A GT36 gas turbine and its diffuser were unloaded on 15 December 2020 at Porto Marghera. A product of extremely high technology and engineering research, the turbine assembly was developed and manufactured in Ansaldo Energia's plants in Genoa.
The GT36 is an exceptional piece of equipment, not only in terms of weight or size (the turbine weighs over 520 tonnes – equivalent to 400 cars – and is about 13 metres long, the length of a coach), but also because it is the largest and most powerful gas turbine ever built in Italy, which will make Edison's Levante thermoelectric power plant in Porto Marghera the most efficient in Europe.
The transport from Genoa has required the use of the heavy load carrier "Happy River" operated by the Heavy Lift company, assisted in Venice by shipping agent Campostano Anchor: the special ship is at home in Porto Marghera which is specialized in handling project cargo shipments. The door-to-door transport from the construction site in Genoa to the final installation site at Edison power plant was handled by Fagioli, a leading international engineering company specialized in transport, special handling, lifting and freight forwarding.
The two heavy items were unloaded this morning at the Multi Service terminal onto Fagioli SPMT's (16+16 side-by-side axles trailer for the turbine and 10+10 side-by-side axles trailer for the diffuser) located on the P7 pontoon owned by Fagioli.
The pontoon then proceeded through the West Channel to reach Edison’s Marghera Levante power plant, where it docked and a ro-ro system was used to unload the turbine and the diffuser. The two pieces of machinery were handled and set in position by means of 4 pairs of Fagioli’s EZ 600 gantry lifting systems.
Due to enter into service in 2022, Edison's Marghera Levante will cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 70% and CO2 emissions by 40% compared to the average thermoelectric power plants currently operating in Italy, adding security and flexibility to Italy’s national energy system.
The total investment for revamping Marghera Levante amounts to over 300 million euros and confirms Edison's leading role in Italy’s energy transition.
This operation is particularly significant for two reasons – explained the Special Commissioner of the Veneto Port Authority Pino Musolino – on the one hand, it reaffirms the competitiveness and attractiveness of Marghera as a logistic-industrial hub. In addition to its synergy with the port, Marghera can boast a favourable geographical position and first-class infrastructure, which makes it a vital and dynamic production site capable of creating innovation, value and sustainable development. On the other hand, this shipment confirms that the Veneto port system can superbly manage very complex loading and unloading operations for products with a high added value. Project cargo is a field in which the port of Venice truly excels, also thanks to the river connection with Lombardy, the presence of highly skilled personnel and operators on site, cranes and quays that can handle oversize loads and a vital dry port where over the years many prestigious companies have decided to establish themselves – not by chance".