cargo-partner ships the world’s largest swinging bell from Poland to Brazil

cargo-partner, a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., has managed the transport of the world’s largest swinging bell with the striking name “Vox Patris” from Poland to Brazil. The 55-ton bell measures 4 meters in height and proved to be a challenging and complex transport.

This comprehensive logistics project, coordinated with local and international partners, highlights cargo-partner’s expertise in handling large-scale operations. “This is a significant project for us,” said Stanisław Bochenek, Managing Director of cargo-partner Poland. “The scale of this task has required careful planning and coordination, and we are pleased to have played a role in transporting such an important and unique object.”

Transport Process: From Poland to Brazil

The 10,000-kilometer journey of Vox Patris, Latin for “Voice of the Father,” began in southern Poland, where it was cast by Jan Felczyński Bell Foundry and Rduch Bells & Clocks. It was carefully packed, loaded on truck by crane and transported to a warehouse near the Baltic Hub terminal in Gdańsk. From there, the bell, two smaller bells and parts of the construction were prepared for sea transport to Brazil as oversized out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo.

Vox Patris was loaded directly from the truck onto the vessel and secured below deck across three flat racks. Special measures were taken to ensure the stability of the oversized cargo during transport. The smaller bells and other items were transported in one flat-rack and two open-top containers. The flat-rack container carried cargo that extended beyond its width and height, while both open-top containers held over-height (OH) cargo. Each container had a gross weight of approximately 20 to 22 tons.

The project cargo departed for the Port of Santos in Brazil on April 10, 2025. Upon arrival, the bell will continue its journey over 1,600 kilometers to its final destination in Trindade, in central Brazil. This part of the route will be managed by Windlog, a Brazilian forwarding company that has entrusted the bell’s overseas transport to cargo-partner.

“Transporting a cargo of this size and significance requires a high level of precision, and synchronizing all aspects of the transport process was a key challenge,” Stanisław Bochenek explained. “Our team ensured that the bell was securely prepared for both land and sea transport, with special attention given to securing the oversized load.”

cargo-partner’s Gdynia branch managed the entire logistics chain, including land transport in Poland, transshipment, and customs clearance at the Baltic Hub port. This project underscores the logistics provider’s ability to manage complex, high-profile international assignments.

Vox Patris: The World’s Largest Bell

Vox Patris weighs an impressive 55 tons, equivalent to ten African elephants, and stands at 4 meters tall, comparable to the height of a giraffe, with a diameter of 4.5 meters. The bell is five times heavier than Poland’s most famous bell, the Sigismund bell at Cracow’s Wawel Cathedral. Made from a copper-tin alloy, the bell is designed for both sound and visual appeal.

Once it arrives in Brazil, Vox Patris will be placed at a height of 30 meters in a 100-meter-high bell tower at the Sanctuary of God the Father All Eternal in Trindade. A new cathedral is currently being built there to accommodate 12,000 worshippers, which will make it the largest church in the world. Already, more than four million pilgrims visit the site each year.