Inbound Logistics | July 2026

Project Logistics: Stranger Than Fiction

CHAIRLIFTS VIA THE CASPIAN SEA The Chimgan mountains northeast of Tashkent are being developed into one of Central Asia’s premier resort destinations. MND, a French industrial group specializing in cable mobility and mountain infrastructure, is supplying the chairlifts, gondolas, an alpine coaster, and ziplines for the project. All of MND’s contributions must ship from Europe, but direct routes through Russia and Iran aren’t available. GEODIS designed a supply chain that works around those restrictions without sacricing service. Under the GEODIS plan, the cargo leaves from multiple European manufacturing sites via the ports of Sète, France and Trieste, Italy. It then travels by sea through Turkey and across the Caspian Sea into Uzbekistan. Each run takes 30 to 45 days. By early 2026, GEODIS had already completed 92 shipments on the project, including four exceptional convoys. Construction at Chimgan is still ongoing.

LIONS AND TIGERS, OH MY! Five tigers and three lions recently made their way to rescues in the United States after receiving years of inadequate care at a private facility in Honduras. Rescuing the cats was a big job, and guring out how to move them to their new homes was also no small task. DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Express stepped in to lead the transport, coordinating with conservation groups, the Institute for Forest Conservation, Honduras Customs, and airport authorities in San Pedro Sula. Each of the eight animals received tailored veterinary preparation. After medical evaluations, the animals were prescribed individualized sedation plans and other protocols to reduce stress before and during the ight. The animals were loaded in a quiet section of the airport, and specialized crates kept noise and other external stimuli to a minimum. DHL Express ew the animals directly to Miami with four veterinarians on board. Once they landed in Florida, the cats were transferred to Carolina Tiger Rescue and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, both accredited facilities offering permanent habitats and expert care.

SHORT TRIP, BIG LIFT Moving an electrical transformer in-state from Wilmington to Raleigh, North Carolina sounds like a short trip until you factor in the weight. At 120 tons, the equipment Balena Projects moved needed specialized transport gear, a rock solid route, and signicantly more coordination than a standard cargo move. Balena received the transformer at the terminal in Wilmington, then managed all transportation. The company also conducted discharging surveys at the delivery site in Raleigh to conrm the transformer was properly placed on arrival. High-voltage transformers are custom-built pieces of equipment, and lead times often stretch years. Replacement costs can easily climb into the millions. With a load like this, problems in transit can lead to long and expensive project delays. Fortunately, this transformer was delivered without a hitch.

150 Inbound Logistics • July 2026