PayCargo Capital has signed a deal with Evolve Bank & Trust (Evolve) to allow freight forwarders (FFs) and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) get credit access at the point of paying freight costs. PayCargo Capital is the exclusive lending partner to users of PayCargo, LLC’s payment platform for vital remittance information between payers and transportation-related vendors. PayCargo has over 67,000 active users remitting and receiving payments. The partnership will immediately fund the PayCargo Line of Credit, which eliminates financial delays contributing to the on-going supply chain crisis, Paycargo said in a statement. Qualified FFs, importers and BCOs in North America who use the PayCargo platform can extend vendor payments by 30 days using credit, the statement added. “PayCargo Capital offers credit terms on freight charges, previously available to only a few large companies,” says Philip J Philliou,CEO, PayCargo Capital. “Clients tell us that our timely credit solution prevents expensive demurrage charges and speeds goods on their way to their final destination. Both air and ocean freight expenses are higher than in prior years and the need for funding is significant. In today’s environment, with Evolve as our lending partner, PayCargo Capital will grow stronger as a technology-enabled financing provider and help more businesses with their cash flow needs.”

Gujrat Pipavav Ports and Indian Railways’ joint venture – Pipavav Rail Corporation – launched a regular double stack, hub-and-spoke rail connection to Jodhpur last week. APM Terminals Pipavav is a growing private harbour on India’s west coast and rolled out customer-centric container rail services connecting to Jodhpur Inland Container Depot, a key interior point in the north. The move was made keeping in mind the growing importance of value added services in long-haul freight contracts and the shift of terminal operators’ priority towards inland services. It increases the carrying capacity per trip from 90 teu to the double figure of 180 teu. The initiative is likely to help the trade to connect with their markets quickly and competitively. It is a weekly service but not always double-stack” APMT Pipavav

With the leasing of four A321ceo freighter aircraft with a capacity to handle 27 tonnes of cargo, Indigo’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)William Boulter assured the arrival of A321ceo freighter plane during the first half of 2022, showing the airline’s seriousness about growing its cargo business. He said, “Our cargo business has been one of the successes during the pandemic. We have operated close to 8,000 cargo-in-cabin charter flights.” Currently operating in 71 domestic cities, the carrier has the capability of Cargo operations in each of those pointed. On the topic of the aforementioned four cargo aircraft, he said, “The first aircraft has just gone to Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited as it’s being converted (from passenger aircraft to freighter aircraft) as we speak. It will be out sometime in the first half of next year.” Further, he added, “This will be a statement to everybody that IndiGo is very serious about cargo and that cargo is going to become a significant part of our business,”

SAL Saudi Logistics Services, a member of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation, launched the extension of its new Jeddah Station. The Jeddah station extension is expected to increase SAL’s annual cargo capacity to over 800K tons in 2030 while providing retailers and companies new premium cargo services at KAIA in Jeddah. Fawaz AlFawaz, chairman, SAL Board said, “The launch of the new extension comes in parallel with the National Industrial Development Program (NIDLP) – one of Vision 2030’s most prominent programs – aiming at transforming the Kingdom into a global logistics hub, contributing to a robust and diversified economy, sustaining the growth of the sector, and creating highly competitive investment opportunities.” AlFawaz also highlighted that this launch realizes the true ground handling potential of SAL where the company utilizes its logistics expertise to provide more developed services and solutions in and out of airports and expertly serve the international markets to strengthen the connectivity of KSA ports with those of the entire globe.

Maersk has signed an all-cash deal to acquire 100 percent shares in LF Logistics for $3.6 billion. “LF Logistics is a well-established and strongly positioned Asia-Pacific-based omnichannel fulfilment contract logistics company,” according to an official statement from Maersk. The acquisition will strengthen Maersk’s capabilities as an integrated container logistics company, offering global end-to-end supply chain solutions to its customers, the statement added. LF Logistics is a private, Hong Kong-based company owned by Li & Fung (78.3 percent) and Temasek Holdings (21.7 percent) that focuses on providing contract logistics solutions to customers in Asia-Pacific organised through two key business units – In-Country Logistics (ICL) and Global Freight Management (GFM).

SF Airlines is rapidly expandin it’s freighter fleet with an additional B767 aircraft. The China-based express carrier last week added a B767-300 widebody freighter (B-221D), bringing its total fleet to 68 aircraft. Since the start of the year, the carrier has added a total of seven freighters: three B757-200s and four B767-300s. “The continuous expansion of aircraft capacity is one of the footholds for SF Airlines to continuously strengthen its aviation logistics capabilities, improve the quality of supply chain services, and promote the high-quality development of civil aviation,” said airlines spokesperson. “The further expansion of the fleet can provide stronger support for the development and operation of international routes, and at the same time, it will provide more adequate transportation capacity guarantee for the approaching Spring Festival logistics peak period.”

UPS has ordered 19 767 Freighters with Boeing. The new order highlights the 767 Freighter’s operational efficiency and payload capability to serve customers at a time of robust air cargo demand. Based on the 767-300ER (Extended Range) passenger jet, the 767 Freighter carries up to 52.4 tons of revenue cargo with intercontinental range, serving as a flexible platform for long-haul, regional and feeder markets. UPS currently operates 236 Boeing freighters including the 747, 757, 767 and MD-11. “The Boeing 767 is the most versatile aircraft we operate. Our plan to purchase 19 aircraft and take delivery between 2023 and 2025 aligns with the strategy and capital expenditure forecast shared during our June 2021 Investor and Analyst Day. It also supports our sustainability efforts by making our fleet more efficient and improving reliability,” said Nando Cesarone, U.S. Operations President, UPS. The deal adds to a record-breaking year for Boeing freighter sales, including 80 firm orders for new widebody freighters and more than 80 orders for Boeing Converted Freighters, says the official release.

rThe fiscal year 2021-22 is expected to end with merchandise exports of US$ 400 Bn. As this would be on a high base for FY’ 2022-23 unlike last year, said FIEO President, Dr A Sakthivel. Thus, export growth of 30-35% on such numbers would be difficult particularly as additional exports may require augmenting the capacity as well. Moreover, the spectacular increase in global trade by about 22%, buoyed by high prices of commodities, as witnessed in 2021 will not be there to provide the tail wind to our exports. However, at the same time, since our share in global trade is still less than 2%, we still have a long way to go. Much will depend on whether we would be able to contain Covid-19 through massive vaccination across the globe and be able to create required capacity, which will decide whether we should look for 15-20% growth or even more for the next financial year, added Dr Sakthivel. FIEO President further added that we expect the global consumption to go up substantially in 2022, albeit the pandemic is controlled. The good thing with our exports has been a very balanced growth across sectors both in traditional exports as well as sunrise sectors of exports during the current fiscal. Therefore, in the next year as well, we feel that exports growth will be widespread and exports to NAFTA, Europe, Middle-East, Oceania will continue to boom particularly as we should look at concluding Free Trade Agreements with UK & UAE soon and CEPA & CECA with Canada & Australia respectively in 2022, said Dr Sakthivel.

Menzies Aviation’s Sydney and Melbourne bases are recognised by IATA with the Center of Excellence of Independent Validators for Pharmaceutical Logistics accreditation (CEIV Pharma) accreditations. The CEIV Pharma programme is a multi-stage process of independent audits, validation and training, which upskills employees and ensures that handlers upgrade their procedures, processes, risk assessment methodology and infrastructure for the delicate handling of time and temperature-sensitive pharma products. This accreditation formally endorses Menzies’ ability to safely handle high-value, time-sensitive and temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals transported into and out of LHR (London Heathrow Airport) and BUD (Budapest Airport), in line with shipper requirements and with the speed and consistency required.

The center plans to introduce a warehousing policy laying the roadmap for developing exclusive warehousing zones through public-private partnerships to ease transportation and logistics costs. To be set up with proper storage facilities the zones will be on the outskirts of major cities to avoid traffic congestion within city limits. The policy will be framed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that will also be the implementing agency. NHAI member Manoj Kumar said the policy is at the final stages and will be out in the public domain before the year-end. The zones will use land banks along highways and expressways available with the NHAI. Under the public-private partnership (PPP) model land will be offered to private developers for constructing warehousing zones on a revenue-sharing basis or for a fixed fee. The terms of the agreements will be finalized later. The fast-moving consumer goods companies along with steel and cement makers will benefit from the warehousing zones as they will be able to stock inventory efficiently near major hubs.