deugro USA, in collaboration with deugro Air Chartering and deugro Thailand, has successfully completed nine urgent air charters to transport 37 pipe spools from Thailand to the USA. This high-stakes operation, necessitated by an imminent facility start-up, involved a total cargo volume of 213 metric tons (1,628 cubic meters).
A Race Against Time
Facing a critical schedule, deugro orchestrated a complex air charter solution that prioritized the shortest transit time. This strategy involved selecting airports as close as possible to the supplier and plant site while maintaining flexible flight schedules that aligned with manufacturing plans. An international team of air charter, project, and transport engineering experts was deployed to ensure the project’s success.
Air Freight Triumphs
Typically, such cargo would be transported via ocean freight, or in urgent cases, expedited direct charter ocean freight. However, the urgency of this project demanded an air freight solution, measuring timeframes in hours and days rather than weeks. This shift was partly due to challenges in locating and securing suitable aircraft amidst the heavy lift air charter market disruptions caused by the Ukraine conflict.
Pavel Kuznetsov, Head of Air Chartering at deugro, noted, “Securing aircraft capable of accommodating oversized equipment with odd dimensions and complex shapes, including lengths of up to 36.6 meters, widths of up to 5.5 meters, and heights of up to 4.4 meters, presented the biggest challenge.”
Meticulous Planning and Execution
In addition to air transport, meticulous preparations were essential to ensure the smooth delivery of components. This included coordinating the movement of extra-long spools and associated truck–trailer configurations. Specialized equipment, such as 80-metric-ton mobile cranes and main-deck loaders, played a crucial role in the safe loading and transport of these oversized components.
Kumphol Chatthong, Deputy General Manager at deugro Thailand, emphasized the importance of precise planning, permits, and coordination, stating, “Timely organization of permits and approvals for cargo, cranes, and trailers ensured on-time loading and smooth operations.”
A Collaborative Success
Gert Jensen, Senior Vice President Operations at deugro USA, expressed pride in the successful outcome. “deugro has a strategic advantage in having a dedicated air charter team with true market expertise,” he said. “Our transparency and collaboration with partners, including dteq Transport Engineering Solutions, airlines, and equipment suppliers, were pivotal in ensuring the safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery of all components.”
This challenging air freight campaign, driven by urgency and executed with precision, underscores deugro’s commitment to delivering solutions that meet the most demanding logistics requirements.
Quotes from:
- Pavel Kuznetsov, Head of Air Chartering, deugro
- Kumphol Chatthong, Deputy General Manager, deugro Thailand
- Gert Jensen, Senior Vice President Operations, deugro USA
