Volga-Dnepr Airlines has run charter flights and used scheduled freighter services through AirBridgeCargo (ABC) Airlines to transport equipment for the set-up of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plant.
The company operated a series of An-124-100 and IL-76TD-90VD charter flights and utilised ABC Boeing 747 Freighter services for deugro Airfreight – who was setting up the plant in the Yamal Peninsula in northwest Siberia.
In 2016, airfreight part started with two IL-76TD-90VD flights from Frankfurt-Hahn Airport to Sabetta, Russia. The first flight carried 46 pieces weighing 29 tonnes, followed three weeks later by a second transport with another 31 pieces totaling 17 tonnes.
In November, more equipment destined for the LNG plant was carried on board ABC’s scheduled 747 freighter services from Singapore to Frankfurt and from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Amsterdam, from where the shipments then continued their journey by sea.
The most recent flights included an IL-76TD-90VD out of Liege and an An-124-100 out of Dalian, China, both at the end of January 2017, to deliver more vital equipment destined for the LNG plant in Sabetta, Russia.
Volga-Dnepr Group vice president of strategic management and charter cargo operations, Tatyana Arslanova says: “With the winter season affecting ocean freight operations due to the build-up of ice, the time-critical shipments carried by Volga-Dnepr and AirBridgeCargo are enabling construction of the LNG plant to progress before severe winter weather slows down the project. The sensitivity and high value of the equipment were other factors in the decision to fly the cargo with us.
“Once again, we have been able to show a major customer the benefits we can offer through our Cargo Supermarket concept, which, given the global nature and complexities of this project, not only provides important cost efficiencies but also a high level of flexibility.”
deugro was awarded part of the logistics program for the Yamal project and has already shipped over 700,000 tonnes of cargo to module yards in China and the project site in Russia. More flights are planned for 2017 using the Volga-Dnepr Group fleet.
