Going the extra mile for customers is what makes Total Lubmarine a special marine lube supplier. The story of how 20,000 litres of lube was delivered by road across Africa to meet a last minute scheduling change for an Indian Ocean crossing shows how an international team came together to make it happen.
On 5 January 2017, Total Lubmarine Belgium was informed that the Cutter Suction Dredger J.F.J. De Nul owned by dredging and marine construction specialist Jan De Nul Group was changing its itinerary. This meant that 20,000 litres of lubricant originally intended to be taken on-board in Durban, South Africa would instead be needed in Maputo, Mozambique by 17 January at the very latest.
Instead of setting off on its next long leg from Durban, the CSD J.F.J. De Nul needed to begin an Indian Ocean crossing directly from Maputo. The clock began ticking!
In a very short space of time, Total Lubmarine employees based in Mozambique, South Africa, France and Belgium arranged for blending of the product with an affiliate replenishment partner, organised the road haulage of the product, organised customs documents to enable the laden road tanker to cross the South Africa/Mozambique border and ensure that pipes and pumping arrangements were in place to transfer the lubricant to the dredger.
Six days later the product pricing had been agreed with Total Lubmarine head office in Paris, transport rates had also been agreed with the nominated haulier and the availability of the product was confirmed.
By 13 January, a road tanker carrying 20,000 litres of Aurelia TI 4040 was travelling towards the Mozambique border.
Total Lubmarine staff in Mozambique worked intensively to ensure that the road tanker and its cargo were able to clear Mozambique customs as quickly as possible and then proceed directly to the Port of Maputo.
The Aurelia TI 4040 was pumped on-board the CSD J.F.J. De Nul during the evening of 17 January in a straightforward loading operation. The vessel sailed on the morning of 18 January and at the time of writing (24 January) could be seen sailing at 10 knots between islands Reunion and Mauritius on its Indian Ocean crossing.
Congratulations to all the Total Lubmarine staff around the world who worked together to make this delivery a success. The team can truly say, “We make it possible”!
