Volga-Dnepr Airlines has commenced a major air logistics contract to operate AN-124-100 freighter flights carrying equipment to a new natural gas field in Papua New Guinea. The airline completed its first flight from Port Moresby to Komo in Papua New Guinea on May 3rd 2013 in support of the new gas conditioning plant being built by CB&I on behalf of Exxon Mobil.

Launching flights is the successful realisation of several years of planning by specialists from Papua New Guinea, the United States, Australia and Japan who are working as part of an international team building the new plant. Volga-Dnepr Airlines' participation in the project dates back to 2008 and the airline's air logistics knowledge and expertise has been vital in the development work taking place in Papua New Guinea.

One of the key events supported by Volga-Dnepr's specialists over the past five years has been the building of a new airport in Komo to handle AN-124-100 flights. Volga-Dnepr has provided advice to help determine the optimal location and technical characteristics of the new airport's runway, which is now the biggest in the country at 3,200 metres in length and 45 metres wide.

Volga-Dnepr won the tender to deliver supplies of gas equipment to the Komo site in 2012, based on its experience of over 20 years of delivering complex air logistics solutions for the movement of heavyweight and outsize cargo and its successful track record of YM Unicorn, an 8,626 TEU full-container vessel built for Yang Ming by CSBC CORP., TAIWAN, was delivered and named at a ceremony held at CSBC Kaohsiung Shipyard. The ceremony was presided over by Dr. Frank Lu, Chairman of Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., and Mr. Robert Lai, Chairperson of CSBC CORP., TAIWAN. Mrs. Li Yue-Chun, wife of the GM of Xxentria Technology Materials Co. Ltd, was invited to sponsor the new ship.

YM Unicorn is the last of five 8,626 TEU full-container vessel built for Yang Ming by CSBC CORP. This type of vessel is eco friendly. It features fuel-saving and high capacity, and also can contribute to environmental protection. With the deployment of this new vessel, Yang Ming can enhance the comprehensive service and provide better service to customers.

YM Unicorn is to be deployed in the NE2 Service (Asia"North Europe). Her ports of call are in this order: Xiamen"Kaohsiung"Yantian"Singapore"Rotterdam"Hamburg"Felixstowe"Antwerp"Port Said"Singapore"Hong Kong"Xiamen.