cargo-partner supports Austrian and Croatian Pavilions at EXPO 2025 in Osaka

As part of its comprehensive logistics services for the EXPO 2025, cargo-partner provides end-to-end solutions for the national pavilions of Austria and Croatia. With Austria’s iconic wooden sculpture and Croatia’s immersive pavilion showcasing different climate zones, each shipment from Europe to Japan presented a range of unique challenges.

cargo-partner, a group company of NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC., is proud to support Austria’s and Croatia’s presence at EXPO 2025. The six-month world fair, opening on April 13, 2025, will bring together over 160 nations under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”. As part of the Nippon Express Group, one of the two designated “Total Logistics Providers” for EXPO 2025, cargo-partner provides comprehensive logistics services for the event: from national and international transport to customs clearance, warehousing, on-site distribution, and disassembly support.

Martin Schenzel, Managing Director Austria at cargo-partner, emphasized the significance of this endeavor: “EXPO 2025 is a unique platform for showcasing Austria’s and Croatia’s capabilities in innovation and sustainability. We are proud to contribute our logistics expertise to ensure a flawless experience for exhibitors and visitors alike.”

Shipping the Austrian Pavilion’s iconic wooden sculpture

cargo-partner has transported key exhibition elements, including the Austrian Pavilion’s centerpiece: an impressive 16.5-meter wooden loop structure that reflects Austria’s expertise in sustainable wood construction and engineering.

cargo-partner managed the overseas shipment of the wooden loop from Austria to Japan, overseeing every stage of its journey, including rail transport from Austria to Hamburg, sea freight from Hamburg to Kobe, and final truck delivery to Osaka – where the shipment arrived on schedule in January 2025.

To ensure smooth assembly at the EXPO site, the wooden loop was shipped in twelve individual parts, carefully packed into ten sea freight containers. Packing the individual elements was quite a challenge, as the ship had to cross several climate zones and wood is a “living” material. To prevent problems with mold, swelling and shrinkage, the sculpture was coated with a special wood preservative and then wrapped in a breathable packaging film. cargo-partner coordinated closely with the Austrian Pavilion team to sequence the deliveries in the required order to work around space constraints at the site.

Ensuring a seamless journey for the Croatian Pavilion

cargo-partner is also supporting the Croatian Pavilion at EXPO 2025. Designed as an immersive environment, the pavilion showcases the diversity of climates in Croatia through an evolving experience that changes with every visit. Thermal cameras will capture interactions between visitors and micro-climates within the pavilion, while video transmissions from meteorological stations in Croatia will reflect real-time conditions back home.

The logistics challenge for the Croatian Pavilion was significant. In early January, cargo-partner received an inquiry from the company responsible for constructing the pavilion’s exhibition elements. The shipment, weighing approximately 29 tons, required specialized packaging, transportation to Osaka, and delivery to the EXPO site, with a strict deadline of March 1, 2025.

cargo-partner’s team worked closely with the exporter, conducting site visits, analyzing technical drawings, and ensuring a highly specialized packaging solution. The shipment was flown from Vienna, with cargo-partner arranging customs clearance, storage with NX Group in Japan, and final delivery to the EXPO site. Additionally, cargo-partner assisted the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in issuing ATA Carnets to facilitate the temporary importation of goods for the pavilion.

Zoran Starcevic, Managing Director Croatia at cargo-partner, said: “We are exceptionally pleased and proud of our cargo-partner team in Zagreb who, together with the cargo-partner team in Ljubljana, completed the challenging EXPO 2025 project.”

A hub for thought leadership

As part of the ongoing engagement, Austria Day will take place on May 23, celebrating the nation’s contributions to the event, with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in attendance. Meanwhile, cargo-partner will host a dedicated industry event on July 18 at the Austrian Pavilion. This gathering will bring together experts to discuss the latest trends and challenges in air and sea freight between Japan and Central/Eastern Europe.

As EXPO 2025 in Osaka approaches, cargo-partner is proud to continue its crucial role in supporting both Austria’s and Croatia’s presence at this global event. From the successful transport and installation of Austria’s striking wooden loop sculpture to ensuring the timely arrival of Croatia’s immersive pavilion, cargo-partner remains dedicated to providing seamless logistics solutions for both pavilions throughout the exhibition.