APS case: delivery of historical value from island of Malta to exhibition in Russia

Route: Malta – Russia – Malta
Vehicle: refrigerated truck
Cargo: art object

Since 1789, the Embassy hall of the grandmasters' Palace in Valletta has been decorated with a portrait of Russian Empress Catherine II which the Malthusian Order received as a diplomatic gift. APS participated in the first return of the piece of painting to Russia for an exhibition at the Tsaritsyno Museum-reserve (Moscow).


Client’s request
Safe delivery of the exhibit with strict maintenance of temperature regime.

APS solution
Malta is an island country in the heart of the Mediterranean. Despite its small size, the country is famous for architectural monuments of different eras, and the capital Valletta is a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Malta.

The vehicle arrived at the loading point by ferry from the Italian city Livorno. The voyage along the picturesque coast of the Apennine Peninsula lasted for 46 hours.


The refrigerator was loaded on a specially created site outside the city to prevent interfering with traffic at the narrow streets of Valletta. The route and halting points were agreed before the start of the carriage. To control the condition of the cargo, an employee of the Maltese Palace Museum started on a trip in the driver's cabin. The attendant was observing the temperature of the refrigeration unit and sending the information to the Museum.

With the involvement of APS, a part of the cultural heritage of Maltese-Russian relations was delivered to Russia.