Heavy Lift Air Freight Specialist Celebrates 25 Years with Another Project Cargo Shipment

RUSSIA – CHINA – FINLAND – Heavy lift air freight specialist Volga-Dnepr Airlines has marked the start of its 25th year anniversary in a way it knows best, by using its extensive knowledge to seamlessly move unique, outsize and heavyweight cargo. Volga-Dnepr transported a 70 tonne electrodynamic vibration tester from Shanghai, China to the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on board one of its An-124-100 freighters. To help load the cargo, the airline’s engineers developed special handling equipment. Azat Yakupov, Senior Engineer at Volga-Dnepr Airlines, explained:

“The electrodynamic vibration tester, or test stand, is applied in various test operations, such as strength tests or instrument standardisation. The cargo consisted of two big pieces; a 24 tonne slip table and a 28 tonne shaker, as well as supporting equipment. For loading and offloading we used mobile cranes and seven tonnes of our own unique loading equipment, which included a ramp extension and a rail and roller system. As the customer had required the largest pieces of cargo to be delivered packed in wooden crates, our engineers had to secure the shipments inside the aircraft through holes in the crates.”

The delivery was organised on behalf of the Russian logistics company Everest. In China the official agent of AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), part of the Volga-Dnepr Group, was on hand to support the customer by organising delivery of the vibration tester to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, and arranging handling at the cargo terminal, the hire of a 60 tonne capacity crane and the processing of documentation. Andrey Rassadkin, Director, Charter Sales, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, said:

“It is fitting that we should have started our 25th anniversary year with such an interesting flight because it demonstrates the scope of our expertise. Our quarter of a century of unique experience in moving heavy and outsize cargoes, diverse fleet of freighters, and extensive network of offices and agents around the world help us to satisfy the most challenging demands of our customers. This includes designing and implementing custom-made logistics solutions for our clients to meet their deadlines and ensure the most cost efficient transportation service.”

Meanwhile, the aforementioned AirBridgeCargo has added Helsinki, Finland to its international network, with a twice weekly Boeing 747 freighter services, which started at the beginning of the week. Celebrating its 10th year anniversary in 2014, the new flights will operate from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport to Helsinki, returning to Moscow via Frankfurt every Monday and Friday. The service will offer even more connection opportunities for ABC’s customers, providing smooth, reliable and fast services from Asia to Helsinki and back again well within 48 hours, including handling. Robert van de Weg, ABC’s Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, said:

"In 2014, thanks to our customers' support and the exemplary effort and attitude of our full cargo team worldwide, we have been able to grow our business while maintaining a strong performance for our customers. Over the course of the year, we successfully increased our tonnage from North America and Asia to Europe by providing our customers with the capacity and routes their businesses needed. This new service from and to Helsinki will allow us to support those import and export flows which require direct Helsinki service. Furthermore we will also offer trucking services to the Baltic region and Scandinavia.”