Telescope Chile

The world’s biggest eye on the sky

#civilengineering

To Monfalcone, Italy to remote site in Chile’s mountainous region

An 80-meter-high dome with a 93-meter diameter

Over 2,000 tonnes and 17,000+ cubic meters of oversized cargo

ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) Project
Challenge accepted : a decade of logistics pre-planning for the record-breaking Telescope

DCS LIBURNUS PROJECT was tasked with orchestrating the global logistics management and multimodal transport of the dome structure and internal supports for the ELT, the world’s largest optical telescope.

The cargo included highly sensitive structural components, mirror supports, and rotating systems. The primary objectives were:

Ensure safe and undamaged delivery of the dome and supports from Italy to Chile.
Minimize risk through careful route analysis and partner coordination.
Maintain strict compliance with handling, customs, and transport regulations across multiple borders and jurisdictions.

What They Say About Us

Charting the Course to the Edge of the Universe

Analysis

The European Southern Observatory’s ELT is a historic scientific infrastructure and logistics challenge, including:

Oversized and delicate cargo handling requirements.
Transit through extreme terrain and remote regions.
Tight transport windows and weather constraints in the Atacama Desert.

A bold logistics vision for transporting humanity’s most ambitious scientific eye—where cargo precision meets cosmic purpose put all our Team under extreme pressure since the start of the initial studies which included several surveys, on site technical analysis and extensive pre-planning scaled to each cargo part that was under construction.

From Steelworks to Starlight

Execution

DCS LIBURNUS PROJECT deployed a phased logistics strategy:

1. Pre-Deployment to Chile

Prior to the main shipments, over 5,000 freight tonnes of site equipment (cranes, forklifts, lifters) were shipped from Europe to Iquique Port, ensuring the local site was operationally ready for the ELT components.

2. Inland and Port Logistics in Italy

Components were fabricated in Monfalcone.
Received by road to Porto di Monfalcone with custom-lift planning for each piece using polyester slings, chains with shorteners, and lifeline-secured stevedores.
Cargo was loaded on three separate voyages aboard MV DZ Yantai, MV Swift, and RMS Fraternity, chartered via Intermarine.

3. Ocean Freight

Each vessel transported approximately 700 tonnes of sensitive, oversized cargo across 13,000 kilometers to Antofagasta, Chile.

4. Chile Port Operations and Final Haul

Upon arrival, DCS LIBURNUS PROJECT coordinated temporary secure storage awaiting road permits.
Cargo was directly discharged using high-capacity mobile cranes (GHMK 8410) to trucks, minimizing handling.
Our local partner, carefully selected, is a specialist with 160 modular axle lines, executed the final 130-km convoy up to Cerro Armazones through steep desert roads, often requiring route reinforcement, slope stabilization, and convoy escort.

Synchronizing Giants for a Stellar Tomorrow

Management

A project of this magnitude required a unified project management and communication strategy. DCS LIBURNUS PROJECT led coordination across:

Engineering & Technical Planning: Tailor-made lifting gear, 3D stowage simulations, and route surveys to guarantee integrity of the structural units during transport.
Multimodal Integration: Seamless connection between fabrication (Monfalcone), sea freight (both via Panama and Magellan Strait), and remote site delivery in Chile’s mountainous region.
Partnership Network: Collaboration with the manufacturer, the Ship Owners and Chilean providers underpinned by DCS Liburnus’ global oversight.
Risk Management & Compliance: ISPS, customs formalities, heavy-lift safety procedures, and environmental mitigation strategies in the Atacama.
Timeframe Control: Deliveries spanned multiple years, from the initial shipment of infrastructure in 2022 to main cargo in 2023–2024, aligning with ELT’s construction milestones and testing phases.

Result:

All oversized structures were delivered positioning DCS LIBURNUS PROJECT as a critical enabler in delivering one of humanity’s most ambitious scientific instruments. Installation of the mirror segments is now underway, aiming for first light in 2028.