On behalf of Australian chemical company, Yara Pilbara Nitrates, Antonov Airlines has recently completed door-to-door delivery of two rotary drying drums from Paris-Vatry Airport in France to Port Hedland International Airport in Australia. The two 21-metre long drying drums with a weight of 57 tonnes each will be used in the Nitrates manufacturing industry. The project involved two An-124-100 flights and employed eight sub-contractors.
“Executing a shipment like this one requires extensive planning, as we not only had to secure the flight permits, but we also had to organise road permits and transport as well as crane loading and unloading of the dryers from truck to aircraft and vice versa at the destination. Antonov Airlines UK office was instrumental in arranging the ancillary services and it shows that Antonov Airlines is able to respond as comprehensively as necessary beyond the role of charter flight mission when our customers call us to go that one, or in this case eight steps further,” said Graham Witton, Managing Director, Antonov Airlines’ UK office.
The drying drums were transported in tailor-made wooden saddles designed by the Antonov engineering team in order to secure the cargo and prevent abrasive damage to the equipment during the flights.