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Comet Transports Precious Cargo for Marine Conservation

Comet Transports Precious Cargo for Marine Conservation

When it comes to shipping and delivery challenges, you might say that Comet Delivery has seen it all. In business since 1977, the company has based its reputation on shipping anything and everything. Even live stingrays.

Recently that was the case when Comet Delivery orchestrated the safe transport of a shipment of stingrays from Australia to the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, one of the oldest marine research laboratories in Florida.

According to Steven Seltzer, president of Comet Delivery and the Florida Messenger Association, “the stingrays were housed in a massive tank measuring 98 inches in diameter and 48 inches high. The tank, which weighed in at 7,000 lbs., was unloaded from the aircraft at Miami International Airport. The cargo then had to be inspected by U.S. Customs and Fish & Wildlife Agencies. Once it was cleared, we loaded the tank onto a truck and delivered the stingrays to their new home at Mote Marine Laboratory, an independent marine research institution comprised of world-class marine scientists who conduct important work regarding the conservation and sustainable use of our oceans.” The Smooth Stingray is the largest of all Australian stingrays (Family Dasyatidae). It grows to 4.3 m in length, 2 m disc width and a weight of 350 kg. It usually has irregular rows of small white spots on the upper surface.