From the North Pole to the South Pole, Alfred Wegener Institute ventures deep into the unknown – to places only a handful of us will ever set foot on. And they do so with the help of DSV.

The Alfred Wagner Institute (AMI) research the effects of climate change on particular ecosystems in the sea, on ice and on land. Their aim is to understand how the activities of humans and nature change the global environment – from North to South Pole.

“We started handling the logistical challenges of AWI about five years ago. And because of the extraordinary locations and the special equipment required, every transport is unique and challenging. Our work takes us to some of the harshest places in the world. And it is reassuring to have a logistics partner to help us get our equipment to the right place at the right time with any type of transport necessary” says Prof. Dr. Hugues Lantuit, Coastal Permafrost Geomorphologist, Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

One important piece of equipment used by the AWI is the EM-Bird. The EM-Bird is a sensor that measures the thickness of sea ice. It is 3,6 metres long, weighs 100 kilograms and is worth half a million euro. This sensitive equipment has been shipped around the world and DSV was tasked with delivering it from Germany to Alaska.

When the equipment arrived in Alaska, the AWI team carried out measurements by either securing the EM-Bird to an airplane or hanging it from a helicopter on a long cable. When the measurements were completed, DSV returned the equipment to Germany where AWI extracted the data.

In another project, DSV moved special equipment for an AWI research team to Northern Canada. We had to make sure we got the equipment through treacherous conditions safely. Depending on weather conditions, we carried out the transport either by truck on ice roads or by charter flights when the snow melted. These types of projects are some of the most challenging, but also some of the most rewarding.

"To be able to work in these extreme climates with the AWI in their quest to combat climate change gives us great pride. We look forward to their next expedition and wish them all the best in their work," says Ralf Brunkhorst, DSV Air Freight Manager, Germany.

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