Everyone in the transport industry knows just how prestigious this award is. The ESTA Awards of Excellence is to our field what the Oscars are to the film world—the ultimate recognition, a clear signal of who is setting the pace and daring to do things differently.
Transporting tanks, innovation, and a 700-kilometre challenge
There are moments in the life of every company that define its market position for years to come. For us, one of those moments is winning the ESTA Awards of Excellence for the second time. It’s the highest honour a company in the field of heavy, oversized, and specialist transport can receive. This year’s edition was particularly special for us—we were recognised in one of the most demanding categories: “Abnormal Transport, Total mass < 120 t”.
When we began planning the transportation of seven oversized gas tanks from Poland to Germany, we knew this wouldn’t be an ordinary task. We needed solutions that would guarantee safety, efficiency, and time savings for our client. The challenge was significant—each tank was over 30 metres long, more than 4 metres in diameter, weighed 76 tonnes, and had to be transported over 700 kilometres.
Together with the client, we meticulously refined every detail, as the transport method had to be considered already at the tank design stage. We implemented a solution never before used for this type of cargo: we adapted wind turbine transport adapters to accommodate a completely new type of structure. Our approach was truly interdisciplinary, combining engineering, logistics planning, and technological innovation. That mindset paved the way to success. This bold approach was noticed and appreciated by the ESTA jury, who—by nominating us for the top prize—acknowledged that OL-TRANS belongs among Europe’s transport elite.
Back in 2018, when we received the ESTA Award of Excellence for transporting a 25-metre Christmas tree to the Vatican, we demonstrated our ability to handle unique and delicate cargo. Today, we prove that we are ready to meet the demands of modern industry and to drive innovations that reshape the way Europe thinks about heavy transport.
What is the ESTA Awards of Excellence?
There are many industry competitions in the world of heavy and oversized transport, but only one carries such weight that even participating becomes an achievement. The ESTA Awards of Excellence is organised by the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA). The awards ceremony is often likened to the Oscars, with the trophies dubbed the “Transport Oscars”.
Each year, the jury evaluates projects in several categories, including transport operations under and over 120 tonnes, crane-based operations, training initiatives, technological innovations, and safety-enhancing measures. In every category, more than just the end result matters. The path to success, the ability to overcome unforeseen obstacles, and the creativity required to bring previously theoretical concepts to life are all taken into account.
The submissions are judged by a panel of international experts with deep knowledge of the sector, capable of recognising true quality where others might see just another completed job. Being shortlisted is a testament to a company’s ambition, long-term vision, and ability to turn ideas into reality. Winning—as we did—places a company among the industry’s top players and sends a clear message: something remarkable is happening here.
The ESTA Award of Excellence 2025 is both a validation of our work and a source of inspiration for our future. We are proud to be contributing to the creation of new standards in heavy transport across Europe.
The 2025 Transport Oscar in hand. What’s next?
We believe that the ESTA Awards of Excellence 2025 will further cement our position among Europe’s leading specialist transport providers. We are also confident it will serve as a strong message to our clients and business partners: when OL-TRANS handles a project—from concept and planning to execution—it always meets the highest industry standards while delivering real value and streamlining every stage of the transport process.
This award is not just for the company, but for every individual who makes OL-TRANS what it is—from project managers and logistics planners to drivers and service teams. Each of them plays a vital role in our success, and this recognition shows that we function as a unified, high-performing team. We thank everyone who contributed to this achievement. As the company’s founder, Mr. Aleksander Rybka, says:
“This is innovation on a European scale. No one has ever transported tanks in this way before. With this, we’ve created a new standard in abnormal transport.”
