DHL Global Forwarding, a leader in air and ocean freight and part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, has signed a contract with one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, Airbus.
DHL GF will be responsible for the specialized air transport of components for A319, A320, and A321 aircraft, as well as other parts used in the aircraft production process, from the factory in Hamburg, Germany, to the assembly line located in Mobile, Alabama, USA. Starting in early 2015, DHL GF will provide multimodal solutions utilizing air, sea, and land transport.
– Transporting aircraft parts by air and sea requires extreme caution and the provision of special transport conditions. We are proud that Airbus has placed its trust in us by entrusting us with this task. Winning this tender confirms our experience in transporting demanding cargo and applying multimodal solutions within a complex supply chain – says Volker Oesau, CEO of DHL GF for Central Europe.
Due to the delicate nature of the individual aircraft parts, their transport will pose a unique challenge. The parts will be secured to specially designed transport structures. It will be important to avoid sudden movements and ensure a level surface throughout the entire delivery process of the components.
The agreement between Airbus and DHL covers the transport of general cargo delivered by air and sea, as well as major aircraft components, including the rear and front fuselage, wings, and horizontal and vertical tail components. The large-sized parts will be transported by a coastal vessel from the Airbus factory in Hamburg to Bremerhaven, where they will be loaded onto a container ship. Upon arrival in Mobile, the parts will be transported by truck to the final assembly line center, the Brookley Mobile Aeroplex.