AIR PARTNER AND RUSLAN INTERNATIONAL ENSURES SAFE DELIVERY OF HISTORICAL ARTS FOR ‘MEDIEVAL MOROCCO’ EXHIBITION AT THE LOUVRE MUSEUM IN PARIS

Ruslan International, part of Volga-Dnepr Group, and air charter broker, Air Partner, have been entrusted with carrying 18 tonnes of artefacts from Rabat in Morocco to Paris Vatry in France for an exhibition of ‘Medieval Morocco’ at the world famous Louvre Museum.  

The exhibition includes pieces of art such as architectural decoration, textiles, ivory and calligraphy dating back to the 11^th-15^th centuries. Open to the public from 17 October 2014 until 19 January 2015, it provides a new look at the period when the western Islamic world was at the height of its glory, as much in terms of its artistic production as its place in history, and recognises this powerful civilisation’s position at the centre of diplomatic and trade networks.

The total value of the exhibition pieces carried onboard Volga-Dnepr’s An-124 freighter cannot be estimated as the artefacts are priceless. The cargo included some pieces up to 4m in height.  

The delivery was completed by Ruslan International, the An-124 joint venture between Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Airlines, and was operated on behalf of leading aircraft charter company, Air Partner, for the National Foundation of Museums of Morocco.

“It was very important for the customer that this valuable cargo was transported safely and on-time to France to complete the necessary preparation work at the Louvre before the exhibition opens to the public. We ensured the artworks were delivered with great  care and precision in accordance with our customers’ requirements using our longstanding experience of moving sensitive, high value shipments all over the world,”  said Ekaterina Andreeva, Sales Executive at Volga-Dnepr Airlines. 

Thierry Zemouli, Freight Manager for Air Partner France, commented: “With over 50 years’ experience, the team at Air Partner really understands the challenges involved with transporting high value cargo safely and on time. Our unique knowledge and experience from across the globe means that we can tailor every flight to our clients’ unique requirements, delivering the most cost-effective and efficient solution every time. We are also delighted to have the opportunity to work with Ruslan International and Volga-Dnepr again, further building on our long-standing relationship which enables us, together, to provide our clients with a truly exceptional level of service.”

Volga-Dnepr has considerable expertise in managing deliveries of high value cargo for both state museums and owners of private collections. These shipments have included transporting the famous ‘Terracotta Army’ sculptures of Chinese warriors from Shanghai to Guam onboard one of its IL-76TD aircraft, and the delivery of more than 100 paintings of the Tretyakov Gallery holdings from the 18^th-20^th centuries from Moscow to Beijing. The airline was also asked to transport treasured artworks from the Hermitage Museum to the Kuwait National Museum.

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About Ruslan International

Formed in 2006 by two of the world’s foremost outsizer cargo airlines - Antonov Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Airlines, Ruslan International is responsible for the sales and marketing of a joint fleet of 17 Antonov An124-100 ‘Ruslan’freighters.

Ruslan International is part of Volga-Dnepr Group, the world leader in the unique, oversize and heavy cargo market. The Group also include the charter operator namely Volga-Dnepr Airlines,  scheduled cargo airline AirBridgeCargo (ABC), and Volga-Dnepr Technics (VDT), which provides a wide range of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for the Group’s scheduled and charter cargo airlines as well as for third party customers.

 About Air Partner

Air Partner has been trading for over 50 years and is a world leading provider of aviation charter services to industry, commerce, governments and individuals worldwide. The Group is globally recognised as a leading charter broker and organises ad hoc aircraft charters of every type for any reason.

Its three main divisions comprise Air Partner Private Jets, Air Partner Commercial Jets and Air Partner Freight. The Commercial Jets division charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Private Jets offers the company's pre-paid JetCard scheme and on-demand charter. With its headquarters alongside Gatwick airport in the UK, Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and has 20 offices globally. Air Partner is also the only air charter broker in the UK certified ISO 9001:2008 compliant for commercial airline and private jet solutions worldwide.

Air Partner Freight charters aircraft of every size to fly cargo anywhere, at any time, whatever its weight, size or shape. Serving governments, leading industrial shippers and relief and humanitarian organisations, the freight team provides bespoke air charter solutions to meet a wide range of cargo charter needs.  From urgent ‘go now’ requirements moving small quantities of automotive spare parts, through to the most complex project cargo shipments taking several months to plan, Air Partner Freight has the skills, experience and expertise to ensure shipments are handled securely and reliably. Air Partner Freight has cargo specialists in the UK, USA, Germany, France, Turkey, and Singapore, who provide strength of knowledge by utilising regional carriers for tailored charter services.