Rhenus Logistics and ZOIC transport a Triceratops fossil across the Atlantic

Rhenus Logistics has successfully managed the international transport of a restored Triceratops skull from Trieste, Italy to a prestigious gallery in Dallas, Texas. The operation highlights the strategic role of logistics in preserving and sharing cultural and scientific heritage worldwide.

The shipment was commissioned by ZOIC, a company specializing in fossil restoration and reconstruction. Originally collected from the Hell Creek Formation in South Dakota, the skull weighs 318 kg and is 80 cm high, 120 cm wide and 185 cm deep. It underwent an extensive restoration process at ZOIC’s laboratories in Trieste before being prepared for its transatlantic journey.

Precision and responsibility in every step

Transporting a fossil that dates back more than 65 million years requires meticulous planning and compliance with international regulations. ZOIC designed custom packaging to protect the specimen during transit, using advanced shock-absorbing systems and specialized materials. Rhenus coordinated the entire logistics chain, from collection at the restoration site to road transfer to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), air freight to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and final delivery to the gallery in Dallas, Texas.

“When it comes to cultural assets, logistics plays a strategic role,” said Paola Calloni, Air Freight Product Country Manager at Rhenus Italy. “We are not just moving an object. We are safeguarding scientific and historical heritage that demands expertise and responsibility.”

From the field to reconstruction: the journey of a giant

The first step is always traceability. ZOIC carefully selects its suppliers by verifying documentation, provenance, geological context, and all the information necessary to ensure a transparent purchase that complies with international regulations. Then the most delicate part begins: preparation. ZOIC's experts, who have specialized in the processing of large vertebrates for decades, freed each fragment from the matrix, consolidated and reassembled the find to obtain a complete three-dimensional reconstruction, capable of restoring the original majesty of this iconic Cretaceous dinosaur.

But the journey does not end on the workbench. Once the 3D assembly, one of ZOIC's strengths, is complete, logistics come into play. Rhenus, commissioned by ZOIC, took charge of the find and planned its international transport with the same attention to detail that characterizes the restoration.

A partnership built on expertise

The collaboration between Rhenus and ZOIC reflects a shared commitment to excellence. By combining scientific knowledge with logistical precision, the two companies provide museums, collectors, and scientific institutions with a complete and transparent service that includes restoration, mounting, packaging, and shipping.

“Bringing paleontology to the world means uniting science and logistics,” said Giorgia Bacchia, Logistics and Compliance Manager at ZOIC. “It’s a collaborative effort that ensures the stories of the past continue to be heard.”

This project demonstrates how modern logistics is not only a service but a key enabler for the global dissemination of cultural and scientific heritage.