Comprehensive international HAZMAT shipment solution delivers new military equipment for trial

Published on: Feb 20, 2024

Summary

Recently, a defense contractor needed to move samples of a highly volatile new military equipment from a manufacturing site in the Middle East to the United States for testing and demonstration. The manufacturer turned to AIT's dedicated government logistics team for a solution to move the freight across more than a dozen countries safely and securely, while also making their deadline.

 

CHALLENGE: HAZMAT delivery, demanding permissions requirements

Stringent regulations, logistics challenges, and safety measures are involved in transporting potentially dangerous goods across international borders. Shipping HAZMAT internationally demands strict adherence to numerous statutes, mandates, and requirements, including, but not limited to: United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNRTDG), International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG), International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations, and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

 

SOLUTION: Secure, end-to-end, HAZMAT logistics project management

• Air freighter charter management
• Traffic rights procurement 
• Secure, IATA and UN-compliant packaging and labeling
• U.S. Customs clearance
• HAZMAT protocols, response plan

Ensuring HAZMAT procedures and protocols were followed throughout the process, AIT’s dedicated government logistics team chartered a Boeing 767 freighter for the cargo. The flight plan included utilizing diplomatic connections and channels to secure overflight permissions from more than a dozen countries in the Middle East and Europe, as well as landing clearances for technical stops in Greece and Maine for refueling, aircraft servicing, and crew rest.

To further ensure supply chain safety, AIT instructed the crew to always park the aircraft as far away as possible from all other activity on the airport grounds.

Additionally, the AIT team coordinated special ground handling to load the cargo into the freighter, which required arranging for a loader to be delivered by truck from a military base.
 

The AIT Difference Makers

• Robust air carrier relationships
• HAZMAT Class 1 certification 
• Expert customs management via in-house, licensed brokerage
• Proactive communication and 24/7 operational support 
• Deep government logistics knowledge

 

RESULT: Successful, safe military delivery

While other freight forwarders might have passed on the complex project, AIT’s government logistics experts tapped into their deeply specialized knowledge to deliver a safe, seamless and successful solution for this HAZMAT air and ground freight project.

Thanks to AIT, the customer achieved their delivery target via a safe and secure solution. As a result, the manufacturer offered AIT another project handling the same commodity a few months later.