ACE Winches staff recently completed their largest manufacturing contract, worth GBP 4.2 million (US$6.73 million) for Houston's Superior Energy Services which was delivered on the world's largest plane, the Antonov 225.
    Winches, a leading deck machinery specialist, has designed and manufactured an electrically driven eight-point mooring spread at its global headquarters in Scotland.
    The complete winch package has been designed to be capable of operating in temperatures as low as -45 degrees C. The ABS certified winches are tailored to meet the mooring requirements of the barge, which will be working in extreme Arctic weather.
    The ACE winch package began its voyage from Auchterless, near Turriff, Aberdeenshire, the first shipment of winches weighing 125 tonnes was delivered on three trucks to Southampton; it was then shipped across the Atlantic on the vessel Integrity, reaching Baltimore, from where it was driven across America to its destination.
    The second shipment was required by the client to be delivered ahead of planned schedule. The winch package also weighing 125 tonnes was exported by air freight from Glasgow on the world's largest plane, the Antonov 225.
    This is the heaviest load ever to be exported by air from Scotland. Due to the combined weight of the load and aircraft of 550 tonnes in total, various stops had to be made to refuel including; Goose Bay, Labrador and Minneapolis-St Paul. The Antonov 225 made its final landing in Moses Lake Airport in Washington state before being trucked to reach its destination.
    "I am delighted with the commitment and dedication shown by the ACE employees from initial stages of design through to manufacture, accomplishing the completion of this projecting just six months. Everyone at ACE Winches has been involved in this project in one way or another, the manufacturing team has been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving up some of their festive celebrations to complete this order on time," said ACE Winches CEO Alfie Cheyne.

(source:shipping online)