Moving Mountains with Global Motion

Big global music tours are massive logistical operations, and face massive logistical challenges.

I doubt that’s much of a surprise to anyone reading. But, that said, perhaps the nature of those challenges might be. Because it’s not always about working out how to get big bits of equipment from A to B- at least not entirely.

Sometimes, global logistics get mixed up in global issues. And part of the job – a necessary, unavoidable part – is finding a path through and around things you have no control over.

One of our Generation Logistics supporters, Global Motion, specialises in big event transport and logistics, coordinating tours for some of the biggest musicians and bands  on the planet, as well as large-scale sporting events  theatre, film, and TV.

With access to a worldwide network of passenger and freight aircraft, sea freight services and hundreds of specially equipped, modern air-ride vehicles, the company is able to transport cargo anywhere in the world.

In order to do that on-time and with the cargo in the same condition as it left, the team has to be ready for anything, anytime. Global Motion might call that sort of thing ‘contingency and proactive solutions’, but we’ll  call it ‘knowing how to keep calm and solve major problems when they happen.’

Wondering what we mean? Well, how about this for an example…

December of this year, Global Motion was mid-way through Ed Sheeran’s world tour. The next date was Dubai.

Everything was going to plan. Three containers from the UK and nine from the USA were en-route and on-schedule to comfortably make the mid-January target date. 

But, as those vessels travelled towards their destinations, things started to go south in another way. The Red Sea – a natural part of the route to Dubai – became a target for Houthi rebels, container ships were hit by missiles, and the Red Sea was closed.

Obviously, this isn’t something Global Motion could plan for – at least not specifically. But a big part of  global logistics is about planning for the unexpected – so the team knew what to do.

The key question now was one of fore planning. Should Global Motion leave its containers on the vessels and hope that the Red Sea re-opens, and/or that the vessels would be granted passage through the Suez Canal? It was certainly the simplest option – but posed the risk that should the vessels depart again with the containers, and subsequently be diverted around the Cape of Good Hope (a MUCH longer route), then the cargo wouldn’t get there on time and the show wouldn’t happen.  

Or, should they remove the containers now, and find other routes and modes to get the tour equipment to Dubai? This was a much more complicated/expensive option, but at least it meant Global Motion could take back control of the situation and give it their best shot. 

Because of the company’s past-experience with precisely this sort of one-off, real-time dilemma, Global Motion knew there was only one course of action that aligned with its proactive and contingency-focused ethos.” So, all containers held at ports en-route were removed from their vessels and shipped via alternative means.

Was it the right call? Well, not only did all the containers removed from the vessels arrive on time, but the shows went on exactly as planned. Incidentally, more than 230 days later, the Red Sea is still closed.

It was exactly the sort of calculated gamble that comes from a combination of clear thinking and a bucket load of experience. With such large-scale logistics, and so many project variables in play, it’s a great example of the high-level management that global tour logistics demands. 

It really is a matter of moving mountains.