THE DIARY OF Z

Θ PART OF A SERIES ON EXTRAORDINARY DELIVERIES Θ

There were challenges aplenty. There was a stiff deadline to be met. There was a fragile package that had to be flown under specified conditions. And then, there were all those uncertainties associated with any out-of-the-box deliveries. Which is why, this became a perfect recipe for yet another extraordinary consignment meriting an eye-opening story.

When the research and development team of a major multinational car maker in India sought a multinational logistics company, they agreed readily because they thrived on such deliveries. Their job was to deliver a consignment to Japan in perfect condition. It became even more of a prestige issue because they were dealing with an internationally renowned carmaker who could tarnish their name globally for the slightest mistake. But then, they lived on challenges and this was no exception.

The consignment was out of this world. It was a clay model of a car that was yet to be manufactured commercially. Therefore, the news was to be kept highly confidential. Adding to the courier company’s woes were its vital statistics: it was weighing 150 kilos and measuring five feet in length and 2.3 feet in width. The total weight of the consignment after packing coming up to a whopping 306 kilos.

However, the weight wasn’t really much of an issue. It was the temperature-controlled condition that needed more attention. The carmaker specified that it had to be transported in a container that maintained a temperature of 15-25 degrees centigrade throughout the journey from India to Japan.
Since the consignment was the prototype of a car that was yet to be rolled out in the automobile market, the job demanded special packaging that not only hides it from everyone else but also maintains a consistent temperature. The temperature control had to be such that even a degree less could rupture the paint. If the temperature increased by even one degree more than 25 degrees centigrade, the clay could melt and that could be the end of the mission.

The company hit fourth gear in sourcing refrigerated containers (cryotainers) from the airlines. But hit a dead end again. They couldn’t come up with a proper road map. Also, they had to ensure that the packaging was right for the car that could accommodate the length and width of the consignment under a regulated temperature regime.

On top of that was the deadline hanging over them like a dagger. After much persuasion and some nerve-wracking searches, they were able to locate a packaging expert who was able to meet all these specifications. But even this came about after many rounds of deliberations and tense moments. Once the rates were approved by the client for the whole project, all the deadlines were locked and a complete delivery schedule, specifying the date and time, was sent to the customer. They simultaneously got in touch directly with the airline through their counterpart in Japan to ensure that the consignment was uplifted without any delay for same-day clearance and delivery.

Without further ado, the shipment was picked up the same day and kept in cold storage with the help of the North Life Sciences team for the specified 24 hours and uplifted the next day. On the third day, the consignment reached Narita airport, Japan where customs clearance was achieved the same day. The car was finally delivered in mint condition the very next day, a full four days ahead of the client’s deadline.

From today, I begin a series of blog posts on how courier companies brave all odds and help in on-time deliveries of some really out-of-the-box consignments. Here goes my very first piece in this series. Do visit the blog regularly for more of these case histories…

It was a mission that required meticulous planning and a total control of operations. One thing out of place and the whole exercise could have gone up in smoke even before it could begin. It was yet another out-of-the-box scenario that stared courier companies in the eye.

The assignment was to transport two giant pandas from Chengdu Zoo in China to Madrid Zoo in Spain. The pandas – Bing Xing (‘Star of Ice’) and Hua Zui Ba (‘Cutey Mouth’) – weighing 100kg and 160kg respectively, had to travel in specially-designed and IATA-compliant cages weighing 80kg.

The mission required a specialist courier company that had a history of transporting livestock of all shapes and sizes. It was an exercise that mandated speedy transit times even while allowing continuous access for veterinarian experts to ensure the bears were in the lap of comfort and safety.

The Madrid Zoo authorities finally chose one courier company for its proven track record of transporting whales and sharks in Spain and Portugal.  It could also guarantee minimised transit times through a non-stop flight from Shanghai to Madrid in controlled conditions for the pandas with five zoo curators accompanying them to ensure safety and comfort.

Adding to the complexity of the operation was the constant media presence. Any mistakes would be on international television. But the courier company’s teams in Spain and China were more than ready for it. No sooner was the consignment given, their team swung into action. After much planning, a short internal flight was arranged on Sichuan Airlines to transport the pandas from Chengdu to Shanghai airport’s Freight Acceptance location. From there, the pandas were transferred to TNT Boeing 747 aircraft. Since comfort was of utmost importance, the pandas were positioned at the front of the aircraft for better ventilation and a consistent temperature and pressure. The food boxes were located close to the cages so the caretakers had easy access to them at all times.

Once the aircraft landed at Madrid-Barajas airport, the movement of the pandas was constantly monitored. There were other obstacles to deal with. The team managed speedy checks by the customs and veterinary officials before the Madrid police escorted the pandas to the Madrid zoo. Here again, dedicated trucks of the company were used to ensure a speedier transfer.

An impossible mission made possible through sheer logistical know-how!