HLPFI reviews the finalists for the 2025 Airfreight Solution of the Year, sponsored by AsstrA-Associated Traffic.
This award will be presented for an outstanding project cargo shipment that has been executed by air in the last 12 months.
Our 2025 shortlist includes:
Air Partner
Air Partner earned its spot on the 2025 shortlist for the time-critical transportation of a valve from Rome, Italy, to Doha, Qatar. At 3 m tall – and weighing in at over 20 tonnes – the valve was loaded onto an AN-124-100 aircraft. Inside the aircraft, an extra metal frame was used to accommodate the valve which was then lashed using sturdy shackles. The loading and unloading took over five hours apiece, with Air Partner also securing the necessary permits to transport the valve without delay – ultimately taking just under a week after receiving the initial call from the client.
Bruhat Logistics
Our panel was also impressed by Bruhat Logistics, which was responsible for the transportation of 19 transformer units, weighing a combined 49 tonnes, from Mumbai, India, to Istanbul, Türkiye. Bruhat provided end-to-end project execution, including pickup at the shipper’s site, crane operations, trailer mobilisation, packing, airfreight booking, and documentation. With the transformers in loose form at the time of collection, Bruhat organised on-site packing which included customised crating and palletisation of each unit, ensuring compliance with international air freight standards.
DSV
DSV was called upon for the urgent mobilisation of specialised equipment and materials from the UK, Houston (USA), Australia, Norway, and Las Palmas (Spain) to a remote location in West Africa – all to be delivered under three weeks. Due to the sensitive nature of the operation and the high cost of delay, any failure to meet the timeline would have triggered significant financial penalties. Undeterred, DSV coordinated the large-scale project to deliver the goods across seven dedicated air charters, using an AN-124, Hercules, B747, AN-12, and B777 aircraft, as well as two urgent vessel charters from European ports.
Mitchell Cotts Freight Kenya
Mitchell Cotts Freight Kenya put forward a compelling entry detailing the air transport of 17 endangered Bongo antelopes from Florida to Mount Kenya. Mitchell Cotts coordinated with multiple stakeholders and ensured zero harm to the animals during the 24-hour transit, with strict compliance with animal welfare regulations. Unit load devices (ULDs) designed with anti-slip flooring, natural light filters, and adequate ventilation were used, whilst noise and activity were minimised during unloading to reduce stress to the animals. Services were provided pro bono as part of the complex conservation project.
Trans Global Projects (TGP)
TGP stepped in to transport a 6-tonne, 4.3 m slewing ring from Biberach, Germany, to Guangzhou, China, in under six weeks – a project that was declined by two freight forwarders and 35 airlines due to its complexity. The AN-124 was TGP’s initial choice of transport, but its time constraints meant an alternative solution needed to be developed. The freight forwarder opted for the B777 aircraft, applying Pythagoras’s theorem in the planning to elevate the slewing ring at an angle, allowing for just enough space for safe entry into the B777F. TGP developed a custom-built transport frame to secure the load against G-forces that would be encountered during transit, which became the largest outer-dimensional single piece of cargo ever shipped by a B777F.
The winner of this year’s Airfreight Solution of the Year award will be announced at the Heavy Lift Awards 2025 ceremony on October 22 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. To join the celebrations, book your place today.
