Turkish Cargo transports 1.5 million live fish to Oman from Izmir

March 21, 2018: Turkish Cargo has recently set yet another record for transporting 1.5 million live Gilt-head breams, weighing 100 tonnes to Oman from Izmir, in a Boeing 777F wide-body freighter, which offered the required environment for the underwater fish, above the clouds.

Turkish Cargo carried the Gilt-head breams grown in the Aegean Region by Kilic Holding, which has the highest fish growing capacity across the Europe, to Oman.

Boeing 777F wide-body freighter was chartered to carry the consignment of fish, and was accompanied by aquaculture engineers, pH balance and oxygen. Water temperature levels of baby gilt-head breams were checked every one hour during 40 hours of journey.

Turhan Ozen, chief cargo officer, Turkish Airlines said: “The live fish of 100 tonnes were required to be transported to Oman from Bodrum, in a maximum period of 40 hours. They were first transported by trucks, and subsequently carried to Izmir in three hours. The shipment was then loaded in our freighter equipped with special techniques by our cargo handling officers. They were carried to Oman from Izmir in three hours. We accomplished this operation by means of our Boeing 777F type freighter in accordance with IATA LAR (Live Animals Regulations), reinforcing our success in transportation of live animals requiring an utmost level of care. Carrying 1.5 million live fish in a freighter requires accurate air-conditioning, and expertise in oxygen and temperature checks. Furthermore, this carriage operation fell under the status of transportation of dangerous goods as oxygen cylinders were utilised. We could provide the environment required for the health of the fish, and meet requirements of the operation, thanks to our expert team and the assurance by Turkish Cargo. We will keep standing by the Turkish exporters at all times.”

Acting in accordance with the principle of ‘delivering as soon as possible’ in cargo operations, Turkish Cargo provided a beyond-expectations service during this operation, contributing to the supply chain of marine products, and the Turkish economy.

Turkish Cargo has an adequate freighter fleet and a globally-effective flight network to readily meet the requests for importation of live fish from many Arab countries such as Tunisia, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and builds up trust for special cargo.

Serkan Ilgaz, executive vice president, production, Kilic Holding said: ‘’We are the only company to import fish from Turkey. We carried approximately 1.5 million baby gilt-head breams to the Indian Ocean off the coast of Oman, in barely 40 hours. It was our first shipment with Turkish Cargo. We hope to keep our relations with our flag-carrier airline in the future.”