Global air freight rates are maintaining their recent firm tone, according to the latest data from TAC Index. “The overall Baltic Air Freight Index calculated by TAC edged up a further one percent in the week to April 8, the sixth successive weekly gain leaving it lower by only -10.6 percent over the past 12 months,” the update added. Activity is often a little quiet around the Ching Ming festival (which happened on April 4) but rates out of China kept on edging up with the index of outbound routes from Hong Kong gaining another 0.7 percent WoW to leave it ahead by 7.7 percent YoY. Outbound Shanghai edged up another 1.1 percent WoW to leave it narrowly ahead by 0.7 percentYoY. “The biggest price action out of Asia again occurred from the very hot market in India with further large increases WoW on rates both to Europe and to the U.S. as well as from both Bangkok and from Vietnam to Europe.”

DHL Global Forwarding has announced the first investment of the Prada Group in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits, utilising DHL Global Forwarding’s GoGreen Plus service. Already in 2023, the partnership with DHL allowed Prada Group to save approximately 4,500 metric tons of CO2e, which would correspond to 7% of the Group’s total transport associated emissions. By leveraging sustainable fuels, DHL Global Forwarding is able to support customers in effectively reducing their transport emissions from airfreight. SAF allows for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% compared to conventional aviation fuel. The fuel itself is produced from waste sources, such as used cooking oil and food waste. DHL follows hereby an insetting approach, utilising sustainable fuels to reduce emissions directly at the source. Air carriers use sustainable biofuels on behalf of DHL, leading to reductions in emissions. These emission reductions are transferred to DHL, who then allocates them to the shippers in the form of certificates. “In today’s world, it is crucial to establish a clear roadmap for decarbonization that involves carriers, SAF manufacturers, regulators, and customers. We are proud that Prada Group has chosen to leverage the expertise of DHL Global Forwarding to form a partnership that we believe will drive the much-needed change forward,” said Mario Zini, managing director of DHL Global Forwarding Italy.

“The regulatory guidelines for Packaging, Labelling, Documentation, Emergency Response Process Guidelines have been defined elaborately are followed thoroughly. However, the lack of awareness of shippers regards to regulations of shipping dangerous goods during offloading / X-RAY scanning, which results in a disruption of flow of cargo processing, in the otherwise seamless acceptance of cargo,” shares Sanjiv Edward, CEO Cargo and Logistics, GMR Airports. “Additionally, deficiency of skillset amongst those involved in transportation of dangerous goods to Airport cargo Terminal can detrimental to Air Freight. Any error in handling of such goods at any stage, possess imminent and considerable hazard to both airport personnel and cargo if not handled cautiously.”

Kale Logistics Solutions (Kale) announced its collaboration with Budapest Airport (BUD), Hungary, to revolutionise cargo operations through the implementation of its cutting-edge Airport Cargo Community System (ACS). The partnership between Kale Info Solutions B.V (Kale Info), the fully owned subsidiary of Kale, and BUD marks a significant milestone in streamlining cargo operations at one of Europe’s busiest airports. Presently, various cargo handlers and integrators use separate IT systems for data collection, reporting and transmission: to the airport and the relevant authorities. This includes parallel or double data communications, opportunities currently open to digitalise airfreight operation and business processes. Kale’s innovative ACS system provides stakeholders with enhanced visibility and transparency, enabling the real-time tracking and monitoring of cargo movements, incorporating automated regulatory compliance checks, which further streamlines operations, ensuring adherence to industry standards. Commenting on this development, József Kossuth, Cargo Director for BUD said: “Budapest Airport aims to become the main cargo hub in the Central and Eastern European region. “We are on the right track, as the dedicated development of the BUD Cargo City in recent years has provided world-class infrastructure, which, combined with excellent connectivity and a tight-knit cargo community, is attracting more and more partners. “We are now the fastest growing airport in the region in terms of cargo volume, as we handled a record 201,306 tons in 2023 with +48.5% increase compared to 2019. “The introduction of the new Airport Cargo Community System adds an important innovative feature to BUD’s profile, further strengthening the hub function of the airport. He further added: “The ACS will serve as a centralised platform, facilitating seamless communication and data exchange among all stakeholders involved in the cargo handling process.” “We are …

DB Schenker is supporting its pharma business with increased Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance. The company now has certifications in accordance with GDP standards for 157 of its stations. These certifications cover key markets in the Americas, Europe and Asia for the global trade of medical goods. By achieving this milestone, DB Schenker can now cover 80% of the world’s healthcare flows with their recent certificates, making it one of the world’s largest GDP-compliant logistics networks. DB Schenker can now even better meet the evolving needs of the global pharmaceutical industry,” said DB Schenker. Within the next twelve months, the global logistics service provider plans to certify over 180 of its stations to be able to organise and manage GDP-compliant logistics. Veronique Dameme, head of global vertical market healthcare at DB Schenker. said: “At the end of every healthcare supply chain there is a patient. That’s why we ensure that medical products are stored and distributed in accordance with the highest standards. “The successful GDP certification of our facilities marks a significant milestone on our roadmap and shows our ongoing pursuit of excellence in pharmaceutical logistics.” Healthcare is a highly regulated industry governed by various guidelines, making GDP compliance critical. With Good Distribution Practice, DB Schenker follows a guideline that ensures that the integrity and quality of pharmaceutical products is maintained throughout the entire supply chain process.

DHL Supply Chain becomes a lead logistics partner (LLP) for Vitesco Technologies. This new logistics cooperation strengthens robustness and resilience of supply chains in the automotive industry. Vitesco Technologies focuses on maximum sustainability, resilience and efficiency in logistics. As of March 2024, the logistics flows of Vitesco Technologies’ twelve European locations will be centrally managed by DHL through the LLP Center of Excellence in Warsaw, Poland. This corresponds to around 100,000 transport movements within the supply chain to the plants as well as from the plants to the customers – and thus accounts for about a third of Vitesco Technologies’ total freight volume. “The main driver of our business is the development and production of sustainable technologies for the mobility of tomorrow. We want to run this business in a CO2-neutral way by 2040. Sustainable logistics solutions are an important step along this path, which we will be taking together with DHL Supply Chain in the future,” says Thomas Kirchermeier, Head of Supply Chain Management at Vitesco Technologies. The big advantage of the new logistics concept is that, as a Lead Logistics Partner, DHL Supply Chain bundles the freight volumes of numerous large companies to generate synergy effects and thus achieves new potentials for optimization. The logistics experts make use of the entire market of freight carriers and forwarding agents and can provide the fastest, safest, most environmentally friendly, and most cost-effective transport solutions. This benefits Vitesco Technologies and all customers: supply chains become more robust and more reliable.

“Complex regulatory procedures and a lack of cohesive policy enforcement across states create logistical inefficiencies,” shares Xerrxes Master, President, AMTOI. He adds, “The adoption of technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain has increased but is not yet widespread, particularly among SMEs, highlighting a digital divide and as India commits to reducing its carbon footprint, the logistics sector struggles to balance growth with environmental sustainability, emphasizing the need for greener logistics solutions.” He continues, “The trajectory of India’s multimodal logistics sector in 2024 reflects a blend of achievements and ongoing challenges. The government’s continued focus on infrastructure development and policy reforms sets a solid foundation for growth. Yet, the full potential of this sector hinges on addressing the existing operational inefficiencies, embracing digital transformation comprehensively, and prioritizing sustainability. As India looks towards the future, the alignment of strategies across governmental, industrial, and technological spheres will be paramount in realizing the vision of a seamless, efficient, and sustainable multimodal logistics network. Collaborative efforts, innovation, and a commitment to sustainability are key to navigating the complexities of this vital sector, propelling India towards becoming a global logistics leader.”

In an impressive feat of organisation, GMR Air Cargo & Logistics-Goa (MOPA Airport) has sent its first tonne of mangoes to Muscat, Oman. Led by Purushottam Singh Thakur, Business Head, GMR, ACL and his team, this flight marks a significant step in the company’s global logistics commitment. Present at the event were Suresh Pillai Airport Manager, Oman Air Goa, Haridas, Assistant Commissioner, Goa Customs, Shrikanth Bhandarkar, Chief Commercial Officer, GOX, Prashanth CS, Assistant General Manager, Commercial, GOX, and Chandrakanth Rachakonda, Commercial Manager, GOX.

Lessor Vaayu Group has delivered the world’s second A320 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft to Cairo-based Sky Vision Airlines. This is the second aircraft that UAE-headquartered Vaayu has leased after its first A320P2F was leased to New Delhi-based Pradhaan Air Express, a sub-lessee of Vaayu. Vaayu Group chairman and president Emad AlMonayea said: “Vaayu’s vision is to become a significant player in the air cargo space in the years to come. Our second aircraft is quite strategic considering the opportunities Middle East & North Africa presents.” Sky Vision Airlines chief executive Amr Abd EL Zaher said: “We are happy to take delivery of MSN 2724 with V2500 engines to start our cargo operations. “We are pleased with the fact that Vaayu has joined us since they bring with them a great record in the aviation sector. Their invaluable expertise and their single-minded plans to increase cargo capacity bodes well for us.” The aircraft was converted by EFW, a joint venture (JV) between Singapore-based ST Engineering and France-headquartered Airbus, and leased to Vaayu by Juniper Aviation Investments, ST Engineering’s freighter aircraft leasing JV. “We are extremely encouraged by the demand for the A320P2F, which is a clear testimony of the versatility, benefits and value that the freighter platform brings to the market,” said senior vice president and head of aircraft and freighter leasing of ST Engineering Tan Boon Keng. Vaayu plans to expand its footprint in the air cargo space with the addition of another A320P2F this year, which will enhance capacity and improve its network.

Continental Carriers officially inaugurated India’s first Air Freight Station in New Delhi. “The idea of this Air Freight Station was conceived by my father late Shri T N Vohra at the time when the concept of cargo handling/processing at an off-airport location was unknown to the logistics industry in India,” shared Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers. “Although a successful model in other countries, we, in India, only dreamt about having an off-Airport Cargo Terminal where the export cargo could be handled/processed before it gets transported to the Air Cargo Terminal at the Airport in ‘ready for carriage’ condition for delivery to the respective Airlines.” He adds, The vision of a Continental Carriers Pvt Ltd, for launching India’s first RA-3 accredited green field Air Freight Station is to provide efficient, reliable, and cost-effective Air Freight services to its customers worldwide. The company’s aim is to be a leader in the Air Freight industry, with a reputation for excellence in customer service and operational performance. Continental Carriers Pvt Ltd aims to provide customized solutions to meet the unique needs of each customer, whether they are small businesses or large corporations. Our aim through AFS is to revolutionize air cargo handling in India, ultimately leading to decreased logistics costs for companies. We strongly believe this initiative will significantly transform the logistics industry, and we call upon the logistics community to join us in making it a success.”