They needed a way to haul large loads with fewer personnel and create as little impact on the environment as possible. That meant a fuel-saving and lower-cost solution.
So with the undercarriage of its Panther series crawler carriers as a model, Prinoth developed a machine able to carry 120 tons in one load about 185 miles from seaport to the station, said Prinoth engineering director Eric Steben during a media event at this month’s ICUEE show.
For about a year, the machine has been transporting equipment, fuel, supplies and parts to the station, which is staffed year-round. The station is being used for research in meteorology, glaciers and seismology, among other studies.
It took about a year to develop, Steben said.
“So far the machine has run for almost one year,” he said. “It’s still proving that it’s a very good solution.”
The company plans to send a team next month to study how it can improve the machine and further develop it for other countries and projects.
“We were very proud to be part of this project,” Steben said.
To watch a video of the massive crawler carrier in action, see below: