Rhenus Transports Dozens of Helicopters From US to Brazil

By Simon West

Rhenus Logistics has teamed up with air freight carrier Avianca Cargo in an ongoing project to deliver a consignment of civil helicopters from the U.S. to Brazil.

More than 35 crated helicopters are slated to arrive by the end of 2025 aboard an Airbus A330F aircraft, flying from Miami International Airport to Vitória–Eurico de Aguiar Salles International Airport in southeast Brazil, with further deliveries planned beyond 2026. The project, carried out for one of the world’s leading civil helicopter manufacturers, marks the first time a helicopter shipment of this kind has landed in Vitória, Rhenus said.

The door-to-door solution, managed entirely by Rhenus and Avianca Cargo’s teams in the U.S. and Brazil, covers inland transport from California to Florida, handling and compliance at Rhenus’ foreign trade zone facility in Miami, air freight to Brazil, and customs clearance and final-mile delivery in São Paulo.

“Historically, helicopter shipments into Brazil would land at Viracopos (in São Paulo), requiring complex bonded trucking to Vitória for customs clearance, then returning to São Paulo for final delivery. This was time-consuming and operationally inefficient,” said Christian Luque, regional head of key accounts, tech-trade Americas at Rhenus Logistics.

“By flying directly into VIX, we’ve eliminated multiple legs and created a faster, leaner and more cost-effective solution. This operation sets a new benchmark for the airspace high-value cargo in Brazil, and the ability to streamline delivery directly through Vitória represents a major step forward in efficiency and service excellence.”

According to Rhenus, São Paulo houses one of the world’s largest helicopter fleets, with an increasing number being deployed throughout Brazil for agricultural operations.

Rhenus is an exhibitor at Breakbulk Americas.