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Summary:

A large U.S. aerospace company turned to Nippon Express to improve the logistics for the transport of commercial satellites, launch equipment, and propellants to and from the Republic of Kazakhstan for space launch. The firm’s complex combination of logistics providers was a source of continual delays, handling errors, and cost overruns. Nippon Express provided a seamless, single-point-of-contact solution to better manage the process from Point A to Point B and all the in-between transit points.

Challenge:

The aerospace firm’s various transportation and logistics needs were served by a number of subcontractors globally, with difficult management and coordination requirements.  Transportation complexities include the air transportation of the satellite, along with the loading, trucking, ocean transportation services required of very volatile propellants. The aerospace company was very concerned about negative perceptions by their own customers regarding any third-party issues related to handling and logistics for sensitive, $100-million-plus satellites.

Solution:     

Nippon Express assembled a team to manage the project and the required subcontractors, locally at all domestic and international transit points, with seamless and timely updates provided to the customer.  Nippon Express coordinated all customer requirements with the charter airline for satellite transportation.  The same coordination was provided for the container loading, bracing, domestic trucking and ocean NVOCC services for the propellants. Nippon Express provided additional supervision and attendance at all key loading/unloading, transit points for both air and ocean.

Nippon Express provided the aerospace customer two additional value-added air and ocean services: Nippon personnel accompanying the air shipments to/from Kazakhstan and providing additional communication between the airline loading and flight crews and customer to handle all issues and scheduling requirements. This air personnel also coordinated all required paperwork for import and export customs.  Additionally, Nippon Express was able to provide supervision and support from the Nippon Express, St. Petersburg, Russia branch office for the transshipment of the ocean containers from port to rail (to Kazakhstan) along with doing the required snifter tests.  Additional air and ocean inbound U.S. services included transfer and storage of all returning equipment and personal effects at the Nippon Express CFS while awaiting customs clearance and delivery of unused propellants from the U.S. ocean port.