Cargo-partner successfully managed the transportation of the Vox Patris, the world’s largest swinging bell, from Poland to Brazil, overcoming significant logistical challenges.

Cargo-partner, a subsidiary of Nippon Express Holdings, has successfully managed the transport of Vox Patris, the world’s largest swinging bell, from Poland to Brazil. Weighing 55t and measuring 4m in height, the bell presented considerable logistical challenges.

The operation was carried out in close collaboration with both local and international partners. “This is a significant project for us,” said Stanisław Bochenek, Managing Director of cargo-partner Poland. “The scale of this task required meticulous planning and coordination, and we are proud to have been involved in the transportation of such an important and unique object.”

The 10,000-kilometre journey began in southern Poland, where the Jan Felczyński Bell Foundry and Rduch Bells & Clocks cast the bell. The cargo-partner team used a crane to pack and load the bell onto a truck, before transporting it to a warehouse near the Baltic Hub terminal in Gdańsk. From there, preparations for sea transport to Brazil began, with Vox Patris classified as oversized out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo.

The bell was loaded directly onto the vessel from the truck and secured below deck across three flat racks. Special measures were taken to ensure the stability of the oversized cargo throughout the voyage. The shipment also included two smaller bells and construction components, transported in one flat-rack and two open-top containers. The flat-rack container accommodated cargo exceeding its width and height, while the open-top containers held over-height (OH) cargo. Each container weighed approximately 20 to 22t.

The project cargo set sail for the Port of Santos in Brazil on 10 April. Upon arrival, the bell will continue its 1,600-kilometre journey to its final destination in Trindade, central Brazil. Windlog, a Brazilian forwarding company, will manage the inland transport phase, having entrusted cargo-partner with the overseas shipment.

“Transporting a cargo of this size and significance requires a high level of precision, and synchronising all aspects of the transport process was a key challenge,” explained Bochenek. “Our team ensured that the bell was securely prepared for both land and sea transport, with particular attention paid to securing the oversized load.”

Cargo-partner’s Gdynia branch oversaw the entire logistics chain, including land transport within Poland, transhipment operations, and customs clearance at the Baltic Hub port.

Once in Brazil, Vox Patris will be installed at a height of 30 metres within a 100-metre-high bell tower at the Sanctuary of God the Father All Eternal in Trindade. The sanctuary is currently constructing a new cathedral, which will be the largest in the world, with a capacity for 12,000 worshippers. The site already attracts over four million pilgrims annually.

Source: Project Cargo Journal