Air Freight Case Study: Delivering 360+ CBM of World Cup Merchandise to Brazil During Peak Season

Project Overview

As demand for FIFA World Cup merchandise increased ahead of the 2026 tournament, a customer needed to transport a large volume of plush toys from China to São Paulo, Brazil within a strict delivery schedule.

The shipment involved more than 360 CBM of volumetric cargo across 12 air freight shipments. With limited air cargo capacity to South America, peak season congestion, and the unique challenges of shipping lightweight but high-volume cargo, the project required careful planning and flexible execution.

BSI Global Logistics developed a multi-origin, multi-carrier air freight solution that ensured every shipment departed on schedule and supported the customer's sales timeline.

Project Snapshot

The Challenge

The customer initially prioritized transportation cost when evaluating logistics providers. However, as the FIFA World Cup approached and retail deadlines became increasingly critical, delivery reliability quickly became the top priority.

Several factors made this project particularly challenging:

• South America air freight capacity was extremely limited during peak season.
• Plush toys are volumetric cargo that occupies significant aircraft space while generating relatively low chargeable weight, making airline acceptance more restrictive than standard cargo.
• A single airline or departure airport could not provide sufficient capacity for the entire shipment.
• Tight delivery deadlines left little room for delays or repeated cargo rollovers.

The customer needed a logistics partner capable of securing reliable capacity while maintaining flexibility throughout the project.

BSI's Solution

Instead of relying on a single routing option, BSI designed a diversified air freight strategy that maximized available capacity while reducing operational risk.

Multi-Origin Shipping Strategy

Cargo was distributed between Shenzhen (SZX) and Ezhou (EHU), allowing shipments to utilize capacity from multiple airports rather than competing for limited space at one origin.

Multi-Carrier Capacity Allocation

BSI secured capacity across three international airlines, selecting routes based on aircraft availability and volumetric cargo acceptance.

• Turkish Airlines (TK)Shenzhen (SZX) → Istanbul (IST) → São Paulo (GRU)
• Ethiopian Airlines (ET)Ezhou (EHU) → Addis Ababa (ADD) → São Paulo (GRU)
• Qatar Airways (QR)Shenzhen (SZX) → Doha (DOH) → São Paulo (GRU)

By spreading shipments across multiple airlines, the project avoided dependence on a single carrier and significantly reduced the impact of peak season capacity shortages.

Early Space Reservation

Knowing that volumetric cargo is often the first to face capacity restrictions during busy seasons, BSI coordinated with airline partners to reserve cargo space in advance. This proactive planning reduced the risk of shipment rollovers and helped maintain the delivery schedule.

Dedicated Project Management

A dedicated project team coordinated every stage of the shipment, including cargo collection, booking, customs clearance, warehouse operations, airline coordination and shipment tracking.

Continuous communication between BSI, the customer and airline partners ensured each shipment progressed according to plan and allowed the team to respond quickly whenever operational adjustments were required.

Results

The project was successfully completed despite challenging market conditions.

Key outcomes included:

• Successfully transported more than 360 CBM of plush toys.
• Completed 12 international air freight shipments.
• Delivered a total cargo weight of 32,677 KG.
• Utilized three international airlines and two origin airports to optimize available capacity.
• Maintained shipment schedules throughout the project despite peak season air freight constraints.
• Supported the customer's product launch timeline for the 2026 FIFA World Cup sales season.

The project demonstrated BSI's ability to manage complex, high-volume air freight programs for South America while maintaining operational flexibility under tight delivery requirements.

Why BSI Global Logistics

Strong South America Air Freight Network

BSI has extensive experience handling air freight shipments to South America through long-term partnerships with major international airlines, enabling flexible routing options even during periods of limited capacity.

Expertise in Volumetric Cargo

High-volume cargo requires careful planning beyond standard air freight operations. BSI's experience with volumetric shipments helps customers overcome airline acceptance restrictions and maximize available aircraft space.

Flexible Logistics Solutions

Every project is different. BSI designs customized transportation plans based on cargo characteristics, delivery priorities and market conditions, allowing customers to balance cost, transit time and reliability.

End-to-End Project Management

From booking and customs clearance to final departure, dedicated logistics specialists monitor every shipment to ensure visibility, coordination and consistent execution throughout the supply chain.

Conclusion

Transporting large volumes of World Cup merchandise to Brazil during peak season required more than simply securing airline space. It demanded flexible planning, multiple routing options and close coordination across every stage of the supply chain.

By combining multi-origin operations, diversified airline resources and proactive capacity management, BSI Global Logistics successfully delivered all 12 shipments while helping the customer meet critical market deadlines.

Whether shipping sports merchandise, retail products or other time-sensitive cargo to South America, BSI provides reliable international air freight solutions tailored to each customer's operational requirements.