Our expertise
Transporting works of art
Secure, tailor-made transport solutions for all your works, in France and internationally.
For 40 years, Group ESI has moved paintings, sculptures and museum installations for museums, galleries and private collectors, in France and abroad.
Specialised resources for controlled transport
Your works travel in dedicated vehicles fitted with pneumatic hydraulic suspension and climate control that holds a stable temperature between 18 and 22 °C with regulated humidity. Securing systems are matched to the shape of each piece.
Every convoy is tracked by GPS in real time, documented by a condition report at collection and at delivery and, where the lender requires it, accompanied by a specialist courier on board.
For works that are exceptional in size or value, we arrange escorted transport, outside standard traffic hours where necessary.
Packing and handling to museum standards
Before any transport, each work is the subject of a joint condition report, carried out in the presence of the owner or their representative and documented with photographs and a written report. This protocol, in line with the practice of institutional lenders, ensures the work is traceable throughout its journey.
Bespoke crating is built in house: plywood, closed-cell polyethylene foam blocking, hygroscopic insulation for pieces sensitive to changes in humidity.
Loading and unloading are handled by technicians trained in the handling of works of art, equipped for bulky or heavy pieces.
The condition report also serves as the basis for the declared value: full details of our cover are set out on insurance for fine art transport.
International transport: customs formalities and ATA carnets
For any transport to or from abroad, Group ESI handles all customs formalities: temporary export declarations, ATA carnets for international exhibitions and export licences for cultural goods subject to regulation.
Our Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status simplifies clearance procedures and guarantees priority processing at borders. Our in-house customs declarants coordinate logistics schedules with the regulatory constraints of each country.
We also manage suspensive customs procedures for international fairs: Art Basel, TEFAF, FIAC.
Art transport solutions matched to each project
Whether you manage an institutional collection, run a gallery or collect privately, our teams organise each transport around the nature of the works, the schedule and the lender’s requirements. From a single movement to the touring of a complete exhibition, we adapt our resources to each configuration.
Every assignment is led by a dedicated contact, in direct touch with the client at each stage: preparation, convoy, delivery, final report. Confidentiality of information about the works and their owners is guaranteed at every level of our organisation.
As part of an exhibition project or between two movements, we also offer secure, climate-controlled storage under 24-hour surveillance in the Paris region, close to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
Group ESI, logistics partner to the art world
Present in France and internationally, in New York, London, Dubai, Madrid and Milan, Group ESI works with national and private museums, galleries and auction houses across all their logistics needs.
Our AEO certification, issued by the French customs authorities, attests to the reliability of our procedures and our compliance with the most demanding standards in the sector. Forty years of experience, an international presence and dedicated teams: we are the trusted partner for projects that leave no room for approximation.
Frequently asked questions about fine art transport
How does an international art transport work?
An international art transport involves several successive stages: a joint condition report, bespoke packing and crating, preparation of the customs documents (ATA carnet, export licence where required), carriage by climate-controlled vehicle or secure air freight, and delivery with a final condition report. Every stage is traced and documented.
What is an ATA carnet and why is it used for works of art?
The ATA carnet (Temporary Admission) is an international customs document that allows works of art to be exported temporarily without payment of customs duty in countries party to the convention.
It is essential for touring exhibitions, international fairs and loans between museum institutions.
What types of work do you transport?
Our teams transport every category of work: paintings on canvas and panel, sculpture (marble, bronze, wood, resin), contemporary installations, framed photographs, archaeological objects, art furniture and high-value decorative pieces.
For monumental works, we carry out a logistics feasibility study beforehand.
How do you guarantee traceability during transport?
Each work is identified by a named collection note accompanied by a photographic condition report.
A dedicated contact follows each convoy and reports progress to the client and, where necessary, to the insurer or the institutional lender.
Are you certified for international art transport?
Group ESI holds Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status, issued by the French customs authorities. This certification attests to the reliability of our logistics and customs procedures and facilitates clearance throughout the European Union and beyond.
Our fine art
transport services
From condition report to hanging, every step is documented and entrusted to technicians trained to museum standards.
Joint condition report
Carried out with the owner or their representative, documented with photographs and a written report, on departure and on arrival.
Bespoke crating
Crates built in our workshop: plywood, cut-foam blocking and protection adapted to each piece.
Climate-controlled, air-suspended vehicles
Air suspension, stable temperature between 18 and 22 °C, controlled humidity and lashing adapted to the shape of the work.
GPS tracking and courier service
Real-time traceability of each convoy and, where the lender requires it, accompaniment by a specialist courier.
ATA carnets and licences
Temporary export, ATA carnets for international exhibitions and licences for regulated cultural goods.
Hanging and installation
On-site unpacking, installation according to the scenographic plan, then identical recrating at dismantling.