Arun Kumar, President, Association of Multimodal Trasport Operators of India (AMTOI) says, “While I agree that road transport is the preferred mode for certain types of cargo, such as retail, FMCG, pharma, perishables, etc., I believe this is largely due to the remarkable development of road infrastructure in the country. This has significantly reduced transit times and minimized multiple handling, enhancing economic viability. It is a common perception that the lack of storage facilities and capacity at air cargo terminals is the reason for this type of cargo moving by road. However, in my view, this belief is somewhat misplaced. The challenges are more likely due to security concerns and the fact that domestic air carriage remains largely unorganized, which hampers its efficiency. Additionally, the relatively higher cost of air transport compared to other modes contributes to this shift

Xerrxes Master, Managing Director, Master Group of Companies says, “Road transportation is becoming the preferred mode for cargo transportation in sectors like Retail, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals and perishables. This shift is mainly due to lack of storage facilities at the airports due to limited capacity, high demand and storage challenges whereas in Road Transportation there is flexibility, cost-effectiveness, door-to-door service and improved infrastructure. For example, Pharmaceuticals often require careful handling, controlled temperatures, and fast delivery. Road transportation companies have improved their ability to meet these needs with specialized trucks and temperature-controlled vehicles making roads a preferred option over congested airport terminals. Perishables like fruits, vegetables and dry products need to be transported quickly to avoid spoilage. The lack of sufficient cold storage facilities at many airports makes suppliers rely on refrigerated trucks to ensure faster and more reliable transport. Retail and FMCG sectors rely on quick turnover and replenishment of stocks to meet demand. Road transport allows frequent small-batch deliveries to retail stores which helps in better inventory management.  Additionally, road transport offers more control over logistics and schedules compared to air transport which is dependent on flight availability. Thus, emerging trends in logistics such as coal chain logistics, technology-driven solutions and sustainability make road transport a more viable option.”

With the focus on developing best-in-class grade A infrastructure at multimodal warehouses across the country and improving connectivity, FICCI organised the National Summit on Warehousing & Supply Chain in New Delhi, themed Driving Efficiency with Innovative Solutions. The full-day event also focused on integrating advanced technologies such as IoT, Block Chain, AI, automation and ML to improve operational efficiency in warehouses. It also touched upon sustainable warehousing solutions and green investments which is relatively a new concept in the Indian market. The event witnessed participation from industry leaders and govt officials.

IAG Cargo has strengthened a pre-existing relationship with animal transportation services provider Animal Care such that the latter now serves as the cargo carrier’s export partner for animals at London Heathrow International Airport, in addition to having been its animal import partner since February 2023. According to Animal Aircare, the expansion of the partnership – which actually went into effect in early August – is “testament to its proven expertise in handling the transportation of animals” as well as highlighting both companies’ commitment to ensuring the welfare of animals in transit.

Challenge Group has completed its Boeing 767 conversion programme with the deployment of two newly converted 767-300 freighters. It now has – as planned – four B767-300BDSF aircraft in its fleet, the first of which was delivered in autumn last year. Each aircraft has a cargo capacity of approximately 400m3 and is able to carry up to 52 tons. The converted aircraft also include features such as reinforced floors and wide cargo doors for large shipments, while also said to benefit from ‘optimised fuel efficiency’ that make them ideal for operations on both short- and medium-haul routes.

Xeneta has announced a partnership with eeSea that will provide visibility into pro-forma transit times within the Xeneta platform, says LinkedIn post.  “Integrating Xeneta’s market-leading ocean and air freight rate data with eeSea’s comprehensive port-to-port transit time data will enable shippers, freight forwarders and carriers to correlate transit times directly with rate fluctuations — providing a more holistic view of shipping performance,” post adds. “Our customers need to connect ocean transit times with the pricing they receive from suppliers,” says Thorsten Diephaus, Vice President, Strategic Alliances, Xeneta. “Adding eeSea’s pro-forma transit time data as well as real-time transit time data to Xeneta will empower our customers to make better decisions, and ultimately move us towards a more efficient and transparent global shipping ecosystem,” he adds.

Prakash Singh, COO, Jeena Criticare Logistics says, “Handling dangerous goods requires strict adherence to safety protocols to prevent accidents and to ensure the safety of our personnel, equipment, and the environment. To maintain our commitment to safety and compliance and to ensure proper compliance Jeena Makes sure that each branch has DG certified person to handle DG shipments. While handling DG shipment, Jeena ensures Proper classification of Goods as per the Hazard class with proper labeling and marking to identify the nature of the risk involved followed by proper packing standards to prevent leaks, spills, or contamination during transport.”

Luxembourg-based cargo airline Cargolux and Unit Load Device (ULD) provider Unilode Aviation Solutions have renewed their longstanding partnership. Cargolux first awarded the management of its ULD fleet to Unilode in 2009. Unilode, which now has a fleet of 172,000 ULDs, provides a dedicated customer success management team based in Luxembourg, plus network planning through its operations control centre in Bangkok.

Qatar Airways Cargo has signed a co-operation agreement with Qatar Postal Service Company (Qatar Post). This strategic collaboration is a testament to their shared commitment towards postal activities and mail transportation to and from Doha. “We are pleased to strengthen our cooperation with Qatar Airways and look forward to achieving sustainable and mutually beneficial successes in postal and logistical services that serve our customers’ interests. We emphasise the importance of forming strategic partnerships between Qatar Post and national companies adhering to global standards such as Qatar Airways. In addition, our Mail product provides seamless 100 per cent EDI integration for bookings, a dedicated hub warehouse for streamlined operations, and end-to-end track and trace capabilities for real-time shipment visibility,” said Faleh Bin Mohammed Al-Naemi, Chairman and managing Director, Qatar Post said.