Air India has selected IBS Software to digitally transform its expanding air cargo operations. Air India has chosen IBS Software’s iCargo solution to support its growth plan and commitment to the airline’s ongoing digital transformation. IBS Software’s fully integrated iCargo solution will enable Air India to digitise end-to-end cargo management, allowing seamless integration of various cargo operations, from sales to billing within a single, integrated platform. This will empower Air India to streamline processes and enhance decision-making capabilities. This partnership comes at a time when Air India has embarked on a significant digital transformation of its core businesses across passenger services, fleet, and cargo operations. Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Air India, said: “Air India is on a transformation journey to not only reaffirm its position as a global leader in aviation, but to also establish foundations for future growth. Air cargo is one of the key drivers of our roadmap for future growth, and technology will be at the core of it.” Somit Goyal, Chief Executive Officer at IBS Software, shared similar sentiments, stating: “As one of the most iconic airlines in the world, partnering with Air India is a proud moment for IBS Software. The Indian aviation market is on a major upswing, and we are excited to be partnered with a company that is dedicated to driving this growth. We are proud that our market- leading digital platform for the air cargo industry will support the ambitious transformation goals of Air India’s cargo offering and take it from strength to strength.” The first end-to-end implementation of iCargo is slated for delivery within nine months from the project’s start, promising immediate business …

  DP World welcomed the inaugural voyage of a new weekly mainline service, connecting South East Asia, India and Middle East at DP World Mundra. Marked by successful berthing of MV. ESL vessel, the service strengthens connectivity between key ports in Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East, reaffirming DP World’s commitment to enhancing global trade. Additionally, DP World Mundra achieved its highest-ever throughput record by handling 128,652 TEUs at its terminal in June, which serves as a testament to its operational efficiency and capacity. The service will be operated by Emirates Shipping Line, CMA CGM, China United Lines, KMTC, Regional Container Lines and Global Feeders. With a weekly capacity of 3800 TEUs, the service offers a robust connectivity between Laem Chabang, Singapore, Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Jebel Ali, Dammam, Cai Mep, Jakarta, and Mundra, facilitating efficient trade flows for industries including agriculture, industrial goods, and engineering products. Commenting on the launch of the weekly EVGI service,Ravinder Johal, COO, Ports & Terminals, Operations and Commercial, DP World, Subcontinent, Middle East and North Africa, said, “At DP World we are continuously optimizing supply chain efficiencies and fostering access todirect trade routes. This service connects Indian businesses to key markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, while also enabling traders and businesses in those regions to explore new opportunities in India. Backed by our multimodal prowess that connect Mundra to the north and central hinterlands of India, we are confident that the service will boost convenience for our valued customers.” DP World Mundra features a 632-meter quay and deep draft to accommodate large vessels. With a capacity of 1.4 million TEUs over 37 hectares, the terminal is a key hub in India’s …

        The Chennai export cargo terminal (ACCMAA) gate was forced to shut by the CTO due to cargo overflow at the export shed, says Dinesh Krishnan, Regional Chairman, Southern Region at ACAAI adding, “leading to trucks waiting to offload export cargo spilling over to the NH,  customs clearance & handing time taking over 24 to 48 hrs, booked cargo missed flights leading to a flash strike by frustrated CHA employees. The terminal has 2 government CTO for the past few decades , AAICLAS ( the landlord / custodian ) having 80% of the terminal space and AIASL ( the tenant / earlier ground handing & custodian ) leaser for the 20% of the space , but handing over 50% of the export tonnage . The root cause of the current crises and decline of ACCMAA can be traced to inexperience of both these CTO to administer , invest and deliver quality air cargo logistics ( CTO operations ) demanded by the EXIM trade. A meeting was held again yesterday at the AIASL between the stakeholders and the CTO to review the issue , subsequently a debriefing with AAICLAS management was done too to see what can be done to improve the current situation . The crux of the matter is that , this is a landlord ( AAICALS ) and tenant ( AIASL ) dispute , each having a list of long term commercial & operation grievances each other . Chennai air cargo terminal ( ACCMAA ) once the gateway of air cargo from South has seen its market share and fortunes dwindle drastically in the past 15 years .This is despite the fact that Tamilnadu is the manufacturing …

Swissport Basel has launched its new “cool+connect” terminal to ensure  seamless integrity of pharmaceutical and temperature-sensitive goods (2-8°C) throughout the loading process, for global operations. By consolidating shipments from the same suppliers in a single truck instead of several as before, CO2 emissions and handling time are reduced by around 70% (from 4.5 to 1.5 hours), as transportation outside the airport is no longer necessary. “‘cool+connect’ is the first of its kind and we are proud to offer this innovation to our customers at EuroAirport,” says Andreas Behnke, Station Manager Basel, and member of the Swissport Global Cargo committee. “The cool chain infrastructure for pharmaceutical centers with many refrigerated containers meets a global need in the logistics industry. Swissport offers a proven, standardized  terminal for airlines, logistics providers and airports to outsource business-critical operations.” Swissport plans to introduce the “cool+connect” infrastructure worldwide. Additionally, the company is committed to expanding its network of IATA CEIV Pharma-certified cargo warehouses for pharmaceutical logistics. Swissport aims to achieve CEIV certification across its network, with Geneva, Switzerland, and Hamburg, Germany, already in the planning stages. In the United States, Swissport is actively pursuing certification for major pharmaceutical centers at Miami International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, reinforcing its dedication to providing world-class handling of pharmaceutical goods.

JSW Infrastructure Ltd has been awarded a contract by Chennai division of Southern Railway to develop and operate a state-of-the-art multimodal cargo terminal at Arakkonam, says reports. This project is under the Gati Shakti Multimodal Cargo Terminal Policy 2022, and it will cover around one lakh sq metres of railway land next to Arakkonam railway station. The new terminal will include two full rake length lines, large wharf areas for easy goods handling, approach roads with highway connectivity, service buildings, and essential amenities for a fully developed cargo terminal, adds reports. The new terminal aims to make Arakkonam a global hub for multi-modal cargo operations, adding an expected 1 million tonnes of goods handled annually, as per reports. JSW Infrastructure will invest approximately ₹40-50 crore in the project. They have exclusive rights to build additional infrastructure, such as warehouses, mechanized loading/unloading facilities, specialised goods handling, and value-added services. The contract spans 35 years.

According to latest weekly figures and analysis from WorldACD Market Data, global air cargo rates are standing firm during a traditionally quieter market period, bolstered by continuing strong demand and high spot rates from Asian and Middle Eastern origins. Although, total worldwide tonnages in the June 10-16 week fell by 2 per cent, average rates remained more or less stable at $2.51 per kilo, up by 8 per cent compared with the equivalent week last year and significantly above pre-COVID levels (42 per cent higher than June 2019), based on the more than 450,000 weekly transactions covered by WorldACD’s data. Both tonnages (up by 11 per cent) and rates (up by 8 per cent) are well above last year’s levels, thanks to significantly higher demand from all the main worldwide origin regions, led by higher rates (up by 52 per cent) and tonnages (up by 13 per cent) from the Middle East & South Asia (MESA) origins, and higher rates (up by 17 per cent) and tonnages (up by 16 per cent) from Asia Pacific origins. Looking specifically at Los Angeles International (LAX) airport, where there have been anecdotal reports of cancellations of some freighters due to enhanced customs checks of inbound e-commerce-driven air cargo flights from China, rates have seen similar hikes in the last five weeks, from Asia Pacific as a whole (from $4.27 in week 19 to $4.79 in week 24, up 12 per cent) and China (from $4.52 in week 19 to $4.87 in week 24, up 8 per cent), taking those prices to 38 per cent and 30 per cent higher year on year (YoY) respectively. On the demand side, Asia Pacific to LAX tonnages …

FedEx Express Corporation released two cross-border e-commerce handbooks to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating internationally better engage with consumers in China and Japan, the biggest markets in the Asia Pacific region, with robust cross-border e-commerce activity, providing extensive business opportunities for SMEs. However, foreign merchants need to understand the unique digital landscape, consumer appetites, and logistics needs of each market to build a sustainable business model. “Finding new customers in international markets is a smart approach for SMEs wanting to drive consumer and revenue growth. Digital channels lower the barriers for market entry, but the best business strategies are underpinned by smart, local market insights. That’s critical in sectors like e-commerce which move incredibly quickly,” said Kawal Preet, president Asia Pacific, FedEx. “China and Japan are strategically important markets in the APAC region. We’ve built our local knowledge based on our decades-long operations, which is a critical component of the e-commerce experience. We’re also integrated in platforms and processes to provide a seamless experience for both merchants and consumers. That gives us a unique viewpoint on the latest local know-how to help e-tailers operate more effectively.”

Spirit AeroSystems has entered into a definitive merger agreement under which The Boeing Company will acquire Spirit for $37.25 per share in Boeing common stock at $37.25 per share, this represents an equity value of approximately $4.7 billion and an enterprise value of approximately $8.3 billion including Spirit’s last reported net debt. The price of $37.25 per share represents a 30% premium to Spirit’s closing stock price of $28.60 on February 29, 2024, the last day before both Spirit and Boeing issued press releases confirming they were in discussions regarding a potential transaction. “After carefully evaluating Boeing’s offer to combine, we are confident this transaction is in the best interest of Spirit and its shareholders, and will benefit Spirit’s other stakeholders,” said Patrick M. Shanahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit. “Bringing Spirit and Boeing together will enable greater integration of both companies’ manufacturing and engineering capabilities, including safety and quality systems.” Spirit also announced today that it entered into a binding term sheet with Airbus SE. Under the term sheet, the parties will continue to negotiate in good faith to enter into definitive agreements for Airbus to acquire certain Spirit assets that serve Airbus programs, concurrently with the closing of Spirit’s acquisition by Boeing.

The Delhi Airport Terminal 1 roof collapse incident, which killed one person and left many injured took place on Friday morning, due to heavy rainfall in the city. The incident once again raised questions regarding the quality of infrastructure at airports for passenger and cargo operations. Many passenger flights were cancelled, ultimately affecting the cargo movement. Cargo is loaded into the belly hold of passenger aircraft. DIAL Airport told CargoTalk that the disruption did not affect cargo operations at the terminal, while an official from Delhi Cargo Service Centre said cargo movements were restricted as the flight operations were suspended. Celebi also shared similar sentiments with CargoTalk. At the same time, a few freight forwarders and airlines, however, stated that cargo operations were not affected at all.

“Industries across various sectors such as electronics, apparel, automobiles, capital goods, and semiconductor manufacturing are increasingly considering India as a favourable investment option,” says Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport. He adds, “This is primarily due to India’s strong domestic market, which has become a preferred choice for companies looking for alternatives to China for their manufacturing and supply chain operations. As a result, India’s export potential is expected to surge to $835 billion by 2030, a significant increase from the $431 billion recorded in 2023.As per AAI report, domestic air cargo has already reached pre-Covid level with total India’s Domestic Air Cargo stands at 1.3 Mn MT in FY23-24. Air freight is experiencing a resurgence yet encountering obstacles. Despite an increase in volumes compared to the previous year, driven by e-commerce, favourable government initiatives, increased connectivity and changes in trade routes, challenges such as the conflict in Ukraine and persistent problems like labour shortages are constraining capacity. As a result, prices remain elevated. Further, disruptions in sea freight are causing some cargo to shift to air transport, adding pressure to the already strained system. While the India story seems robust there are some concerns due to the possible slowdown of global economies including China.”