iThink Logistics announced its partnership with FedEx to offer seamless shipping solutions and savings in cost to e-commerce sellers targeting international markets. The partnership will provide a comprehensive solution that will simplify international shipping and enhance operational efficiency. It also offers an “exclusive opportunity for sellers to access discounts of up to 76% on key FedEx services.” E-commerce providers can avail of FedEx’s 2-3 day delivery service, FedEx International Priority Express, while expanding their reach to over 220 countries. For heavier shipments, it offers the advantage of speeding up deliveries in 3-4 business days through FedEx International Priority Freight. From iThink, the collaboration will offer their API integration option, enabling sellers to easily sync their FedEx accounts with iThink Logistics’ SAAS platform.

SF Airlines has expanded its fleet to have 85 freighters. The latest freighter added to the fleet is a Boeing 767-300, which is the eighth new aircraft that has been unveiled by SF Airlines this year. The Boeing 767-300aircraft is expected to be used in the air-express delivery market, catering to the upcoming Double 11 shopping spree and other logistics peaks. The other freighters included in the SF Airlines fleet are Boeing 747-400ERFs, 767-300BCFs, 757-200Fs, and 737-300/400Fs. The airline has been adding an average of six freighters to its fleet each year since its launch in 2009, and their network now expands across Asia, Europe, and North America. 

Lufthansa Cargo coats another freighter with its AeroSHARK technology that reduces aerodynamic drag on the fuselage and engine nacelles of the airplanes. This technology was developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF for their Boeing 777 freighters, and results in substantial fuel and emissions savings. Ashwin Bhat, Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa Cargo said: “The special coating significantly reduces the frictional resistance of the aircraft. Together with the lightweight cargo equipment we already use today, this technology will enable us to save 5,493 tons of kerosene per year. This is an important step on our way to becoming 100% CO2-neutral in the air by 2050.”

Amazon is testing out automation services for its warehouses, including trials for a humanoid robot. The humanoid robot is called Digit, is bipedal and can squat, bend and grasp items using clasps that imitate hands. Built by Agility Robotics Inc. and will initially be used to “help employees consolidate totes that have been emptied of items,” the company said in a blog post. Apart from Digit, they are testing a technology called Sequoia, that is designed to identify and sort inventory into containers for employees, and enhance speed of warehousing processes. Sequoia is said to be reducing order processing time by around 25 per cent, and will help warehouses go more towards an assembly line warehouse from the traditional warehouse.

Welspun One Logistics Parks (WOLP) has announced a build-to-suit (BTS) lease agreement with Montra Electric (from TIVOLT). Under the agreement, WOLP will construct a BTS facility that would incorporate Montra Electric’s retail experience centre and a separate assembly space catered to four-wheeler small commercial electronic vehicles (EVs). This warehousing project is part of the MoU signed by Welspun One and the Tamil Nadu government in November 2021, with an investment of Rs. 2500 crore. It is located within the WelspunOne logistics and warehousing park in Chinnambedu, Chennai, and the unit is expected to begin operations by the second quarter of 2024.

C.K.Govil, President, ACAAI and CMD Activair Airfreight India, said, “Efficient air cargo operations, optimized logistics and an improved customer experience are what AI can bring to our industry. It has the power to ease bottlenecks at airports, make data transparent and well organised, and optimize storage in warehouses and planning for flights. AI can facilitate information collection, processing, and flow, thus reducing disruptions in the supply chain. Besides tracking shipments in real-time, AI can forecast delays based on previous data. This would help the industry players save time, money and prevent delay in last-mile delivery.  We have seen AI-enabled chatbots strengthening customer support in many industries. It will bring about a change in the way we manage customer queries and make air cargo booking and reservations simpler. He added “The talk of AI taking over jobs is as old as technology making humans redundant. That did not happen because we are smarter than technology and made it work for our benefit. We need people skilled at people using and employing AI to our advantage. The change is already happening; we can turn the tide in our favour by embracing it.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India inaugurated the third edition of the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 via video conferencing on Monday in Mumbai. The summit will be held till 19 October. During the programme, Modi unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the blueprint for the Indian maritime blue economy. The blueprint outlines initiatives aimed at enhancing port facilities, promoting sustainable practices, and facilitating international collaboration. He also laid the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 23,000 crore aligned with the ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ for the Indian maritime blue economy. He laid the foundation stone of Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, to be built at a cost of Rs 4, 500 crore at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat. This latest greenfield terminal will be developed in PPP mode. The terminal will handle next-gen vessels exceeding 18,000 x 20-foot equivalent units, TEUs, and will act as a gateway for Indian trade via the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Modi also dedicated 300 Memoranda of Understanding worth RS 7 lakh crore rupees for global and national partnership in the maritime sector, during the programme.

The aviation market intelligence and consulting company, IBA has predicted a potential oversupply of the Boeing 737-800 passenger to freighter (P2F) aircraft with 60 conversions forecast for this year alone. IBA also mentioned that conversions for 737-800 have been faster than any of the other P2F programmes. The organisation said, “The total 737-800 P2F fleet is on course to surpass the 757-200 P2F fleet of 311 aircraft, which IBA believes suggests a risk of oversupply based on the rapid fleet growth. Indeed, the 737-800 continues to lead the narrowbody conversion market with conversions of the A321-200 remaining steady as expected with 20 planned for this year.” For the next 20 years, Boeing estimates a demand for approximately 2,800 production-plus-conversion deliveries.

Cathay Cargo joined hands with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) for the first time to offer ONE Record data protocols for intermodal sea-to-air shipments accepted at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Logistics Park in Dongguan for export from Hong Kong. IATA’s ONE Record initiative implements end-to-end transparency for consignments and logging progress as they pass through multiple links in the supply chain. Tom Owen, Director, Cathay Cargo, said, “This pilot also showed ONE Record’s flexibility, and being able to accept cargo from an upstream cargo terminal and then log its transit by boat was a world first. It also shows ONE Record’s value in enabling services such as Ultra Track and other use cases that we are continuing to explore.

MOVIN launches their second fleet of Electric Vehicles for first and last-mile deliveries in Bengaluru. MOVIN is dedicated towards the implementation of sustainable logistics solutions, and with their EVs, they aim to reduce 200 tons of CO2 emissions within the next year. JB Singh, Director, MOVIN Express said, “At MOVIN, we are committed to accelerating the adoption of clean energy mobility solutions, driving positive change in the logistics industry with a focus on sustainability, community, and technology. This transition to the electric fleet for our first and last mile delivery operations is a progressive move which embodies our unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility and signifies our drive to lead in sustainable logistics, delivering a greener and cleaner future. We are determined to continue electrifying our fleet across various cities in the coming months.”