Forwarder deugro successfully delivered steel structures for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in China just in time to maintain production processes.
The project cargo, which measured 810 cubic metres in volume and 209 metric tonnes in total, had to be flown in using three charter flights of a Boeing 747-8F with nose-loading capability, which from the photo looks like it was operated by AirBridgeCargo.
The critical components, including steel beams and angles of different sizes, were urgently needed in China to keep the manufacturing schedule of air cooler modules and to maintain client’s timelines. And the fastest way it could do this, deugro noted, was via air freight.
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Assembling its team from Hanau in Germany, the air chartering team in Frankfurt and the team in China, deugro made transport arrangements whilst the cargo was still in production.
With no confirmed dimensions and weights until production was finished, deugro had to analyse the condition and packing of the steel structures. It then identified extensive repacking had to be performed in advance for safe air transport.
“To avoid lateral or vertical shifting, the bundles of different sizes and shapes were secured inside bespoke designed timber packaging. All cargo packages also had to be reinforced by wooden stiffeners and spacers on both ends of the bundles to prevent longitudinal sliding,” it noted.
The forwarder, together with its contracted Egyptian partner, organised the required repacking and the coordination with the manufacturer and the airport cargo handling agent. And within less than two weeks, 131 bundles of steel structures were repacked into 116 packages.
Three full charters using a Boeing 747-8F with nose-loading capability was ideal for the long items that needed to be transported, and the forwarder said its close relationship with the carrier allowed it to secure the aircraft in spite of the busy market and limited aircraft availability.
The steel structures were flown from Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Egypt to Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) in China within five days, in three flights, at 12 hour intervals and with a technical stop in Russia. Upon arrival in China, 14 trailers were used to ensure safe and on-time delivery to the project site.
“This is a great example of cooperation and great teamwork across the deugro offices, which used their worldwide network to serve and support their clients in challenging situations, helping them to meet their targets and tight deadlines,” said Pavel Kuznetsov, head of air chartering, deugro Airfreight GmbH.
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