BECANCOUR, QUE. – Heavy lifting, crane and equipment company Sarens recently completed a 60-metre temporary bridge at the Port of Bécancour in Québec under a tight timeline and with “significant” challenges onsite.
According to a release, the project required the mobilization of a large number of resources, including 38 SPMT lines, six ballast pumps, 450 concrete blocks and 500 tons of steel and platforms for the temporary bridge.
The project also involved the transport of nine large equipment modules and a lifting frame.
In order to facilitate the project, Sarens received the cargo at the Port of Bécancour, where each module was unloaded and placed on specially designed concrete supports and platforms, before being transported on five barges, with two modules on each, the release describes.
“The construction of a 60-metre temporary bridge connecting the shore to a stranded barge allowed loading and unloading operations to be carried out in a controlled manner despite the difficult access and weather conditions on the riverbank,” it states. “Each module required dual trailer trains with variable axle spacing, while the temporary bridge was designed to support multiple load configurations without slowing down operations, ensuring structural integrity and smooth execution.”
Sarens’ team worked in shifts, the company explains, co-ordinating engineering, maritime logistics and transport to maintain the pace of work without interruption, even though persistent rain impacted the site.
“Our participation in this project in Québec demonstrates how Sarens combines technical expertise, precision engineering and logistical capabilities to execute complex works in challenging conditions,” said Gilles Emond, Sarens VP of sales and business development, in a statement.
“The construction of the temporary bridge and the mobilization of large equipment modules required exhaustive planning, co-ordination between different teams and the use of state-of-the-art lifting and transport technology. This type of project not only reinforces our position as a world leader in heavy lifting and special transport solutions, but also demonstrates how we contribute to the development of civil infrastructure in Canada, supporting the growth of the sector and the local economy”.
Sarens has also been involved in several other major projects across the country, including the Polaris carbon capture and storage project launched by Shell in Alberta; the upgrade of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at Scarborough General Hospital; and the Finch West Station project, where it installed 30 prefabricated roof panels weighing 3.25 tonnes each below ground level.
The company has also been involved in the Union Station renovation, where a team carried out the lifting and subsequent installation of several 9.4-tonne iron beams for the “flying garden” connecting the north and south towers of the station.
