was Challenger's work, even if Mammoet did the heavy lifting."

Okay... If that is how corporations wants to describe it. I have requested that info, will report back.

I reported who had all the boots on the ground here doing the logistics job on my street, and what some said to me about that unexpected involvement. I did speak to a wide-variety of professionals doing a tough job here.

I'm sorry if no "mainstream reporter" asked about who showed up-- I made a list and had to figure out what Mammoet did. The press I saw were too busy talking to us locals, who were not the story here last night.

Comment edited by Wentworthst on 2011-01-08 12:35:27

HEY AUGUSTMAN. PLEASE TELL US WAS IS INACCURATE ABOUT THE "THEORY". AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF ACCURACY, CHECK YOUR MATH. I'M PRETTY SURE I SAW 6 TANKS BUT YOU ONLY COUNTED 5. LOOK REALLY CLOSELY AT THE TRUCKS. 2 CHALLENGER. 2 MAMMOET. 2 ANDERSON.

I saw a lot of Mammoet logos. From the time I was down there, it seemed as if they'd rigged the back of every vat/truck.

As for the move itself, it's mighty disheartening to me, both as a Hamiltonian and a beer drinker. I just kept hoping for a few dozen die-hard Lakeport drinkers to come sit down on the road.

I've got a whole pile of photos, should have the best up along with some commentary on my site by the end of the afternoon. Really glad to wake up today and find out I'm not the only one who went out in the cold to check it out. Three cheers for independent reporting.

Not really sure what the issue is here. Its really not WHO is moving them, but that they are being moved. Such a huge effort being accomplished by so many companies. So happy to be part of it!!!

@blondie wrote: "Not really sure what the issue is here"

No issue remaining... The story was many, many people risked their lives here last night, doing a slow, dangerous job in hard conditions. It wasn't a fun press-piece, it took a lot to keep it from being a disaster at any moment.

http://hamilton-on.ca/rth/photo-beer_vats_on_wentworth_street_hamilton-06.jpg

(Eight hours lit up by a 1962 Stalingrad-style parade while our house chilled off-- I just wanted to paint the full picture here.)

Special thanks to Horizon workers who risked everything detaching and reattaching as fast as they could, and specifically to Mammoet for getting it right.

I stand by the story. Ours wasn't written to match, oppose or even having seen any other, and no one is officially telling us we got it wrong.


@JoeyColeman wrote... Thanks. My journalism hasn't advanced since school, but it will improve with practice.

Comment edited by wentworthst on 2011-01-08 18:28:23

If I had not been at work out of town I would have loved to have seen the move. Completely cool. It also has nothing to do with TicatPanAmAldershotHarbormania.

Google Map of the route http://goo.gl/maps/E0xB

Why didn't they just go straight down Burlington street to the QEW and avoid rsidntial areas?

Anyone know why a heavy lift helicopter wasn't used?

The largest heavy-lift helicopters in the world are only capable of lifting approximately 25 tonnes, and this can't be increased to the limitations of air density.

@tnt They're not allowed on the QEW or 400 series highways at all. Other than traffic disruptions, they wouldn't clear most overpasses.

Comment edited by JonC on 2011-01-09 09:00:31

Oh yeah. I didn't think about bridges. However, I hope it doesn't start a chain reaction of things being shipped through my neighborhood.

> "The company hired to move the massive beer vats from Hamilton to Toronto is blaming Hamilton hydro for a delay..."

http://www.680news.com/news/local/article/166217--convoy-hauling-six-massive-beer-vats-are-behind-schedule

So Hamiltonians, specifically Horizon staffers risking their lives, spent long, tough hours just so Challenger could have this crap brought down residential streets in Jan. "are the slow ones"?

It makes sense... The reason our story is a minority report (but won't be "challenged"): the big beer-run ad-buy includes a complimentary chorus of "Blame Hamilton!"

We didn't move our historic city out of the way fast enough? According to Challenger?

I wonder how "trusted" media workers don't loose sleep over only serving corporate advertisers now. Really can't imagine it helps your self-esteem or your city...

Comment edited by wentworthst on 2011-01-09 13:48:25

ANY HOW I DO THINK SOME ONE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND AS FAR AS BLAMING HYDRO FOR ITS PART DONT BOTHER WE WERE NOT PART OF THE JOB.

I knew this was going to turn into a "typical hamilton screw up" story.

Spare us the sob story.

I wonder if it's Halton's fault for the fact they are barely half way through their region too....

TB: "Anyone know why a heavy lift helicopter wasn't used?"

Wondered the same thing. It's like a geriatric version of the Olympic torch run, only without the patriotic buzz or commemorative souvenirs.

At 45+ tonnes you'd be nosing into the upper end of what a Chinook could handle, but it's totally doable. Might be that the units are sufficiently delicate that the set-down was considered too risky. More likely, though, it's just Molson-Coors trying to offset the cost of the move through the nation-wide daily news coverage of this eastward crawl, culminating in the promised post-game wrap up on Discovery Daily Planet.

This beer vat move news would be much more interesting if these tanks weren't destined to be filled with flavourless, pale, piss-poor beer

Great work by RTH but it leaves you wondering if Hamilton Spec is only about printing press releases or Toronto Star contributions rather than being a professional publication that verifys info, does investigative reporting and digs out the real interesting stories affecting Hamilton! Again, good work RTH!

These puppies weigh a lot more than a Chinook can lift. I believe they weigh a lot more than any helicopter can lift. 90,000 pounds is a lot of weight. I know the Russians have a couple of massive cargo choppers but I doubt even they can lift this much weight.

You are correct, Mr. Meister. Muddle-headed math on my part – transposed kilos and pounds in my head. At 45+ tons per, each of those tanks is actually around 100,000 pounds. A pair of utility-class 234 Chinooks, combined, could handle 102,000 pounds maximum gross weight -- but only about half that for precision work. As unlikely as the scenario would have been, it's fun to imagine the visual of four Chinooks migrating back and forth from Hamilton Harbour to Carlingview.

I've read each beer vat weighs about 43,500 kg. The Soviet MI-26 (which is about 28 years old now) can lift 56,000 kg as far as I understand. I suspect there are more modern machines with even greater capacity these days.

My bad. Max LOADED weight of the MI-26 is 56,000 kg which includes the weight of the machine itself. Back to the drawing board...

UPDATE: This was the statement from Mammoet on RTH's coverage:

Jeff,

With respect to your inquiry relating to the move of the Molson-Coors beer vats, Challenger Motor Freight is responsible for all press releases and media contact as the original contract started here and previous announcement were already in place.

It was the directive of Molson Coors and agreed to by all partners/stakeholders involved to have one central point of contact. A massive undertaking such as this requires expertise from various company teams (Challenger, Mammoet, Anderson, lighting, sign companies etc) plus stakeholders to ensure a safe trip.

It is indeed a spectacular and interesting transport. Unfortunately it’s taking more time than expected. It’s pretty rough on all the guys (escort-, transport-, and wire lifting crew) with the cold weather.

As long as they all keep working together as a team, they will bring this project to a success. It’s great to see the interest and excitement (especially with all the small kids watching including the big daddies) on route.

I would not classify this as a dangerous move as long as every person keeps working the plan. There are many controls and safety matters in place. We would rather take a bit more time and play it safe than rush and compromise safety of any person on the team or bystander.

B Schuring,
Mammoet Canada Eastern Ltd.
Project Manager


ADD: Just IMHO, this company is pretty amazing, if you get the chance to see the complex and unique work they do. I feel lucky to have met them on this (and we continue to correspond, just for interest's sake, the work they do world-wide).

Seriously-- Mammoet's off to drag up 70 sunken ships from a Mauretanian Bay... http://www.mammoet.com/Default.aspx?tabid=544&S01_Det_745=957&S01_Page_745=1

Comment edited by wentworthst on 2011-01-11 12:20:54