Kuehne+Nagel and Aggreko partner to power the world’s most iconic events.
Have you ever wondered how the world’s largest events are powered? What kind of equipment is needed to support events that gather thousands of visitors, providing light, sound, power for computer screens and air conditioning, charging phone batteries and running coffee makers? What makes things move, close, open, and rotate? What facilitates every little electric spark to simply – work?
That’s right. Thousands of generators produce the electricity needed to power these massive events. Hidden behind the scenes, they are far from obsolete – they are at the centre of attention for every event organiser.
Aggreko, a company headquartered in Scotland, is a global leader in providing temporary mobile and modular power solutions for some of the world’s most iconic events – often those that attract tens of thousands of people and demand robust supporting infrastructure, including reliable electricity.
Recently Aggreko’s generators, spare parts, and supporting equipment of various sizes had to be delivered to an important event in Azerbaijan from multiple global locations within a tight deadline.
“Despite the majority of the generators being stored in the UAE, the project was far from easy,” commented Debbie Reid, Global Project Logistics Solutions Manager, based in Dubai. “The ongoing Red Sea crisis meant that if we were to rely on sea logistics, we would have to route the cargo via the Cape of Good Hope, adding an additional two weeks to the journey. With tight deadlines, this was not an option. Instead, we decided to utilise our Sea-Road solution.”
The complexity of the shipment required a practical solution: the cargo was transported from Jebel Ali Port on the outskirts of Dubai to Um Qasr Port in Iraq, where it was loaded, often with crane assistance due to its heavy weight, onto 107 trucks. This impressive convoy then journeyed across Iraq with a security escort to ensure maximum safety.
To cross into Türkiye, Georgia, and eventually Azerbaijan, the generators had to be reloaded onto trucks registered in Türkiye, once again requiring heavy lifting and careful handling.
Each border crossing required customs clearance, multiple permits, and detailed product and transport documentation. However, as the entire process, including customs clearance, was managed by the Kuehne+Nagel team, every step was meticulously planned and executed to avoid any delays in the already tight schedule.
Simultaneously, Aggreko dispatched equipment from locations in Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, the UK, and India to ensure sufficient equipment arrived at the event location.
“The journey from the European locations was relatively easy – all equipment was loaded onto the trucks and travelled from the location,” added Haidy Hassan, Project Logistics Customer Excellence Team Leader based in Dubai. “However, crossing several borders between the point of origin in Europe and Azerbaijan could have been challenging if not for our meticulously prepared documentation for customs clearance and the detailed planning of the entire journey.”
Overall, 1,078 tons of generators and parts were shipped to Azerbaijan via road freight, atop 113 trucks from locations in Europe and the UAE. A further 1,000 tons were shipped via sea freight, and 150 tons of urgently required equipment were shipped via air freight from India, Dubai, and Europe.
“Seeing the trucks unloading the generators at the location of the event was a sign of relief. But the true victory moment came when the event was in full swing, with thousands of people walking among lit booths, with working air conditioning, charging their phone batteries, enjoying fresh coffee from the coffee machines, and meals freshly taken out of the oven,” reminisced Hassan. “And we reflected on that and asked ourselves: do the visitors know how much effort went into supplying something so simple, something taken for granted – the power behind it all?”
Yet, there is no time to waste. Aggreko’s generators are already needed elsewhere to power another iconic event, enabling visitors to fully enjoy the experience. The Kuehne+Nagel team is busy organising the demobilization and mobilization, ready for the next assignment.
