Air Partner, the global aviation services group, will be attending the 10th WCA (World Cargo Alliance) World Conference from 4-8 March, which this year will be held in Singapore. The conference will be hosted for the second time at the state-of-the-art Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre.
Air Partner will be exhibiting at stand C3, with members of the team available to talk more about Air Partner’s extensive cargo solutions. WCA is the world’s largest and most powerful network of independent freight forwarders – with 6,774-member offices in 190 countries globally – and is dedicated entirely to providing world-beating benefits and networking opportunities to its members. Air Partner became a member in 2008 and continues to support the organisation and this event.
Since joining the WCA, Air Partner has forged longstanding relationships with the other members, and works closely with them rather than the end client, which is something that distinguishes the group from many of its peers. Air Partner’s popularity with the freight forwarding community is largely due to RED-TRACK, its exclusive real time tracking system that provides total visibility of a shipment’s journey. Relationships have been mutually beneficial, with freight forwarders calling on Air Partner when they require a charter, and Air Partner benefiting from the forwarders’ services if needed.
Recent case study
Over the Christmas period, Air Partner was contacted to carry out a time-critical cargo lift of a number of heavy steel pipes for use in submarine gas conductors on behalf of a freight forwarder. The Freight team coordinated with the airline and client on the best possible configuration for the over-size load, and suitable aircraft were quickly sourced well within the given deadline.
Two Antonov AN-124s transported the 19 pieces from Italy to the Middle East, the final destination. Each piece was 12.5 meters long and 80 centimetres in diameter. The total weight of the shipment across the two aircraft was 206 tonnes, with the heaviest piece weighing 10 tonnes.
Mike Hill, Director of Freight at Air Partner, commented: “We were pleased to have sourced a solution so quickly and cost-effectively for our client. Transporting outsize cargo such as this requires detailed planning and 24/7 contact with the client. It’s this efficient, round-the-clock service that gives our cargo clients the confidence to work with us year on year. We have seen a marked increase in Oil & Gas activity in recent times and we look forward to strengthening our relationships in this sector. It is our expertise across a wide range of industries that help us continue to partner closely with freight forwarders.”
