How Gold Is Transported Securely Across Countries: Brink's, Loomis, Malca-Amit and Insured Logistics

Every year, roughly 10,000 tonnes of physical gold cross international borders. From Swiss refineries to Indian dealers, from Russian mines to Chinese vaults, from London to New York for COMEX delivery, gold is constantly in motion. This is one of the largest insured logistics businesses in the world and one of the least visible to the public. The companies that handle it are deliberately low-profile. Their work is the invisible backbone of the global gold market.

The size of the cross-border gold market

The three big logistics firms

1. Brink's Company

Founded in 1859 in Chicago. The largest secure logistics firm in the world, operating in 100+ countries. Brink's vaults serve as approved storage for COMEX delivery, for several gold ETFs, and for central-bank holdings. Brink's also operates the secure cargo terminals at major airports for high-value shipments. Its bullion division handles allocated transport, vault storage, and global custody for institutional clients.

2. Loomis (formerly Securitas Cash Services)

Swedish-origin, now global. Loomis operates secure transport across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Its precious metals division handles refinery-to-vault transfers, central-bank movements, and ETF deliveries. Loomis was formed from the Securitas cash logistics arm in 2006 and rebranded fully in 2008.

3. Malca-Amit

Israeli-origin, founded in 1963. Specializes in high-value transport across precious metals, diamonds, art, and fine jewelry. Operates secure free-zone vaults in Geneva, Singapore, Hong Kong, and New York. Often handles the most sensitive shipments where extreme discretion is required.

Smaller specialists

• Ferrari Group specializes in luxury goods and precious metals logistics, headquartered in Italy.
• GardaWorld is Canadian-origin, strong in cash and bullion transport in North America and parts of Europe.
• Prosegur is Spanish-origin with strong Iberian and Latin American precious-metals coverage.
• G4S Cash Solutions is UK-based with global secure transport including bullion.
• Via Mat is Swiss-origin, now part of Loomis, traditional Swiss refinery transport.
• Rosan Diamond and Bullion is a niche India-focused operator.

How gold actually moves

1. Air transport (the default for international)

Most international gold shipments fly as commercial cargo on regular passenger or freight airlines. Gold is loaded as a sealed, opaque cargo unit in the standard belly hold or main deck. The aircraft crew typically does not know the cargo content. Major hubs include Zurich, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, and JFK. Lufthansa Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, Cathay Pacific Cargo, and Korean Air Cargo handle large bullion volumes.

2. Sea and sea-freight (for very large volumes)

Less common but used for very large shipments where air is impractical or cost is critical. Sea transport is slower but cheaper per kilo for very large consignments. Used historically for war-time and crisis movements (UK to Canada in WWII, for example).

3. Road and armoured ground transport

Used for shorter regional movements and the all-important first and last mile between vaults, refiners, and airports. Armoured vehicles operate on planned routes with discreet timing. The vehicle is rarely the highest security feature; convoy security and route variability matter more.

4. Military or state diplomatic transport

Used by central banks for the most sensitive movements, such as Germany's 2013-2017 gold repatriation from New York and Paris to Frankfurt. The German Bundesbank used a combination of military, state diplomatic, and contracted secure transport. Russia's gold reserves are believed to move primarily via state-controlled channels.

Major transport routes

The insurance side

Every gold shipment is insured, typically through specialist syndicates at Lloyd's of London. Premiums depend on origin, destination, route security, transport mode, and value. Typical insurance cost is 0.05 to 0.20 percent of the gold value, sometimes higher for difficult routes. The Lloyd's market alone underwrites billions of dollars of bullion-in-transit cover annually.

Security protocols

1. 1.Route secrecy: actual route is decided last-minute; only essential personnel know.
2. 2.Decoys: dummy shipments may move alongside or just before the real one.
3. 3.Convoy variability: multiple vehicles, varying routes and timings.
4. 4.Background checks: every crew member vetted, including airline cargo handlers.
5. 5.Tamper-evident sealing: bars sealed in unique containers with chain-of-custody.
6. 6.GPS tracking: real-time monitoring with secure encrypted channels.
7. 7.Insurance compliance: route and protocols must match the insurance contract.

Famous heists and incidents

• Brink's-Mat robbery (1983, UK): 6,800 ounces of gold stolen from Heathrow warehouse, worth around 26 million pounds at the time. Most never recovered.
• Lufthansa heist (1978, JFK): gold and cash stolen, total around 6 million dollars (famously depicted in Goodfellas).
• Sao Paulo airport (2019): 750 kg of gold stolen in an inside job; some recovered.
• Toronto airport (2023): 6,600 troy ounces of gold and cash stolen from Air Canada cargo facility; ongoing investigation.
• Multiple smaller incidents: in transit between vaults are rare but publicized when they occur.

Costs of shipping gold

Documentation required

• Bill of lading or air waybill specifying weight, origin, destination.
• Bar list showing serial numbers, weights, fineness.
• Insurance certificate from underwriter (Lloyd's typical).
• Customs declaration for cross-border movement.
• OECD due-diligence documentation for responsible sourcing.
• End-user statements for some destination countries.

Frequently asked questions

How much gold is shipped internationally each year?

Approximately 10,000 tonnes per year in cross-border movements, including refining flows, vault transfers, and final-buyer shipments.

Who insures gold in transit?

Primarily specialist syndicates at Lloyd's of London. Several other large insurers (Allianz, AIG, Marsh) also underwrite bullion-in-transit policies.

How is gold flown internationally?

As sealed cargo on regular passenger or freight aircraft, loaded by trained ground crews and tracked through specialized cargo terminals at major airports.

What is Brink's role in the gold market?

Brink's is the largest secure logistics company in the world. It operates approved vaults, transports gold for institutional clients, and serves as custodian for several major gold ETFs.

How does Germany move 674 tonnes of gold across continents?

The Bundesbank's 2013-2017 repatriation used a combination of secure commercial transport, military and state diplomatic channels, and routing variability. Each shipment was a multi-stage operation; total cost was around 7.7 million euros.

Has gold ever been lost in transit?

Yes occasionally. Brink's-Mat (1983), Toronto airport (2023), and smaller incidents. Insurance typically covers full value, so the financial loss falls on insurers rather than the gold owner.

Why does gold move from Switzerland to Asia?

Switzerland refines roughly two-thirds of the world's gold. Asian demand (China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore) is the largest end-market. The flow follows the demand pattern.

Can private individuals ship gold internationally?

Yes through bullion dealers who use Brink's, Malca-Amit, or similar. Personal carriage is allowed in some jurisdictions but requires customs declaration and is rarely the practical choice for large amounts.

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