MOVIN adds Electric Vehicles (EV) to its fleet for first and last-mile deliveries. With the objective to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with its long-term sustainability goals, the deployment of the EVs begins with Delhi-NCR and will subsequently be covering Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Pune by end of 2023. The EVs were flagged off by JB Singh, Director MOVIN Express and Gregory Goba-Ble, Vice President for UPS in the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Africa and Director for MOVIN Express from the Bilaspur Hub in Gurugram. JB Singh, Director, MOVIN Express said, “As a new age climate-conscious brand launched in 2022, we are excited to announce the introduction of commercial EVs as our first and last mile fleet in the five metros by December 2023. As a company, we deeply focus on our customers’ needs and our environmental impact, we recognize the immense potential of EVs in revolutionizing the way we approach transportation by road. By embracing this transition towards adopting an electric fleet from ICEs, we not only contribute to a cleaner and greener future but also enhance the efficiency and reliability of our logistics operations. This strategic initiative aligns perfectly with our core values, showcasing our unwavering dedication to delivering sustainable solutions. With every mile driven by our EVs, we reaffirm our commitment towards building a more environmentally conscious and sustainable future.”

V-Trans launched new-age tech-driven solution, “Complexity Simplified with Solution Design” designed to streamline and optimize supply chain operations. This is launched to provide unprecedented control, efficiency, and real-time visibility to clients. Commenting on this, Jay Shah, Head – Solution Design said, “V-Trans’ relentless focus on innovation and technology has propelled the company to stay ahead of the competition. This latest offering reaffirms their commitment to providing best-in-class solutions that empower clients in an ever-evolving business landscape. By investing in the logistics sector and continuously driving advancements, V-Trans aims to deliver even more transformative solutions in the years to come”.

Air Menzies International (AMI) will move to a new warehouse facility in Johannesburg as it looks to cater for ongoing demand growth in the country. The new facility is based less than 1 km from OR Tambo International Airport and will replace AMI’s existing facility on Aviation Park, Pomona. The move is scheduled for September 2023 and will “increase capacity, improve efficiency and support long-term growth in the region”, the company said. The building includes a 47,500 sq ft warehouse. “The introduction of a new, off-airport airfreight de-group warehouse for import customers will add to the wider range of freight services already on offer to the southern African market,” AMI said in a press release. “From the opening date, the new facility will be fully compliant with the relevant regulations from the South African Civil Aviation Authority, including Part 108, requiring all screening to be done on site.” The building will have solar panels installed on the roof to produce up to 80% of the facility’s electricity demand, as well as electric forklifts and 24/7 security and CCTV.

The rising trend of Grade A development continued to gain momentum in FY 2023 with developers increasingly focusing on higher grade park development compliant to contemporary norms and the higher throughput requirements of businesses today, said Knight Frank’s latest India Warehousing and Market Report 2023. In addition to the emerging focus on sustainable development, there is an increasing need for improving the aesthetics of these warehousing parks and enabling a better working environment. 59% of the supply coming online in FY 2023 across the eight primary markets was in Grade A properties compared to 55% in FY 2022. Six out of the eight markets have seen the share of grade A stock increase in FY 2023 compared to the previous year.

TVS Industrial & Logistics Parks (TVS ILP), part of TVS Mobility Group, has plans to invest $1 billion in developing 20 million square feet of infrastructure in 20 different warehousing parks in the country in the next three to four years. TVS ILP already has 11 logistics parks in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan with a cumulative space availability of 10 million sq. ft. The company currently has a 35 clients from across segments viz. FMCG, FMCD, 3PLS (third party logistics in supply chain management), CDE (Consumer Durables and Electronics), e-commerce, automotive and manufacturing.

The global air charter services market is slated to touch $53.65 billion at a 5.8% CAGR by 2032,(including passenger and cargo), says latest Market Research Future (MRFR) report, adding, charters are mainly utilised for time-sensitive and high-value freight transportation such as specialised cargo, oversized shipments, or urgent deliveries that are required immediately and cannot be accommodated by regular cargo airlines or by scheduled air cargo services. Charter capacity is also utilised when the demand for airfreight is high and the available capacity offered by commercial carriers is low and this situation particularly occurred during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The non-compliance of RA3 regulations has affected exporters especially from the fruits & vegetables fraternity who failed to meet their commitments to their respective buyers in UK/Europe during the ongoing Mangoes season, says Sunil Kohli, Managing Director, Rahat Cargo, adding since many airports which were convenient for the shippers to forward the goods, declined acceptance due to absence of RA3 approval. The concerns were raised from several quarters to many forums yet no resolutions could be achieved till date. Perhaps a determined intervention by the government with all the stakeholders could have yielded a positive outcome. The non-operations of much needed freighters from major Indian stations continues to remain elusive whereas the capacity constraints on the pax version aircraft go on unabated which is bound to retard the export momentum.”

Xerrxes Master, President, Association Of Multimodal Transport Operators of India (AMTOI) says, Recently, several incidents of cargo smuggling and security breaches were reported at these airports, which led to concerns about the safety and security of cargo movement, that’s why the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has suspended cargo movement at 11 airports in India, including Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Pune, due to non-compliance with security RA3 regulations. The BCAS has mandated several security measures to ensure the safe and secure movement of cargo, including the screening of cargo and the use of tamper-evident seals. However, many airports were found to be non-compliant with these regulations, which prompted the suspension of cargo movement. The suspension has caused significant disruptions to the supply chain and logistics industry in India. It is important for the airports to take measures to comply with the BCAS regulations to ensure the safe and secure movement of cargo and to avoid any further disruptions to the industry.

Israeli airline El Al has secured regulatory approval to operate dedicated freighters from the Israeli civil aviation authority. It awaits its first converted aircraft now, Boeing 737-800 converted freighter. The extension to its commercial licence gives the airline the right to transport freight using all-cargo aircraft until June 5 next year. El Al had disclosed last October that the regulator was intending to cancel the airline’s freighter authorisation because it did not have the minimum of two cargo aircraft in its fleet. With a planned amendment to the regulation reducing this minimum requirement to a single aircraft, El Al opted to acquire a Boeing 737-800 converted freighter. The airline recently stated that the introduction of this freighter, through a dry-lease arrangement, has been held up for a few months by validation procedures. But it states that it obtained an amendment to its commercial licence from the civil aviation authority on June 7 granting the carrier the all-cargo aircraft rights.

Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) has become the first ground handler in the world to receive IATA’s environmental management system certification – the IATA Environmental Assessment programme (IEnvA). The IEnvA for Ground and Cargo Handling Service Organisations certificate, which is an expansion of the IEnvA for Airlines programme, was launched last year. QAS signed up as part of the pilot phase, becoming the first organisation globally to join the extended IEnvA programme. The bespoke standards developed by IATA, in collaboration with Qatar Airways Group and international sustainability experts, set a framework for achieving environmental sustainability across all ground operations. The scope for certification included QAS offices and workshop buildings, ground handling operations and equipment, cargo handling operations and equipment, and maintenance activities.