Discharging cargo - Michal Krzysztofowicz Photography

Michal Krzysztofowicz Photography

Discharging cargo

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To unload the cargo, each item needs to be lifted out from the cargo hold, using the ship's crane, onto the sledge positioned on the sea ice next to the ship. As the unloading takes place on the sea ice, only a single sledge is allowed at the time due to the weight restrictions (if the unloading was taking place directly onto the ice shelf, the weght restriction would not apply and three or four sledges could be loaded up in one go).

A Pisten Bully is hauling a sledge at the time to get the cargo on in, then hauls it back up a ramp onto the ice shelf. Then three sledges are hitched together and another towing vehicle (another PB or a John Deere) takes the set back to the new site, 48 km away.