Antonov Airlines and Air Partner have delivered a valve for an oil refinery from Italy to the Middle East.
The valve, weighing around 20 tonnes and measuring over 3 m in height, was loaded/unloaded from the AN-124-100 aircraft using a low-profile cargo ramp manufactured by Antonov’s in-house engineers, in combination with external cranes. It was transported from Fiumicino, in Rome, to the undisclosed delivery site in the Middle East.
“This particular unit required using our special loading equipment (ramp system) and external cranes, due to very sensitive lifting and lashing points,” said Eugene Kiva, commercial executive, Antonov Airlines.
For the cargo to be lashed securely and withstand the G-forces during the flight while inside the aircraft, extra shackles had to be welded on the bottom of the unit.
Specialist planning from Air Partner’s team, as well as working with Gruber Logistics Italy and Alha Group, ensured that the equipment was delivered both undamaged and on time.
With fast paced operations in industries such as energy, delays are simply not an option,” added Eliska Hill, senior vice president of Air Partner. “This particular delivery required specialist planning to ensure the oversized equipment was delivered with care and on time.”
In January 2025, HLPFI reported that logistics solutions provider Global Feeder Services had become the general sales agent for Antonov in the USA, effective January 1, 2025.
