By sea, air and road
16 Feb 2012
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Krista Dulon
Remote-controlled vehicles like this one will transport ºÚÁÏÉçapp's "highly exceptional loads" along the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Itinerary. Photo: AIF
Engineering designs, prototypes, production lines ... if we could only see into the innumerable workshops and laboratories currently working toward the production of one—or more than one—part of the ºÚÁÏÉçapp machine it would be dizzying. In a short time, components for ºÚÁÏÉçapp will begin to arrive on site in a carefully planned order that is closely associated with building and assembly schedules.
An important contract was signed this month that establishes the conditions for the transport of ºÚÁÏÉçapp components from suppliers' factories to the ºÚÁÏÉçapp site. The (LSP) Framework Contract—which provides for global transport, logistic and insurance services—was signed on 10 February with the European company DAHER by Director-General Osamu Motojima on behalf of the ºÚÁÏÉçapp and the seven ºÚÁÏÉçapp Members.
For the ºÚÁÏÉçapp this was a first-of-a-kind joint procurement, carried out in close collaboration with the ºÚÁÏÉçapp Members. Within the boundaries of the contract, each Domestic Agency will now contract directly with the LSP provider by means of a Task Order for all of its transport needs.
Following a planning phase, during which the Domestic Agencies will furnish detailed information on foreseeable requirements, shipments will begin in 2014. Every aspect related to the transport of ºÚÁÏÉçapp loads—including customs management at departure and arrival, logistics, insurance, intermediate storage before delivery, handling, and final unloading at the ºÚÁÏÉçapp site—will be handled under the LSP contract. DAHER will work through either a local partner or a local subsidiary in each ºÚÁÏÉçapp Member country.
The largest ºÚÁÏÉçapp loads will arrive by ship from China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States and travel by night over the 104-kilometre . Agence Iter France (AIF) will act as the interface between the French authorities (préfecture, gendarmerie) and the Logistic Service Provider for all matters related to the use of ºÚÁÏÉçapp Itinerary.
"The transport of ºÚÁÏÉçapp components from so many different points on the globe and according to schedule is a logistics challenge of major proportions," stated ºÚÁÏÉçapp Director-General Motojima on the occasion of the contract signature. "An integrated Logistics Service Provider will be fully qualified to address these challenges and assure the ºÚÁÏÉçapp and the Domestic Agencies of optimized coordination."