Self-propelled modular transporter

[2] They have begun to be used to replace bridge spans in the United States, Europe, Asia[3] and more recently Canada.

The axles are coordinated by the control system to allow the SPMT to turn, move sideways or even rotate in place.

Some SPMTs allow the axles to telescope independently of each other so that the load can be kept flat and evenly distributed while moving over uneven terrain.

In 2016 ESTA (the European Association of Abnormal Load Transport and Mobile Cranes) published the first SPMT best practice guide[10] to help address the problem of trailers occasionally tipping over, which happened even when the operating rules and stability calculations had been precisely followed.

There will be training and practice to obtain this specific license which the SPMT operators have to complete before handling these heavy machines on public roads, but this will improve the safety standards of the industry.

[13] Executing the salvage operation of the sunken ferry MV Sewol in the East China Sea in 2017, the company ALE used SPMTs equivalent to a 600-axle line and a load weight of 17,000 t (18,739 short tons; 16,732 long tons), exceeding two world records.

[14][15] In December 2022 Shell plc a London based oil company ordered decommission of their 20,300ton FPSO Curlew ship when it reached the end of its operational life.

This operation was assigned to AF Offshore Decom, a decommissioning specialist company based in Oslo which partnered with Mammoet of Utrecht to load-in and set-down the structure in Norway with the help of 748 SPMT axle line.

[16] In February 2023 Sinotrans Heavy-Lift a China based heavy transport company moved a hotel building 500 meters in Sanya, Hainan using 254 axle lines of Scheuerle SPMT with the help of 15 power packs.