Emirates SkyCargo takes Emirates Team New Zealand's boat to the skies

Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, has transported ‘New Zealand Aotearoa’ – Emirates Team New Zealand’s race boat - from Auckland to Bermuda in advance of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup sailing competition which will begin in late May 2017. Through this transport Emirates SkyCargo has once again demonstrated its ability to safely transport outsized and unusual cargo.

Emirates SkyCargo transported Emirates Team New Zealand’s race boat and all associated support equipment including the team’s chase boat.  In order to facilitate the loading and air transportation process, the high-tech sailing boat had to be disassembled into smaller parts – two hulls, two wings, beams, rudders and other equipment. During the packaging process, metal frames were used to reinforce the packing to ensure that there would be no damage to the individual components during the transportation process.

The packaged components were then trucked from their base to the airport, security screened and then loaded on the aircraft. It took over four hours for the team to complete the loading process. Emirates SkyCargo’s trained and experienced staff worked closely with the technical staff from Emirates Team New Zealand making sure that the loading went smoothly.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s complete shipment weighed slightly over 44 tonnes. At over eight tonnes, the team’s chase boat was the heaviest individual component in the shipment. The largest items in the shipment were the ship’s two hulls which measured over 15 metres each in length.

Three ground crew from Emirates Team New Zealand travelled with the equipment onboard the Emirates SkyCargo freighter for the flight which lasted 18 hours and 50 minutes. The flight included a 90 minute stopover in Los Angeles for the aircraft to refuel and change flight crew before continuing its journey to Bermuda.

Given the logistical challenges involved in the transport of the boat, Emirates SkyCargo initiated the planning process with Emirates Team New Zealand several months prior to the actual date of the transportation. The teams discussed and worked together over several aspects of the shipment including sharing detailed technical drawings of the broken down components to arrive at the optimal load plan for the flight.

Emirates SkyCargo is no stranger to carrying heavy and outsized cargo. Over the years the carrier has transported helicopters, aircraft engines, outsized land vehicles, equipment and machinery for the construction and oil and gas industries, power generators and ships’ rudders. With its global network of over 150 destinations and a dedicated fleet of 15 freighter aircraft, Emirates SkyCargo facilitates quick and efficient transport of heavy and outsized cargo. 

Some facts and figures on the transport of New Zealand Aotearoa:


Total weight of the shipment was 44,490kgs.
The boat was disassembled into a number of smaller components- the platform of the boat was split into six pieces and each of the two wings of the boat carried were split into five pieces
The chase boat weighed just over 8 tonnes and measures 12.8 metres in length
The hulls of the boat measured 15 metres in length
It will take Emirates Team New Zealand one week to put the boat back together after arrival in Bermuda
Total flight time was 18 hours and 50 minutes. It would have taken close to 6 weeks to transport the boat over sea from Auckland to Bermuda.
The flight took off from Auckland at 10.30am local time on Monday and arrived at Bermuda across the dateline on the same day.