RUSSIA's Antonov Airlines has completed a project for French logistics giant Bollore, by transporting mining equipment from East Midlands Airport (EMA) in the UK to Franceville Airport (MVB) in Gabon, reported London's Air Cargo News
RUSSIA's Antonov Airlines has completed a project for French logistics giant Bollore, by transporting mining equipment from East Midlands Airport (EMA) in the UK to Franceville Airport (MVB) in Gabon, reported London's Air Cargo News. Ground staff at EMA used Antonov Airline's purpose-built ramp, positioned at an angle of three degrees, to load two crushing machines weighing nearly 70 tonnes combined. The entire process was completed using remote control.
'One of our AN-124-100 Ruslan aircraft flew two 18-metre long crushing machines to be used in mining operations in Gabon, on behalf of our long-standing customer, Bollore Logistics,' said Paul Bingley, commercial manager of Antonov Airlines.
'The project turn-around was only nine days, and in that timeframe we managed to deliver a cost-effective solution by securing special permission for landing in Gabon's second city, Franceville, which is 600 km closer to the mine than the capital, Libreville.'
Chris Grigentin, Bollore director of industrial projects France, said: 'We required only one flight for this project as the hold length of the AN-124-100 measures in at just over 36 metres, making it the perfect fit for two vehicles which are 18.68 metres in length.'
Antonov Airlines has worked with Bollore on several outsize projects in the past and continues to closely cooperate in the air shipment of oversized and super heavy cargoes.
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