Emirates SkyCargo came to the rescue of a ship undergoing repairs when it transported a 36-tonne rudder part - the heaviest single item ever carried by the freight division of Emirates Airline.

The rudder stock, which measured 9.16 metres long and 1.05 metres wide, was required for urgent repairs to a vessel at Dubai Dry Docks.

The part - tailor-made by Korean steel manufacturer Taewoong would normally be transported by sea, but a quick solution, namely use of an air courier, was required to reduce the cost of the ship being out of service, a statement said.

In conjunction with Dubai-based charter broker Air Charter International, it was transported on a Boeing 747-400F Emirates freighter from Seoul to Dubai and tested ground-handling operations at both airports to the fullest.

"Transporting a piece of air cargo this heavy requires the highest degree of care and special handling," said Hiran Perera, Emirates' senior vice president cargo planning and freighters. "Two cranes capable of lifting 50 tonnes each, along with two high loaders were required, while more than 30 workers in both Seoul and Dubai made sure the intricate loading operation went smoothly."

"Precision planning and the combined expertise of everyone involved at Emirates SkyCargo, dnata, Air Charter International and Atlas Air was crucial to this success of this project," added Perera. "This is a testament to our commitment to meeting even the most challenging customer requirements. We are also committed to facilitating international trade, so it is particularly satisfying that we will have contributed to the vessel's quick return-to-service."

"With our client's needs at the forefront of our efforts, it is crucial to be able to rely on a good partner," said Claire Brugirard, commercial manager at Air Charter International. "We were very pleased with the performance of Emirates SkyCargo in completing this project successfully." – TradeArabia News Service