First Aircraft Airbus Components Transported by DHL Arrive in Mobile, Alabama from Hamburg, Germany

DHL Industrial Projects provides multimodal transport concept for highly sensitive break-bulk goods with unit weights of thirty tonnes
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
DHL Global Forwarding, the specialist for air and ocean freight at Deutsche Post DHL Group, shipped the first aircraft components to the newly built U.S. assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama from the Hamburg Finkenwerder Airbus plant in Germany. DHL Industrial Projects developed a multimodal transport concept for the European aircraft manufacturer. From the beginning of June 2015, large components of A320 family as well as 1,000 sea freight containers and additional air freight shipments, also including hazardous goods, crossed the Atlantic. Arriving into port on June 17, DHL transported the aircraft components within a total transit time of 29 days which was of critical importance since configuration and control of the final assembly processes at Airbus depended upon it.


“In order to successfully transport highly sensitive cargo, especially across great distances, it is critical to have a solutions-driven team of experts in place,” said Brian Lindholm, global head of business development, DHL Global Forwarding Industrial Projects. “Our Industrial Projects team created a plan, developed a concept and helped Airbus transport their aircraft components efficiently, effectively, and with no issues.”

The five different aircraft components with a maximum weight of thirty tonnes per section were transported on board a chartered ship using special sea transport frames and secured on roll trailers with twist locks. After arriving at the Port of Mobile and clearing Customs, the aircraft components were then loaded onto heavy-duty trailers with special cranes which will be transported a few miles to the new Airbus U.S. assembly plant in Mobile on Sunday, June 21.

For air freight shipments, both LD3 containers and consolidated shipments were used. Special legally required procedures were used for securing and transporting hazardous goods.


After the aircraft components are delivered, the sea transport frames and the air freight containers will be prepared for their return to Finkenwerder.

This is the first time DHL transports major components for Airbus.

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