A freight forwarder needed our help delivering the heavy and outsized cargo within the client’s deadline.
Moving ultra-long mining equipment from China to Chile
A freight forwarder asked our Shanghai office for help transporting heavy and outsized mining equipment from China to Chile. Faced with a strict completion deadline for the site’s construction, the end-client needed almost 120 parts delivered over the course of a month to keep things running to schedule. With each piece measuring 12 metres long and weighing two tons, we set about planning a specialist solution.
Our Solution
Route: China > Chile
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400F
Our experts knew a nose-loading Boeing 747-400F was the only aircraft that could accommodate the ultra-long cargo without breaking the budget. Scanning the market, we confirmed the freighter at a competitive rate within three days.
As this was the client’s first specialist air cargo charter, we coordinated everything from start to finish, putting together a detailed loading plan and sourcing a large amount of extra loading materials. Our team held daily meetings to keep the client updated and arranged a guided walk-through of the airport terminal to familiarise them with the setting.
We split the freight across nine flights in total, sending one of our cargo experts to oversee the seven-hour loading process ahead of each departure. The shipment was built up on connected heavy-duty pallets and loaded through the nose door of the 747-400F, then carefully positioned in order to maintain the aircraft’s centre of gravity.
The Finer Details
Local Knowledge: The client’s preferred arrival airport had a short runway and limited facilities, so we suggested more suitable alternatives for the outsized cargo.
Expert Coordination: We liaised closely with the client, operator, airports, loaders and handlers to ensure a seamless operation, providing multilingual support in both locations.