Category Archives: Aviation

The International Air Transport Association(IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have extended their long-standing cooperation on setting and implementing global standards for the safe carriage of dangerous goods by air. An agreement to this effect was concluded at the IATA executive offices in Geneva during a visit by Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General, ICAO, according to a release from IATA. A greater collaboration between the two organisations was also discussed during the visit, the release added. “The safe carriage of dangerous goods has become common practice, thanks to the strict adherence to global standards and guidelines. Today’s agreement ensures that dangerous goods will continue to be handled according to the highest globally applicable standards. To this effect, IATA will continue its advocacy work with key stakeholders to maintain a globally aligned, and practically focused approach to the regulated transport of dangerous goods. This will lead to more efficient and robust supply chains whilst upholding aviation’s number one priority of safety,” said Willie Walsh, Director General, IATA.

Etihad Cargo, Abu Dhabi Airports and Abu Dhabi Food Hub KEZAD have signed MoU to jointly establish an origin-to-destination perishable air corridor known as the ‘Fresh Corridor 2.0’ to serve global supply chains and meet consumers need globally. The initiative aims to support the diversification of food sources, development of new trade corridors and enhance the choice and variety of products available for regional consumers. The partnership aims to help position the UAE as a key node in global food supply chains. The partners seek to establish a robust process for food trading and investment, which includes advanced infrastructure, access to regional consumer markets, and reliable logistics and connectivity worldwide. The three parties have agreed to an exchange of knowledge and expertise in handling, storage and logistics, food safety, and hygiene. The partners also aim to address the evolving demands of the food trade by liaising with government stakeholders, relevant facilitators, and key contributors from the food ecosystem.

DHL Express and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have deployed the fifth and final freighter as part of a tie-up signed in 2022. The Boeing 777 freighter, which offers a payload capacity of 102 tons, will be based in Singapore and be used to expand capacity between Asia and the Americas. In total, the five 777Fs will operate 12 flights each per week with a total payload capacity of 1,224 tons per aircraft per week. Following the addition of the final aircraft, three of the five freighters will ply the Singapore-Bangkok/Taipei-Incheon/Nagoya-Cincinnatti-Honolulu-Sydney-Singapore route seven times a week. The other two will cover the Singapore-Nagoya-Los Angeles-Honolulu-Singapore route five times a week.

Skilling is a very important subject and absolutely it’s a shared responsibility, says Jivisha Joshi (IRTS) Deputy Secretary, DPIIT at an event organised by Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) to emphasise upon ‘Skilling – A shared responsibility to propel air cargo.’ She adds, “Skilling is one of the most important pillars of government’s comprehensive logistics master plans. Be it National Logistics Policy or Gati Shakti initiative, skilling is an integral part of it and time to time stress has been laid upon identifying the number of institutions across India imparting education on logistics and supply chain business. We have been trying to educate officers about the new policies, we are educating workers at group level about policy implementation or execution guidelines. We also work with Logistics Skill Council (LSC) to understand the logistics courses and curriculums, and number of logistics aspirants enrolling yearly. I thank ACFI for continuously promoting skilling as a subject. We need skilled and trade manpower to take the industry forward and we are there to support the trade throughout.” Many other dignitaries from government department and industry participated in the event wherein ACFI honored and felicitated ACFI trainers who have been the backbone of ACFI initiative to skill the logistics industry.

Sanjiv Edward, CEO- Cargo, GMR Group says, “Current air cargo traffic in India is approx. 3 MMTs per annum, 30% of 10MMTs target, giving us ample head room to grow. Growth is actuated by India’s GDP, in 2030, poised at $7.3 Trillion from current levels of $3.7 trillion. Given that national growth will be at twice the size, opportunity is complimentary to its speed and volume. Adding, international trade, adoption of updated digital & physical infrastructure will be the key strategy. Tier 2 & 3 Airports needs better connectivity – Transport & Digital Highway. However, non-compliance of regulations, maze of non-standard processes and ignorance to ESG can impede our trajectory and speed.”

Cyrus Katgara, Partner, Jeena & Company shared his expectations for the budget announcement this year. He says, “The government’s substantial capital expenditure on infrastructure, particularly in roads, railways, and airports, has already spurred momentum in the logistics sector. This, coupled with the ongoing prioritization of logistics infrastructure development across roads, warehouses, and ports, has garnered enthusiastic support. The industry anticipates the Union Budget to further solidify the Digital India Act, promoting digitalization through artificial intelligence, data analytics, and 5G technology. Higher investment in digital upskilling and reskilling programs for the workforce to ensure the logistics industry remains competitive and resilient in the global digital age is anticipated. Additionally, enhanced regulatory frameworks that facilitate seamless cross-border logistics operations would be greatly welcomed, promoting smoother international trade and connectivity.”

GMR Aero Technic (GAT), MRO division of GMR Air Cargo and Aerospace Engineering Ltd. (GACAEL) signs MoU with Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT) and Spirit Aero System to bring the innovative technology utilized by Cyclean jointly at Indian airports for the operators in the region. Cyclean® is an efficient and eco-friendly engine cleaning system that saves water and fuel and cuts down on emissions by washing aircraft engines. The system guarantees a clean and safe collection of all waste water without any negative impact on the environment. A strategic partnership was forged with Spirit Aero Systems, one of the world’s foremost manufacturers (ORM) of aero structures as well. This groundbreaking partnership establishes a cutting-edge Aircraft Nacelle component repair service at the GMR Aero Technic Base Maintenance Facility in Hyderabad. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in GMR Aero Technic’s MRO journey, establishing its role as a one-stop destination for Nacelle repair services. Ashok Gopinath, President & Accountable Manager, GMR Aero Technic said, “The partnerships with Lufthansa Technik AG and Spirit Aero Systems exemplify our commitment to delivering exceptional value through innovation using the latest technology solutions in providing enhanced operational efficiency for our MRO customers. With these augmented capabilities, the strategic move will position our MRO facility as a go-to hub for customers. This service offering is a value add for our base maintenance customers.”

Delhi Airport’s Cargo Premise now boasts India’s first Automated Visitor Management System (VMS), integrating Facial Recognition System (FRS) for enhanced security. This advanced system, a joint venture between DIAL and Carico, is set to transform the manual, time consuming process of pass issuance into a swift, digital experience. By reducing Visitor Pass issuance time drastically, the system not only bolsters security but also improves stakeholder experience. The implementation of ANPR further strengthens vehicle monitoring, making Delhi Airport a forerunner in airport security technology. The event was inaugurated by DIAL CEO V.K Jaipuriar, Sanjeev Edward; ED Sudeep Lakhtakia, Head (Security & Vigilance), M Shashi Kanth, Carico MD, Parvinder Singh, and other dignitaries. Key teams including DIAL, DCSC, Celebi, and Carico, along with other important dignitaries, attended the meeting. And, Successful Trial Run: Over 6000 passes were issued during the trial run of the VMS. Online Application Launch: Visitors can now apply for passes online at [https://cargopassdial.in/] ( https://cargopassdial.in/).

Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer, BIAL says, “We are poised to achieve a cargo capacity of 1 million metric tons by the end of this decade. Embracing advanced technologies and innovation, BLR Cargo is aiming to set new standards as we are determined to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and solidify our position as the preferred cargo gateway to South and Central India. Reflecting on the air cargo performance at BLR Airport in 2023, we processed 422,644 metric tons of cargo, which indicates a 2% increase from the previous year. Additionally, BLR Airport continues to be the top hub in India for exporting perishable cargo for the third consecutive year. In line with the Government’s vision for increased cargo throughput by 2030, our strategic investments, including the addition of Menzies Aviation Bangalore Pvt Ltd and WFS Bangalore Pvt Ltd, signify a pivotal moment in our cargo growth story. These partnerships bolster our capacity, efficiency, and overall growth trajectory.”

Wiz Freight, a full-stack digital cross-border supply chain start- up, has raised Series B funding of INR 125 Crore in equity led by Japan-based SBI Investment at a post-money valuation of INR 1400 Crore registering a 50% jump in the valuation from its last round. The round also saw participation from Tiger Global, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, Axilor Technologies Fund, Arali Investments, Unikon Shipping Ventures and a few Family offices. The company plans to grow its global operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the US with the new investment and further enhance its technology-driven logistics solutions. Founded in January 2020 in Chennai by serial entrepreneurs Ramkumar Govindarajan and Ramkumar Ramachandran, Wiz helps exporters and importers in emerging markets book and manage their cross-border shipments on its tech platform with e- commerce-like convenience. Wiz’s AI-powered platform offers instant capacity discovery, dynamic pricing, optimised routing, door to door tracking, and automated customizable document workflows, saving countless hours for shippers. WIZ Freight raised in March 2022 a Series A funding of INR 275 Crores (USD 36 million) in a mix of equity and debt led by Tiger Global with participation from Axilor Ventures, Foundamental, Arali Ventures, Alteria Capital and Stride Ventures. WIZ had closed a $3.5m seed round led by Axilor Ventures in August 2021. Arali Ventures and Foundamental had also participated in the round along with angel investors Ramakant Sharma, Co-founder of LivSpace and Daniel Richner, Chairman of M+R Spedag Group, a Swiss based logistics conglomerate. With the funding at this juncture, WIZ is well positioned for expansion of its overseas operations, continued development of the Indian operations and establishing its place as a prominent leader in the logistics sector. The …