Bolloré Logistics Chile handles transformer with Antonov An-225

Feb 16, 2017: The Projects teams of Bolloré Logistics Chile handled the transportation of a 155-tonne transformer from São Paulo, Brazil, to Santiago, Chile, using the Antonov An-225, the world's biggest airplane.

This massive operation was conducted from the facilities of technology leader ABB in Guarulhos (GRU), Brazil, and was completed at Bolloré Logistics Chile's client Colbún's facilities, a Chilean power generation company.

Nelson Figueroa, director of the Industrial Projects division at Bolloré Logistics Chile, said, "This shipment was the heaviest single piece ever airlifted in the Americas, and the second heaviest in the history of aviation. This was an extremely complex and challenging operation which required over four months of thorough preparation."

The loading operations took place at two airports in São Paulo, namely Viracopos (VCP) and Guarulhos. In fact, the current airport congestion and customs requirements were preventing the full implementation of operations at the airport of Guarulhos. Also, the runway at the airport of Viracopos not being long enough, it was impossible to let the An-225 to take off fully loaded with this historic weight.

The body of the transformer weighting 155 tonnes was handled at the premises of the supplier, ABB, in Guarulhos on November 7 and was transported over 7 kilometre the following night under police escort, to reach the Guarulhos airport.

The weight of the transformer being so concentrated, it required a weight distribution frame, adding an extra 27 tonnes to the original piece.

This very special equipment consisting of parts up to 16.20 metre long was delivered in Viracopos, all the way from Luxembourg, by way of a Boeing 747 Nose-Loader, specially chartered for the occasion.

The frame was then customs cleared and completely assembled at Viracopos, in a little over seven hours.

On November 14, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was also chartered from Guarulhos to Santiago International Airport (SCL), in order to transport the 42 tonnes of accessories measuring 5 metre long and 2.20 metre high.

On that same day, the Antonov arrived in Viracopos to load the assembled frame and transport it to Guarulhos, a mere 30-minute flight (110 kilometre), where it was unloaded.

The transformer, delivered and customs cleared a few days before, was successfully mounted onto the weight distribution frame, just a few meters away from the aircraft.

On November 15, after a long 15-hour of overnight work, the complete unit - with a total weight of 182 tonnes - was loaded onto the An-225, and departed to Santiago.

Finally, the unloading which lasted for over three hours, marked the end of this massive project.

These successful operations clearly demonstrate the expertise of the Industrial Projects teams of Bolloré Logistics to lead large projects, from the planning to the implementation phases.