Emergency air transport case: Chartering a plane to transport titanium tubes for European energy customers during the epidemic

Customer background

Customer A: A large European energy contractor responsible for the construction of a key natural gas processing plant in an Eastern European country, with a total project investment of over 300 million euros.
Special situation: The COVID-19 outbreak in 2022 caused the titanium tubes to be stranded at the port, and the customer faced a penalty of 80,000 euros per day.

Crisis and Challenges

1. Core pain points:
The project has only 15 days left, and 12 tons of TA10 titanium tubes (Φ219×15mm) are urgently needed to complete the final process stage
Global shipping/railway transportation capacity is paralyzed, and conventional transportation takes 45 days+

2. Technical difficulties:
Titanium tubes must comply with EN 10204-3.1 certification and have completed all pressure tests
Charter transportation has special requirements for cargo fixation and temperature and humidity control

TSM emergency solution

Action timeline:
▸ Day 1: Confirm that the customer's inventory is in urgent need and initiate the "red alert" plan
▸ Day 3: Coordinate Xi'an Xianyang Airport to obtain approval for charter flights (Boeing 747-400F)
▸ Day 5: Complete the customization of aviation wooden boxes (constant temperature and shockproof design)
▸ Day 7: Cargo loading, with real-time GPS tracking system

Key measures

1. Technical guarantee:

Complete third-party SGS on-site inspection 48 hours in advance

Install RFID temperature record label on titanium tube

2. Logistics innovation:

Use "segmented temperature control" packaging (15-25℃ range)

Project results

Delivery effect

✓ Only 6 days and 23 hours from order receipt to customer receipt

✓ Zero loss during transportation, temperature fluctuation controlled within ±2℃

Customer benefits

Ensure the project is put into production on schedule and avoid accumulating 5.6 million euros in liquidated damages

Customer testimony:

"When all suppliers said 'impossible', TSM gave us the answer with the roar of the aircraft engine. This is not only a logistics service, but also the real value of a strategic partner."

——C Customer Supply Chain VP

Transportation process

Cost data

Charter cost: $185,000 (only 3.2% of the project's liquidated damages)

Total value of goods: $420,000