DSV has delivered 60 tons of humanitarian aid to Nepal. This undertaking required the operator not only to have vast logistical experience but also to race against time – which was necessary to arrive before the monsoon season.
At the end of April this year, Nepal was struck by a series of earthquakes that caused massive destruction throughout the country, particularly in the capital, Kathmandu. As a result of the disaster, over 2,000 people were injured and another 9,000 lost their lives. Under these circumstances, DSV raced against time to deliver humanitarian aid before the monsoon rains, which last in this region from May and June through September, significantly hindering all types of logistical operations.
The humanitarian aid had to reach Kathmandu, at an airport located 1,338 meters above sea level and surrounded by the Himalayas. It is known as one of the most dangerous in the world, not only due to the surrounding terrain but also because of the variable weather conditions, even before the monsoon season.
DSV decided to use a Boeing 747 to transport the humanitarian aid from Sweden to New Delhi, India, where it was then reloaded onto smaller aircraft that did not require the use of loading platforms. In this way, the entire loading and unloading process could be carried out manually, without the need for specialized equipment. Due to the difficult situation in Kathmandu, DSV received only one landing permit per day, which meant that transporting the entire cargo from India to Nepal took a total of five days. Despite the difficulties, the entire operation was a success.
DSV has many years of experience working with the UN, NATO, and humanitarian organizations, for which it has carried out numerous transports to areas affected by disasters or armed conflicts. These tasks are handled by DSV Projects, which are special teams within the DSV Air & Sea structure dedicated to “special tasks.” They deal with the planning and execution of non-standard transport services in every corner of the world, often involving unusual cargo and requiring special planning and the use of individually organized means of transport. The Polish branch of DSV Air & Sea also has a complete DSV Projects team at its port office in Gdynia and a complete Air Chartering team in Warsaw.