FedEx transports Egyptian artefacts worth $1 billion

Last month FedEx transported $1 billion worth of Egyptian artefacts from Cairo to California, for the King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh exhibition that opened on 24th March.

As with other very special deliveries FedEx has made in the past, including a giant panda, a T-Rex skeleton and wreckage from the Titanic (not all in one go), the project required specialist service and meticulous planning.

The company used a customised Boeing 777 filled with gadgets to monitor humidity, temperature and light exposure, all of which could damage the ancient 31,000 pound cargo of statues, jewellery and furniture. The flight was attended by a security detail and Egyptian courier.

A fleet of trucks were then required to transport the treasure to the California Science Center, where to date more than 100,000 tickets have been sold for the exhibition.

The artefacts are set to remain in California for around 10 months before continuing to tour mainly European cities. FedEx has committed to sponsorship for the next six years. After the tour ends, the items will be housed permanently at the Great Egyptian Museum in Gaza.

(Source: Adweek)