DOWN TO AN ART gss.com.au

If a priceless artwork or ancient artefact needs to come to Australia, chances are Global Specialised Services (GSS) will be transporting it here. The company’s managing director, Terry Fahey, takes us behind the scenes.

What are some of the institutions you deal with?

Everyone from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate in London to The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. Domestically, we recently moved a Sidney Nolan exhibition from the National Gallery of Australia to Perth.

What about other notable works?

We once transported the Ashes urn. We’ve brought to Australia pieces by Warhol, Caravaggio, Ai Weiwei and even the Treasures of Versailles.

How are the art and artefacts packaged and transported?

Museum crates are a work of art in themselves. They’re anti-vibration, completely sealed and have a high-gloss finish so moisture runs off. Inside, they’re a microclimate of about 20°C and 50 per cent relative humidity. When they arrive in Australia, they travel in our climate-controlled trucks until they reach their destination.

When transporting something so valuable, security is key, right?

That’s why our entire process is completely hands-on. Only GSS, the institution of origin, receiver and our Qantas representative know how or when an exhibit is moving. We oversee loading and unloading at every point. Shipments travel with a courier from the institution of origin and at a stopover, we have people watching to make sure it stays on board or, if it has to come off, that it’s transferred safely to the next aircraft. This ensures our 100 per cent safe-delivery record remains intact.