For the journey, the Bugsier 15 tug was employed to tow the MAB1 barge. Built in 1991, the 28.3m LOA, 3,060hp Bugsier 15 has a speed of 12 knots and a bollard pull of 31 tons. It is equipped with a towing winch with a 70 tons brake holding load, which was needed for handling the 80m MAB1.

The operationused MAB1's entire length. As Joachim Dobler of Leibherr points out, the cranes don't need a barge of this size because of the deadweight capacity (the cargo used less than a fifth of the available capacity of MAB1), but because when their booms are lashed at the lowest (and therefore safest) possible position, the cranes take up all the available space.

Following the careful driving on of the cranes at Rostock and securing of multiple lashings, the tug, barge and cranes left for Antwerp. Fortunately, calm conditions prevailed for the entire102 hour journey.

Following its arrival at the oldest and main terminal within the Westerlund group on the left bank of the Scheldt river, reputedly the largest forest products terminal in the world, the quayside was prepared, the cranes unlashed and ramps placed between the barge and the quay. Finally both cranes were driven off the barge, onto the quay and were immediately ready for operation.