Ukrainian Antonov Airlines, in cooperation with Air Charter Service, provided an urgent air cargo transport solution to move oversized solar turbine from San Bernandino, USA to Avalon, Australia on board an AN-124-100 aircraft. The cargo journey took four days, said an official release. “The total weight of the cargo was 67 tonnes including additional equipment and solar turbine weighting 35.5 tonnes, 11.33 metre length and 3.63 metre height. The size of the cargo determined the AN-124-100 aircraft type is the only option for transporting the unit by air. For loading and unloading the turbine on the stand ,the special ramp system for tall cargoes was used, designed by in-house Antonov`s engineers as well as onboard winch. The external cranes for cargoes up to 100 tonnes were provided by Air Charter Service at both airports.” After successful delivery to the Avalon airport, Air Charter Service took care of transporting the cargo to Winchelsea, Victoria where the solar turbine and additional equipment will be used at the gas compressor expansion plant, the release added. “One of the airports on the route was extremely loaded to provide us a technical stop, therefore we had to find another one urgently,” says Olha Danylova, Commercial Executive, Antonov Airlines. “Taking into consideration the strict deadline on arriving at the destination, both teams showed flexibility and rapidly arranged the alternative route. Thanks to well-coordinated work, we completed the project in time.” Jack Emanuel, Cargo Team Leader, Air Charter Service adds: “We are delighted to work with Antonov Airlines on this crucial project for the energy sector as the global experts for heavy lift cargo transporting. It was a pleasure to work with Antonov`s team, their expertise and …

NCR based Industrial and Logistics real estate developer Pragati Group, has raised $200 Million of equity capital from a Private Equity fund based in Singapore. Pragati has been offering customized warehouse development solutions since its inception in 2010 to top MNCs like Amazon India, Flipkart, DHL-Bluedart, Bosch, Daikin, and many more. The Singapore based fund has committed to invest $200 Million with Pragati Group towards development of industrial and logistics real estate assets as per the deal signed in Q3 FY 2022. Part of the deal involved acquisition of 2 international grade operational assets of approx. 2 million sft of GLA in NCR, Pragati One & Pragati Farukhnagar Logistics Parks, providing successful exit to the previous financial partner Morgan Stanley. Part of the deal also saw this fund acquire an equity stake in Pragati. Col. Jitender Yadav, Founder of Pragati Group said, “Pragati’s vision is to be one of the top 5 industrial & logistics real estate developers in the country by developing a portfolio spanning 30 million sq.ft across key Tier I and Tier II Indian cities with best in class Grade A specifications and with sustainability and ESG at the heart of our business. Pragati has an excellent track record of working with world class companies like Amazon, Flipkart, DHL, Daikin, Bosch etc. and this capital will enable us to expand to other major cities in India.”

Coldman Logistics has launched its all new all purpose warehouse of 9,000 Pallets capacity near JNPT Port, this is the company’s second launch for the year; with this launch Coldman is now available at 14 cities with 1,00,000+ Pallets position across the country, said company’s official Linkedin post. “Our new facility is equipped with the latest technology, providing us with the capacity to store more products and streamline our operations. This expansion is a result of our dedication to providing exceptional service to our customers and our commitment to meeting your evolving needs. The warehouse is strategically located just 11 KM away from JNPT Port, making it easier for us to access major transportation routes, EXIM cargos ultimately resulting in faster and more reliable deliveries. Our new facility is an environmentally conscious facility, with sustainable practices implemented throughout our operations. This includes energy-efficient lighting, recycling programs, and an efficient use of resources, which aligns with our company’s commitment to sustainability. We continue to offer you, our customers, the same high-quality products and services that is synonymous with our name, but with improved efficiency and speed. We are grateful for your continued trust in our brand, and we look forward to serving you from our new facility,” said post.

FedEx Express has expanded its Stuttgart Air Gateway air cargo facility and commissioned a new sorter at the site. The new setup improves handling speed and capacity, helping to meet export and import demand from customers in the region. In addition to more than tripling sorting capacity, the facility offers an almost fivefold increase in capacity for X-raying airfreight shipments, said FedEx. The warehouse, which has been expanded from 800 sq m to 3,000 sq m, also enables better handling of freight and dangerous goods. Stuttgart Air Gateway is currently connected to FedEx’s main European hub, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, with four outbound and four inbound flights a week. This route is flown with a B737 freighter. An ATR 72 turboprop will be used on another route between Stuttgart and Liège. “The expansion is further evidence of our growth strategy in Europe. We have invested to offer our customers in the region even more service and opportunities. FedEx Express is a strong partner and supports large, medium-sized and smaller companies to grow their business,” said Stefan Dries, FedEx Express vice president ground operations Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Qantas Group plans to add “three additional” Airbus A321 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft to help Qantas Freight meet air cargo demand. According to a statement from the Group, the aircraft will help “maintain required capacity despite manufacturer delays to new aircraft” and “burn up to 25% less fuel than the models they replace”. However, the Group did not specify when these freighters would arrive, which company would be converting them, or whether they were already converted, and where they would operate. In August 2022, Qantas Freight said it would increase its domestic fleet with six Airbus A321 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft to meet growing e-commerce demand from its customers. The Australian airfreight carrier said the A321s, which are expected to progressively arrive between 2024 and mid-2026, will be sourced on the open market and converted to freighters.

Airport operator Fraport is trialling an autonomous cargo tractor at Frankfurt Airport as it considers automating some operations. The aim of the trial, which will last several weeks, is to determine whether an autonomous vehicle can support regular baggage and cargo operations on the apron. The electric vehicle will operate on an eight km test route within Frankfurt Airport’s secure area, starting in the eastern section of the apron in the baggage handling facility at terminal two, before heading southwards and approaching the future terminal 3. “The trial section is divided into three components, each of which present particular challenges for the autonomous vehicle,” Fraport said. “These include operations inside the baggage handling facility amidst other traffic and people, as well as in the open where there are few other vehicles. “To ensure the outcome reflects real-life conditions with sufficient complexity, the test drives will take place both during the day and at night, in different types of weather.” The vehicle will operate at a maximum speed of 13 km and will tow a maximum of three baggage trailers or two large cargo trailers. A safety driver who has received special training and certification for the project will be present on each test drive in case of emergencies.

Dubai South, the largest single-urban master development focusing on aviation, logistics and real estate, is collaborating with dnata, to enable a digitally driven gate control mechanism for shipments at the cargo handling terminals at Dubai South’s premises, which will be completed in less than a minute,” said a release from Dubai South. “Companies based at the Logistics District freezone and mainland as well as movers who transport goods to other ports will benefit substantially.” The collaboration involves the integration of Masary, an e-gate pass system by Dubai South, with dnata’s appointment & dock management, a system used by dnata’s clients to apply for appointments to access the free zone for the loading and off-loading of shipments, the release said. “This will ensure a seamless, paperless experience for customers entering and exiting Dubai South gates under dnata’s designated appointment system for goods movement, which will enable faster procedures for customers at the gates, emphasising their satisfaction.”

IAG Cargo will be charging extra for using paper air waybills (AWB) as part of its push to become digital first. Customers who choose paper AWB when booking cargo shipments will be charged a £10 cost beginning on April 3rd, whilst converting to electronic air waybill (eAWB) is free, said release. For many years, the air cargo sector depended on paper methods to establish carriage contracts between freight forwarders and airlines. This amounts to about 7,800 tonnes of paper documents handled every year, which is the equivalent of 80 Boeing 747s full of paper. The eAWB not only provides a more sustainable option, but it also provides its consumers with a smooth end-to-end solution that removes the possibility of human mistake. David Rose, Chief Transformation Officer, IAG Cargo said, “We are looking to lead the way with our customers worldwide when it comes to delivering a customer proposition that has quality and sustainability at its core. Our commitment to eAWB will see IAG Cargo significantly reducing paper usage through the cargo journey as we move to eAWB usage across our network. eAWB is the first step of many steps in our ambitious destination digital journey, and we are excited to use the data provided to roll out future digital initiatives that will see us become more sustainable and reliable.” eAWB has been introduced as part of IAG Cargo’s ‘Destination Digital’ strategy to transform the business digitally. With nearly 50% of customers already using eAWB, IAG Cargo is targeting an adoption rate of 100% by the end of 2023.

CEVA Logistics is transitioning all its contract logistics and freight services to low-carbon electricity by 2025. “The commitment will rely on a combination of purchasing low-carbon electricity (renewable and nuclear) from local utility providers and increasing its own production of electricity using rooftop solar panels, which the company will triple by the end of 2025,” said an official release. “In addition, CEVA expects to reach 100 percent LED lighting in its warehousing facilities by the end of 2023.” CEVA finished 2022 with LED lighting in approximately 80 percent of its contract logistics warehouses, the release said. CEVA is also increasing the size of its lithium-ion material handling equipment (MHE) fleet. “The global logistics provider expects its global fleet to reach a 40 percent level in 2023 of eco-MHE (lithium-ion and gel battery units). Beyond the obvious emissions savings in moving away from diesel- or LPG-powered combustion MHE, the company is also seeing an average 16 percent emissions reduction during the charging process when switching from a lead-acid battery MHE to more eco-friendly lithium-ion batteries.” Through a joint investment with real estate partners of approximately $180 million, CEVA plans to triple the surface area of solar panels covering the roofs of its contract logistics warehouses around the world, the release said. “By the end of 2025, the company expects to have approximately 1.8 million square metres of solar panels installed at its facilities — an area 2.25 times the size of France’s famed Palace of Versailles. With this coverage area, the company estimates it will generate approximately 135,000 MWH per year.”

The commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, Indore, will soon have its own multi-modal logistics park as the work for the project has been awarded, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) announced. The MMLP project has been awarded to GR Infraprojects Limited, and will be developed in three phases for which target completion of Phase-I is two years, that is, by 2025, leading to commercial operations. Indore has a rich ecosystem, fertile soil and high-quality workforce. The MMLP at Indore will be developed in an area of 255.17 acres near Pithampur in Dhar district. “The site is strategically located near Pithampur industrial area, apparel and pharma cluster and abutting the Indore Tihi- Dahod rail line as well as proposed Mhow ring road, at 30 km from Indore Airport and Indore city. The estimated total project cost is Rs 1,110.58 crore,” the Ministry said in a statement.