2025/08/25/ | Press Release

Global air charter specialist Chapman Freeborn, which is part of Avia Solutions
Group, the world’s largest ACMI provider, has successfully executed a series of
urgent shipments of specialised automotive material from China to Europe as
part of an ongoing partnership. Transporting these parts requires a level of
specialisation and familiarity with the materials and relevant customs procedures,
but also a strong local network and team dedication.
Chapman Freeborn’s teams in China and Poland are collaborating on this project, which
involves forwarding automotive parts, including products crucial to enhancing vehicle
performance. So far, they have executed 26 shipments, with total volume shipped
exceeding 60 tonnes across 95 pallets. The deliveries, made using a combination of
747F and passenger belly capacity, were initially routed from Qingdao Jiaodong
International Airport (TAO) to Poland, before expanding to flights from Beijing Capital
International Airport (PEK).
These shipments have required specialist knowledge and adaptable problem-solving
skills from the Chapman Freeborn team, says Joyce Di, Cargo Manager China at
Chapman Freeborn. “Due to the dual-use nature of the materials being transported,
China imposes relatively strict scrutiny and export controls on them. Shipping such
materials out of China requires documentation such as export licenses for dual-use
items, an MPI report, and an MSDS report, along with familiarity with the related
procedures. Our experience in this field and our engagement with qualified partners
ensured smooth customs clearance for these goods.
Alongside complex customs procedures, an additional challenge with the first batch was
an extremely tight timeframe, with the client requiring delivery on the next available
flight. “The client’s request coincided with China’s three-day Dragon Boat Festival
holiday, during which customs, airlines, and customs clearance companies were on
holiday and responded slowly. To meet the client’s urgent deadline, our team worked
overtime online, responding immediately and coordinating resources to quickly offer
multiple options for departure from Qingdao on the day the request was received,” says
Joyce.
After multiple rounds of material, process, and proposal confirmation, the Chapman
Freeborn team swiftly completed booking, pickup, and other procedures during the
holiday, ensuring that the goods were shipped out immediately after the holiday. This
first successful delivery led to the client choosing to set up an ongoing collaboration with
Chapman Freeborn, which has now encompassed 26 deliveries and is still in progress.

Due to the limited capacity and relatively high costs at Qingdao for flights to the target
destination, the Chapman Freeborn team also explored other ports with export
qualifications for subsequent shipments with less stringent time requirements. “We ran a
small test shipment to validate clearance speed and viability,” says Joyce. “The test
shipment met the client’s speed and compliance requirements. For subsequent batches
of goods with less stringent time requirements and higher demands for cost-
effectiveness, we arranged for them to be shipped via Yantai port and PEK.” This
initiative offered customers shipping methods that met their time requirements and were
more cost-effective, helping them save on logistics costs.
With more than 50 years of experience and extensive global coverage, Chapman
Freeborn provides air cargo charter services for major corporations, governments,
NGOs, relief agencies, and high net-worth individuals. The company is part of Avia
Solutions Group, the world’s largest ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance)
provider, operating a fleet of 209 aircraft worldwide and the parent company of over 250
subsidiaries. The group offers a wide range of aviation solutions, including MRO
(Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul), pilot and crew training, ground handling, and
other related aviation services. Supported by 14,000 highly skilled aviation
professionals, the group operates across 6 continents.

For more information, please visit www.chapmanfreeborn.aero

Media contact:
Ruta Siniakovaite
Global PR manager
Avia Solutions Group
Ruta.siniakovaite@aviasg.com
+370 638 48907