August 13 - Volga-Dnepr Airlines has delivered two Mangust patrol boats from Moscow to Vladivostok to help maintain security during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit being held in the Russian city next month.
The boats are each 20 m long and weigh 30 tonnes. They were loaded onto Volga-Dnepr's AN-124-100 freighter for the flight using a ramp and rail system as well as a crane with a 110-tonne lifting capacity.
Marat Mukhametzyanov, the airline's sales manager for Russia and Japan, said: "We have considerable experience of this kind of delivery. Volga-Dnepr Airlines has carried boats, yachts, submarines and submersibles all over the world during its 20-year history, including the transportation of another Mangust boat to the Far East in 2006.
"In preparation for transferring vessels, we discuss all the details with the shipper, such as vessel disassembling, loading equipment and technical specifications. All of these issues are vital for the safe delivery of such large and high value shipments."
Volga-Dnepr carried the boats for the Vympel Shipyard on behalf of Russian security agencies. They will form part of the security operation in place to protect participants in the APEC summit, which will take place in Vladivostok from September 1-8, 2012.
Thanks to Volga-Dnepr's expertise and technologies for transporting such large cargoes, the flight was arranged and completed within a short timescale. The Mangust is a high-speed boat designed for territorial sea and coastal operations and is designed for use by police, customs and fishery protection services.
