Leading logistics specialists The Canute Group recently undertook one of their most delicate operations; the transport of a replica Viking ship worth £30,000 to an event celebrating 1,000 years of King Canute, from whom the Group take their name.
The full-sized replica formed the centrepiece of the Canute 1,000 Spring Thing, an annual celebration of Viking history hosted by The Friends of Thynghowe and partnered by the nationally-acclaimed re-enactment organisation Regia Anglorum and the Forestry Commission.
The Viking Ship, Bear, is a testament to the way Vikings were able to conquer lands by sailing and rowing across the seas and river systems, and the River Trent provided a highway for the Vikings to overwhelm local resistance and take control of Sherwood Forest.
The Canute Group despatched a trailer from their depot in Purfleet, Essex to collect the ship from a boatyard in Herne Bay, Kent, for delivery to the event at Sherwood Pines Forest Park in Nottinghamshire.
The unusual consignment then made its way along the M25 and over the Dartford Bridge towards the A1M, drawing interest from commuters as it passed along the motorway, and despite the driver having to carefully control the swaying ship, it reached its destination in great time.
Offloading The Bear at the venue presented another challenge, as originally it was hoped it could be done with a standard crane, but the ship’s bulk called for more specialist equipment.
The Canute Group used their Hiab roller crane and their expertise to offload the ship and lay it on its port side, allowing visitors to explore both the hull and the interior which would not normally be entirely visible when in the water.
David Emslie, Group Director at Canute, said: “It isn’t every day we get asked to transport a replica Viking ship, so there was some careful planning involved in the transport and loading. But we have always enjoyed a challenge, and we had all the specialist equipment we needed to make sure the delivery went smoothly.
“The reaction from the public at the Spring Thing event was tremendous; no one had seen a Viking ship come into the forest previously and everyone was busy taking photos. The Friends of Thynghowe were delighted with how smoothly the operation went and it helped to make the event a great success.”
