SPECIALIST
CARGO
HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME
If you thought that a beluga was just an odd-shaped aircraft from airframe
manufacturer Airbus, then read on, urges the Editor.
Cargolux has been called
upon to transport some
unusual freight over
the years and transporting
live animals by air is
always a challenging and
interesting task. The unnatural
surroundings, pressure and
motion can cause distress
to even the most resilient
creatures, so when carrying
two large mammals that need
tonnes of water, things can
become tricky. This prompted
Cargolux’s multi-disciplinary
team of experts to work
together to analyse, assess and
find safe solutions.
For all animals transported
on board, Cargolux works
with shippers and relies on
their expertise to ensure all
potential liabilities are covered,
the paperwork done, and the
cargo ready for the flight.
As a sponsor of the project
and having agreed to operate
the flight free of charge,
the Cargolux teams were
heavily involved throughout
the procedure. For almost a
year, Cargolux teams in both
Luxembourg and Shanghai
worked hand-in-hand with
a number of international
partners to cover all aspects of
the journey. From planning to loading, everything was closely
followed by dedicated employees who went above and beyond
the call of duty to guarantee a successful outcome.
Risk assessments
An extensive risk assessment was conducted as part of the project
to determine the requirements for a safe and smooth flight. All
potential risk areas were identified, and solutions devised to
ensure that the risk controls would be effective, and thus ensure
a safe flight.
“In addition to the regular safety requirements, many items
specific to the transport of the whales had to be covered, such
as the requirements for care teams and veterinarians on board,
how they could safely access the whales in flight, the water
temperature control and how to transfer the water without
compromising flight safety, as well as possible diversion airports,
routing and turbulence, among other things,” explains Mattias
Pak, Head of Aviation Safety. Each challenge required a suitable
46 August 2019 www.airlogisticsinternational.com
/www.airlogisticsinternational.com