Moving Out-of-Gauge Mechanical Press Equipment from South Africa to India

Following the sale of two automotive manufacturing plants in Pretoria and Hammanskraal to an international buyer, the facilities needed to be stripped and the mechanical press equipment dismantled for export to India.

WISTS was appointed to manage the logistics operation, coordinating the movement of numerous heavy, oversized components from Gauteng to the Port of Durban, onward to the Port of Mundra and ultimately to Pune.

The project involves multiple shipments, with most components classified as out-of-gauge cargo and weighing between 30 and 37 tonnes. The final phase, scheduled for October 2026, will include a single component weighing approximately 80 tonnes and a further 14 flat racks.

WISTS was required to manage the export logistics for dismantled mechanical press equipment originating from two automotive plants in Pretoria and Hammanskraal.

Due to the dimensions and weight of the machinery, most components could not be transported in standard shipping containers. Specialised flat-rack equipment, abnormal-load transport, careful packing and lashing, regulatory permits and shipping-line approval were therefore required.

Quoting and preliminary planning began approximately five months before the first shipment.

Project cargo of this nature demands precise coordination across every stage of the movement. WISTS needed to align the dismantling and packing schedule, flat-rack availability and shipping-line bookings, abnormal-load transport permits, approved road-travel times, vessel arrival dates and terminal stack dates, loading, dunnage and lashing requirements, inspections and certification, temporary storage, customs clearance and export documentation.

Out-of-gauge vehicles may only travel during approved daylight hours on weekdays and are generally restricted from travelling after 17:00 or over weekends. A delay at any point could result in the cargo missing the vessel's stack, creating additional storage, transport and shipping costs.

The team also had to mitigate the risk of cargo damage, insufficient dunnage, loose lashings, overweight containers and delays in obtaining shipping-line approval.

WISTS acted as the project management team for the movement, overseeing every logistics requirement associated with getting the equipment from its collection points in Gauteng to its destination in India.

This included coordinating bookings and specialised container equipment, arranging container and flat-rack delivery, planning abnormal-load road transportation, obtaining permits, scheduling loading, coordinating temporary storage, managing packing and lashing, obtaining approved lashing certificates, securing shipping-line approval, monitoring stack dates and vessel schedules, tracking trucks, managing customs clearance and arranging certificates of origin.

Frequent strategy sessions were held throughout the project. Drivers, transporters, packing and lashing teams, the client's South African representative, shipping lines, depots and port stakeholders were kept informed through live tracking, telephone calls, email and dedicated WhatsApp communication.

During one phase, a container was found to be overweight because of a problem with the client's weighing scale. WISTS immediately redirected it to a depot, where a specialist lashing team opened it, removed one component and transferred the item into another container. Both containers were correctly repacked and relashed, preventing a larger disruption while keeping additional time and costs to a minimum.

Flat racks were selected for the oversized components. Loading required accurate weight and dimension information, correct load distribution, sufficient dunnage, specialist lashing, protection against movement and exposure, inspection, certification and shipping-line approval. The cargo was power wrapped and secured by specialist teams, trucks were tracked live, and Goods in Transit insurance was confirmed.

Three shipments have already reached India successfully and within the planned timeframes.

Following the successful execution of these movements, the client appointed WISTS to manage the remaining two shipments. These are scheduled for October 2026 and will include a further 14 flat racks, as well as the project's largest individual component, weighing approximately 80 tonnes.

The completed shipments have enabled the client to begin receiving the machinery required for its planned resale activities in India while maintaining momentum across the broader dismantling and export programme.

WISTS Managing Director Dheshree Chetty previously headed the project and special-equipment division at Hapag-Lloyd. Her shipping-line experience gives WISTS an in-depth understanding of the technical requirements, approval processes and operational risks associated with out-of-gauge cargo.

“Successful project cargo management is not only about moving a heavy piece of machinery. It is about understanding how every permit, vessel schedule, transport restriction, packing requirement and approval affects the next stage of the journey. Our role is to see the complete picture, anticipate potential problems and keep every party moving in the same direction.” — Dheshree Chetty, Managing Director of WISTS

Successfully coordinating a project of this scale is a significant achievement for WISTS, which had been operating for only 18 months when appointed. The project demonstrates that capability—not gender—is what defines success in complex logistics.