The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - One of the largest air-freight carriers in the world landed at Grand Bahama International Airport on Saturday in a display of the island's potential as a logistic hub for air transportation.

The AN-124-100 "Ruslan" freighter aircraft, operated by the Volga-Dnepr Group/ Ruslan International, arrived around 11am.

Grand Bahama Shipyard officials contracted the company to transport two massive ship propellers to Europe.

The aircraft is equipped with four jumbo jet engines and has a cargo capacity of 120 tons. The ship propellers each weigh 30 tons.

The operation was co-ordinated through the joint efforts of the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Freeport Ship Services, Quality Services Ltd and the Grand Bahama Airport Company.

Due to the dangers posed by their size and weight, the propellers were transported under police escort to the airport on Friday afternoon.

On Saturday morning, a small group of persons assembled at the Airport's Cargo Area, just west of the airport.

Carl Gustaf-Rotkirch, CEO at Grand Bahama Shipyard, said the two spare propellers will be transported to Italy for Carnival Cruise Lines.

As part of an agreement with the cruise line, the shipyard keeps spare propellers on the island.

"These are really intended for use on ships that are cruising in the Caribbean, but in this case they are needed in Europe and that is why we are flying them out," he explained.

Mr Rotkirch said they use Volga-Dnepr for all big transportation jobs.

He said the company is well known for heavy cargo transportation to anywhere in the world.

Mr Rotkirch said sometimes, clients are reluctant to bring their ships to Grand Bahama because of concerns over logistics and transportation.

"This goes to prove there is no problem if we need to bring in or ship out heavy equipment.

"It was the vision of those who built the airport with a big straight landing strip to take big planes like this, so I thank the visionaries," he said.

The Volga-Dnepr Group is a private air-cargo charter company that has been in business more than 20 years.

The group is the world leader in the unique, oversize and heavy cargo market.