Antonov Airlines and Air Partner have carried out a time-critical shipment to enable oil industry operations to continue uninterrupted.
The Ukrainian carrier and air charter firm transported a valve for an oil refinery from Roma Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to the Middle East following an urgent request.
Weighing over 20 tonnes and measuring over three metres in height, transporting the oversized equipment required specialist planning.
Antonov Airlines' AN-124-100 was used to carry the item. An external cargo ramp, manufactured by Antonov in-house engineers, and crane for loading were also required due to the size of the valve.
Additionally, the valve had to be accommodated via an extra metal frame and super strong shackles for lashing.
Due to the time-sensitive nature of the shipment, Air Partner and Antonov were required to work intensively, alongside Gruber Logistics Italy and Alha Group, to ensure it was delivered on time to the client.
Eliska Hill, senior vice president cargo – UK & ROW, commented: “With fast-paced operations in industries such as energy, delays are simply not an option. Air Partner has a proven track record in responding to time-critical missions, ensuring precision and reliability every step of the way. This particular delivery required specialist planning to ensure the oversized equipment was delivered with care and on time”
Eugene Kiva, commercial executive at Antonov Airlines, added: "This particular unit required using our special loading equipment (ramp system) and external cranes, due to very sensitive lifting and lashing points.
"The shipper had to produce and weld some extra shackles on the bottom of the unit, for our technical team to be able to lash it properly inside our aircraft and withstand all the G-forces during the flight."
Antonov Airlines, now based in Leipzig, Germany due to the Ukraine-Russia war, is known for its fleet of heavylift cargo aircraft. The airline’s fleet includes the AN-124, currently the world’s largest cargo plane.
In January, Global Feeder Services became the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Antonov Company in the US as part of a new strategic partnership.
