32-metre-long reactor arrives at Assam's Numaligarh Refinery after 3,000 km journey from Gujarat

A colossal 32-metre-long Vacuum Gas Oil Hydrotreating Reactor has completed its 3,000-kilometre journey from Gujarat to the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam. This feat of engineering and logistics marks a significant step in India's efforts to enhance domestic energy production.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the achievement, tweeting: "Nation building at its finest. So proud of our team at Numaligarh Refinery for transporting this gargantuan reactor across rivers and mountains."

The reactor's arrival is part of an ambitious expansion plan for the Numaligarh Refinery, aimed at boosting its processing capabilities. In an earlier social media post, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the transport operation's importance.

This successful delivery comes after overcoming significant logistical hurdles earlier in the year. In May, four cargo vessels carrying refinery machinery were stranded for two months in the Brahmaputra River due to low water levels in the connecting Dhansiri River.

Authorities resolved the issue by excavating the Dhansiri riverbed, allowing for the transfer of equipment from the stranded vessels.