Nooteboom expands its range for transporting wind turbines with the new Mega Windmill Trailer XXL (MWT-XXL). Thanks to the trailer’s extensive adjustability, it is capable of transporting larger tower sections than before. Additionally, tower sections with smaller diameters and turbine nacelles, for instance, can also be transported effortlessly, making the new MWT-XXL highly versatile. Recently, the transport company Transannaberg from Poland put the first Nooteboom MWT-XXL into operation.
Nooteboom Introduces New Generation Mega Windmill Trailer XXL for a Greater Variety of Loads
January 2025
Big, Bigger, Biggest
The size of wind turbine components continues to grow. While the MWT-XL could already handle larger tower segments (with an inner diameter up to approximately 5700mm) than the original MWT, the third-generation MWT-XXL can transport an even wider range of tower segments (with an inner diameter of approximately 2850mm to 6100mm) without needing adjustments to the mounting frame. This is achieved through a double, hydraulically height-adjustable A-frame. The load is clamped using a unique three-point system, ensuring the Nooteboom MWT-XXL maintains the easiest operation and shortest loading and unloading times on the market. The load capacity is approximately 100 tonnes and the empty trailer remains well below 4 meters in height.
Proven Stability
As wind turbine components become larger, the height of the centre of gravity also increases, requiring additional trailer stability for safe transport. In addition to standard theoretical calculations, Nooteboom conducted impressive stability tests at the RDW test track in Lelystad, examining the differences in road behavior between air suspension and hydraulic suspension. These tests revealed that the new 2.84m wide Nooteboom self-steered dolly with air suspension is at least as stable as a comparable trailer with hydraulic suspension and pendulum axles. Moreover, with air suspension, the driver receives a visible warning in advance as the vehicle starts to lean over. The driver will intuitively reduce speed after which the danger is over. In case of a self-steered dolly with hydraulic suspension and pendulum axles, the driver does not get this advance warning and therefore cannot intervene in time.
Air Suspension: The Safest and Most Sustainable Option
Nooteboom chooses air suspension for its advantages. Thanks to air suspension, the new MWT-XXL features the easiest operation, low maintenance costs, and a low dead weight. This ensures that the total weight of the loaded combination generally remains below 150 tons. Additionally, when an air-suspended axle compresses fully due to large road irregularities, pressure remains in the suspension system, allowing other axles to continue bearing the load. In such situations with hydraulic suspension, the pressure in the suspension system is lost and the compressed axle is much more overloaded. Lastly, air suspension is more environmentally friendly, simply because the vehicle uses less hydraulic oil.
Adjustable Hooks for All Types and Brands of Tower Sections
A new option on the Nooteboom MWT-XXL is adjustable hooks that clamp the tower at the base. These hooks are easily adjustable, enabling the safe loading and transport of tower sections with flanges that are thicker, thinner, or significantly different in shape without additional tools. This makes the new generation of MWTs even more universal, allowing the most diverse wind turbine components to be transported effortlessly with the new Nooteboom MWT-XXL. Transannaberg has already successfully implemented these adjustable hooks in practice.
MWT: A Proven Success Since 2003
In 2003, Nooteboom launched its innovative and patented Mega Windmill Trailer, the first of its kind in the market. This successful trailer was later updated as the MWT-XL. After 20 years, the Nooteboom MWT remains the leading transport solution in the wind energy sector worldwide. However, the wind industry now demands greater flexibility, prompting Nooteboom to introduce the Mega Windmill Trailer XXL, designed for multifunctional use. All trailers in the Mega Windmill family are specially designed to transport large wind turbine tower sections weighing up to approximately 100 tons without a loading floor and without requiring cranes for loading and unloading.
The latest MWT-XXL comes standard with a 2.84m wide self-steered dolly, but Nooteboom can also supply the MWT for smaller diameters with a 2.55m wide self-steered dolly. This narrower dolly takes up less road space and remains under the legally permissible vehicle width when empty, which is advantageous for obtaining permits in several European countries.
