CharterDesk and Aero Cargo International (ACI) France, a subsidiary of ECS Group, recently completed the time-critical and complex transfer of two large aircraft engines from Helsinki to Casablanca on behalf of Royal Air Maroc.
Within the very brief timeframe between the engines leaving production in Finland and their expected delivery in Morocco, CharterDesk identified the most suitable transport option and provided Aero Cargo International France with the corresponding cost and availability for approval by Royal Air Maroc. Once the booking was confirmed, CharterDesk swiftly arranged the necessary flight permits and ground handling. The operation also required the sourcing and positioning of the specific 20-foot main-deck pallets needed for the build-up and loading of the aircraft engines at Helsinki Airport.
“When the charter request came in from Aero Cargo International France, it was immediately clear that aircraft engines of this size would require loading onto the main deck of a wide-body aircraft such as a Boeing 777F or Boeing 747F,” Emir Ozdabak, Managing Director of CharterDesk, explains. “We soon secured a Boeing 777F, but then found that the required 20-foot pallets were not immediately available in Helsinki. We therefore quickly located two PGA pallets through our ULD supplier in Amsterdam and arranged emergency trucking to Helsinki, getting them there just in time to make the flight.”
Close coordination between CharterDesk, Aero Cargo International France on behalf of Royal Air Maroc, the charter company, ULD supplier, RFS provider, ground handler, and relevant authorities ensured the success of this urgent and complex weekend cargo charter operation.
“The engines and the pallets both arrived at Helsinki airport at the same time on Friday afternoon, which meant that the shipment could be built up right away, and our charter departed on schedule on the morning of 18th July. Thanks to CharterDesk, we were able to have the engines delivered to Royal Air Maroc in less than 24 hours from the moment both were ready for shipment in Helsinki,” says Guillaume Tourneret, Managing Director of Aero Cargo International France. “It was great teamwork that enabled a truly smooth operation under serious pressure. Thank you to everyone involved for the excellent cooperation!”
