Chapman Freeborn Airchartering Inc has completed a high-profile cargo charter from Nantes in France to New Orleans, USA, to deliver seven skimmer boats to help tackle the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Fort Lauderdale-based aircraft charter specialist arranged the flight of an Antonov AN-124 – one of the world’s largest cargo planes – to urgently transport four 35-foot and three 21-foot vessels from Nantes (NTE) in France to New Orleans (MSY). In coordination with its French offices, Chapman Freeborn organised road transportation from the shipyard to the airport and helped oversee the loading of the cargo which totalled over 21 tons.
The charter was met in New Orleans by Chapman Freeborn’s US team, and once unloaded the skimmers were promptly dispatched to aid the cleanup efforts.
Michael Gellert, who managed the charter operation for Chapman Freeborn, said:
“We’re proud of the role we have been able to play in the response to the oil spill. Completing this challenging cargo charter exactly on schedule demonstrates the heavy lift expertise and professionalism of Chapman Freeborn.”
The AN-124 charter is just the latest in a series of flights Chapman Freeborn has completed to help contain the leak from the site of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
The company’s Singapore office has overseen eight separate cargo charters on B747-200F and B747-400F aircraft to transport over 450 tons of rubber booms and other oil spill equipment from the Far East to New Orleans (MSY) and Houston (IAH).
Elsewhere, Chapman Freeborn’s European offices arranged the delivery of 60 tons of technical equipment from the UK and a Dassault Falcon 7X executive jet to transport a team of seven marine salvage experts from Amsterdam to New Orleans – arriving within hours of reports of the incident.
Chapman Freeborn has 32 offices in 22 countries and provided over 5,000 aircraft charters last year. Last month the firm was named Air Cargo Charter Broker of the Year at the World Air Cargo Awards for the fourth consecutive year.
[mappress]
Source: chapmanfreeborn,July 7, 2010;