Massive crates being moved through Houston make it to their destination

HOUSTON – After several delays along the way, a pair of enormous crates that were being moved through Houston made it to their final Texas destination Friday morning.

The gigantic wooden boxes were being moved in tandem from a business in northwest Houston to the Bayport Cruise Terminal in a caravan that was scheduled to take four days. That stretched into a week after a variety of setbacks put the effort behind schedule.

About 4 a.m. Friday, Denton Townson, spokesman for Smith Specialized Logistics, posted a video on the KPRC 2 Facebook page saying, "We have arrived!!"

We have arrived!!

Posted by Denton Townson on Friday, August 9, 2019

According to Ronnie Smith, owner of Smith Specialized Logistics, this was one of the biggest moves by truck ever undertaken in the Houston area. It required a caravan of more than 30 state troopers and 20 cherry-picker trucks to block traffic, move power lines and temporarily relocate some traffic signs.

Here’s what you need to know about the crates.

What’s in the crates?

The crates are holding three sections of a drilling ship that has been ordered by Samsung Heavy Industries, according to Smith.

Shane Elliff, of BestCrate, which built the boxes, said the largest of the two crates is 56 feet long, 24 feet wide and 27 feet tall, and took four days to build. 

The smaller of the two crates is 30 feet long, 16 feet wide and 24 feet tall and took three days to build, Elliff said.

VIDEO: SKY 2 flies over crates before they are moved

Denton Townson, spokesman for Smith Specialized Logistics, said the company's permit allows for a load that is 135 feet long, 24 feet wide and 27 feet tall.

At the Bayport Cruise Terminal, the crates will be loaded onto a specialized ship bound for Korea. They are expected to arrive on the other side of the world sometime in early September, Smith said.

What was the route?

The more than 100-mile move began 7 p.m. Aug. 2 at W-Industries on Petropark Drive and ended about 4 a.m. Friday. 

Because of setbacks, the caravan, which moves at a speed of less than 2 m.p.h., was delayed by about 20 miles.

This map shows the route the caravan took.

Where did the crates stop?

Here are the approximate locations of where the crates have been parked along the way.

  • By Saturday morning: Katy Freeway and Greenhouse Road.
  • By Sunday morning: Sugar Land.
  • By Monday morning: Pearland.
  • By Tuesday morning: Alvin.
  • By Wednesday morning: Caravan did not move.
  • By Thursday morning: FM 528 and Penny Lane in Friendswood.
  • By Friday morning: Bayport Cruise Terminal.

Editor's note: The dimensions of the crates have been updated to clarify the difference between the permitted load and the actual size of the crates.