The Impact of the Lack of Marine and Rail Standards on the Transportation of Large Power Transformers

Power transformers (>10MVA) are typically shipped from the factory by rail or marine cargo ship. In these harsh shipping environments, transformers are subjected to a variety of vibrational and impact forces. If these forces are too great, the transformers could be damaged, resulting in premature failure. There are few guidelines that describe best practices for monitoring, and, more importantly, mitigating such stresses when shipping transformers. Furthermore, manufacturers, railways, and marine shipping companies do not always have thisinformation available, particularly for refurbished units. This paper discusses the impact this documentation drought may have for the affected parties.