The Antonov 124, one of the largest commercial aircrafts in the world, was recently chartered by air freight operator Europa Air & Sea to move time-critical cargo from the UK to the UAE. The AN-124 is capable of carrying up 120 tonnes at take-off.
Europa’s Air & Sea division, which has specialist teams both in the UAE (established in Dubai in 2022) and the UK, managed the cargo from point of pick up to point of delivery, for one of the UK’s leading hydraulics manufacturers. The Antonov touched down at 1.30am local time on 18 April bringing the complex project and flight to a successful close, albeit against the largest storms recorded in UAE since records began.
Due to the sheer size of the cargo, Europa had to not only charter this very specific aircraft but organise and manage the permits necessary for domestic haulage. The cargo had to undergo complex customs clearance processes for export to its UAE end-user and was extremely time critical. Having previously experienced delays of up to three weeks due to these complexities, the customer sought out Europa Air & Sea with its customs infrastructure in Dubai and the UK to successfully clear the cargo within hours of landing, contributing to the seamless movement between customer and end-user.
Kevin Perry (pictured), Europa Air & Sea’s UK based Airfreight Operations Manager personally oversaw the project at East Midlands Airport (EMA). “This was a challenging project due to both its scale and timeliness, but the weather added another layer of complexity. Despite this we were delighted to be able to deliver this time critical cargo. This is the perfect example of how with our expertise and infrastructure, regardless of the size or timeframes we can guarantee a seamless movement of goods.”
Kevin Perry with the Antonov An124 heavy transport aircraft at East Midlands Airport, with the Europa load of hydraulic pump unit made at Great Yarmouth and being shipped to Dubai for the oil industry, 17th April, 2024.
Photo by John Robertson.
Nathan Lynn, General Manager for Europa & Air Sea Dubai, added, “Projects like this require extraordinary planning, and the knowledge, experience and commitment of experts in both the UK and the UAE. The fact that Europa has its own teams in both locations meant that, despite all of the complexities, we were able to successfully manage the cargo from point of pick up to point of delivery.”
EMA’s Commercial Director Chris Lane said: “We were delighted to once again welcome the Antonov to East Midlands Airport and facilitate it on its way to Dubai. Our unrivalled cargo operation is fully geared up to take more chartered flights like this and we know that cargo carriers are pleased with the level of service, expertise and facilities we offer. Our strategic central location and fewer restrictions than many other airports make us a top choice for companies seeking to trade seamlessly across the globe, and we would be very happy to work with Europa again in the future.”
The UAE logistics sector has outperformed many other sectors and is seen as an important part of the country’s economic diversification. As both the freight and logistics market continues to grow in line with economic growth and expansion of the region Business Research Insights predicts this will lead to a continued increase in demand for project cargo expertise in the coming years.
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