DHL has been selected as the official logistics partner for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012starting in Alicante, Spain, on October 29. The company will be responsible for transporting
high-quality equipment of all teams and express deliveries of spare parts in emergency cases.As part of the deal, DHL offers a complete logistics solution by air, sea and road for bothparticipants and organisers. In addition, it ships promotion pavillons to the ten ports locatedalong the 72,000 km route. Overall, the company uses 152 containers for shipping hundreds of tonnesof materials. The seamless cooperation of all DHL business units guarantees a smooth run of thewhole race, Deutsche Post DHL noted.
Each DHL team moves two identical sets of 40ft ocean freight containers with a volume of 67cubic meter loaded with loft hand tools, lifejacket kits and rig lifting sling sets. The content ofthe first container is used for the first stage while DHL already delivers the second container tothe next destination. Meanwhile, the first container is being loaded again, always one step aheadof the teams at the next destination. This way, DHL ensures that the necessary equipment is alwaysavailable on time at all destinations.
In addition to the ocean freight containers, DHL provides each team with a number of air cargocontainers. In case a mast breaks, it has to be substituted immediately. Therefore, a spare partsdepot has been established at the airport in Amsterdam, enabling DHL to move massive goods such asmasts up to 100 feet-tall to any destination around the globe as quick as possible.
“Our proceedings will be monitored from an international control centre especially establishedfor the race. We ensure the smooth proceeding of the event by supplying the race organisers, raceteams, and partners with the full range of freight forwarding and venue logistics services. Fromthe starting point in Alicante, Spain, to the final destination in Galway, Ireland, DHL will beresponsible for air, sea, and land transportation of the highly valuable equipment”, said ReinierVens, DHL Project Director for the Volvo Ocean Race.
