DHL Global Forwarding called upon Volga-Dnepr to transport a 65-ton engine for a giant Komatsu PC3000 excavator used for coal mining. The flight from St. Petersburg to Kemerovo in Siberia was part of a 1,000 tons logistics project managed by DHL. The rest of the cargo was transported by rail.
On behalf of another customer, Volga-Dnepr also moved 105 tons of parts for heavy excavation equipment needed for a coalmine in Yakutia in northern Russia. This AN-124 flight also departed from St. Petersburg.
Due to its huge size, the excavator - manufactured in Germany for the Russian company Yakutugol - was delivered to Yakutia in parts. It arrived in St. Petersburg by sea and then the two main pieces were loaded on board an AN-124-100 freighter at Pulkovo Airport for the eight hour transit time to Yakutia. Special loading equipment was required to place the 105 tons cargo into the aircraft. The shipment was so big it occupied virtually the whole AN-124 cargo cabin.
Dennis Gliznoutsa, Commercial Director of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, said: 'We are regularly called upon to provide deliveries of this kind for the mining industry all over the world. This is another perfect example of the unique capability of our AN-124 fleet.'
