In safe hands: safeguarding the safe-keepers

Lifting the standard of reliability means APM Terminals can be trusted to safeguard the very equipment that will protect those in harm’s way. That was the case recently when these rare birds dropped into our Los Angeles terminal. The helicopters were being deployed from the fire lines of the U.S. West Coast to the wildfires of Australia.

Colleagues at Pier 400 disassembled, packed, and dispatched the S-64 Air Cranes® in just six hours ready for the challenges ahead.

For the past 26 years, Erickson Incorporated has been shipping its S-64 Air Crane® helicopters across oceans in support of life and property. To get the job done, Erickson turns to the cargo experts at APM Terminal’s Pier 400, one of the largest container terminals in the western hemisphere at the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest port in the United States.

Two of the indispensable fire-fighting machines from Erickson’s global fleet of 44 S-64 helicopters recently landed on site at Pier 400 in preparation for the voyage from California to Australia.

During the U.S. fire season, these extraordinary machines protected communities in California, Oregon, and Washington, combatting notable fires such as the Vista and Bedrock fires. With the U.S. wildfire season winding down, they are now making the journey across the Pacific to protect life and limb in the New South Whales region of Australia.  

It takes an experienced team of experts about six hours to prepare the helicopters for vessel transport, including on-site disassembly and storage of key components. Upon arrival overseas, the helicopters will be reassembled to take on a range of missions that take advantage of their unique capacity to move enormous payloads while employing advanced firefighting technologies.  

Discover how we lift the standard of reliability for out-sized cargo.