Cutting through the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, Indian Railways have recorded the highest freight loading and earning figures in the month of August. As per the statement released by the Railway Ministry, the freight loading by Indian Railways was 110.55 million tonnes which is 16.87% higher compared to the month of August last year (94.59 million tonnes of freight loading for the same period). In addition to this, the Indian Railways has also earned an amount of INR 10,866.20 crore from freight loading during the month of August 2021, which is 20.16% higher compared to August 2020. The national transporter in the month of August transported 13.53 million tonnes of Iron Ore, 47.94 million tonnes of Coal, 3.60 million tonnes of Mineral Oil, 5.77 million tonnes of Pig Iron as well as Finished Steel, 4.16 million tonnes of Fertilizers, 6.88 million tonnes of Food Grains, 6.3 million tonnes of Cement (excluding clinker) as well as 4.51 million tonnes of Clinker.

Developer Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Zurich International Airport AG, announced securing approvals from all agencies of the central as well as Uttar Pradesh state government to go ahead with the greenfield project in Jewar near Delhi. The Noida International Airport, according to its developer will have key features like Multi-modal connectivity, integrated cargo hub and facilities for maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft. “The master plan reflects the goals and objectives set by providing solutions that are financially prudent, cost-effective, and commercially sound; at the heart of it remains passenger convenience. We are delighted that we have been able to complete the master planning activity within the agreed timelines despite limitations due to COVID-19. We are looking forward to developing a world-class airport for the people of India that truly combines Indian hospitality with Swiss efficiency.” said YIAPL CEO Christoph Schnellmann

Making use of technological advancements to bring in higher efficiency, and as a testimony of the Company’s commitment to the India market, Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, the joint venture between DIAL and Çelebi Ground Handling today announced that it has been accredited with IATA CEIV Pharma certification for its cargo and warehouse operations. Given the current scenario, the air cargo industry is calling for higher standards when transporting temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals. To cope with the growing expectation for standardization, the certification ensures international and national compliance to safeguard product integrity to its destination. Commenting on this, Mr. Kamesh Peri, CEO, Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management said, “This is a prestigious certification to have, especially in present times with the highest standards expected in handling temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. We have achieved it after a thorough audit process performed by IATA who assessed and found our quality systems, infrastructure, procedures, and policies to be in absolute compliance. This was made possible by our committed team and I am very proud of their tireless & brilliant efforts.”

Making use of technological advancements to bring in higher efficiency, and as a testimony of the Company’s commitment to the India market, Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, the joint venture between DIAL and Çelebi Ground Handling today announced that it has been accredited with IATA CEIV Pharma certification for its cargo and warehouse operations. Given the current scenario, the air cargo industry is calling for higher standards when transporting temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals. To cope with the growing expectation for standardization, the certification ensures international and national compliance to safeguard product integrity to its destination. Commenting on this, Mr. Kamesh Peri, CEO, Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management said, “This is a prestigious certification to have, especially in present times with the highest standards expected in handling temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. We have achieved it after a thorough audit process performed by IATA who assessed and found our quality systems, infrastructure, procedures, and policies to be in absolute compliance. This was made possible by our committed team and I am very proud of their tireless & brilliant efforts.”

Skyports and Kencoa Aerospace, a global aerospace solution supplier and manufacturer, have announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement cargo drone deliveries to and on South Korea’s Jeju Island. The project aims to significantly enhance logistics capabilities on Jeju Island, South Korea’s largest island. The agreement will initiate the development of cargo drone delivery capabilities to enable the carriage of critical supplies, including medical provisions, across the island. As part of the project, Skyports will undertake a proof-of-concept to demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations on Jeju Island. In addition, the company will also conduct a feasibility assessment of setting up a cargo drone vertiport and accumulate critical eVTOL operations data ahead of the commencement of commercial operations.

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. subsidiary PEMCO Conversions, global leader in narrow-body passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversions, has delivered a second Passenger-to-FlexCombi converted aircraft to Bahrain-based Chisholm Enterprises, an internationally recognized provider of tailored aviation and business solutions in the Middle East. Chisholm subsidiary Texel Air, a non-scheduled cargo airline, will operate the Boeing 737-700FC (FlexCombi) from Bahrain International Airport. “We have shared a very successful history with PEMCO Conversions,” said John Chisholm, chairman and owner of Chisholm Enterprises, “having received and deployed the first B737-700 FlexCombi in August 2020, as well as four previous B737-300 converted freighters.” The PEMCO B737-700FC currently offers three configurations: a 24-seat cabin plus a 2,640-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 30,000 pounds of payload in six pallet positions; a 12-seat cabin plus a 3,005-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 35,000 pounds of payload in seven pallet positions; or full-freighter mode consisting of a 3,370-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 40,000 pounds of payload in eight pallet positions. The available positions will accommodate 88-inch by 125-inch or 88-inch by 108-inch pallets, with the eighth position accommodating a slightly reduced height pallet in full cargo mode.

E-commerce platforms like Amazon India, Flipkart and Zomato, ahead of the festive season, have begun adding new members to their blue-collar arsenal. As the pandemic-era curbs have fuelled strong growth in online ordering, the e-commerce giants are luring them with joining and performance-linked bonuses to efficiently meet consumer demand. This festive season, the e-commerce companies and logistics operators are expecting a sales estimated to rise as much as 15% more than the pre-pandemic festive season in 2019, said Nilabh Kapoor, business head, OLX People, a recruitment service provider. “With businesses recovering in most parts, hiring of temporary workers has seen 3-4X growth in the recent past and is expected to double during the festive season to keep up with rising demand across platforms,” Kapoor said.

Safexpress, India’s largest supply chain & logistics company has launched its ultra-modern Logistics Park in Siliguri. This state-of-the-art facility is strategically located in Gadheaganj, Near NH – 27. On this occasion, senior dignitaries from Safexpress including Rubal Jain, Managing Director, S.K Jain- Vice President, Rakesh Pareek, General Manager, West Bengal & Sikkim, Nilotpal Saha, Area Manager- Siliguri, Ashish Pathak, Area Manager – West Bengal North & Sikkim, Vivekanand Atri, Operation Head – Siliguri and including others were present. Better known as the “Gateway of Northeast India”, Siliguri has been a thriving hub for Agricultural products and Pharmaceutical products. Siliguri is located closer to Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh borders and is crucial from supply chain & logistics perspective. This new Logistics Park will serve as a nodal point for logistics and to provide for the transitional connective facility with all Indian states, especially with nearby districts and manufacturing hubs.

France based GEODIS, a worldwide logistics company, upgrades its AirDirect services between Europe, the United States and Asia with its own leased A330-300 full freighter aircraft. Operating between Amsterdam, London, Chicago and Hong Kong, and proudly flying under the GEODIS brand, the aircraft will also serve the China – Europe route for the peak season. The first flight will take off in September. Marie-Christine Lombard, GEODIS’ CEO, commented, “With the continued strain on airfreight capacity, we wish to ensure a more sustainable supply of air cargo space for our clients and are therefore investing in this, our own, first dedicated freighter. Our aim is to constantly find dependable solutions to secure our clients’ supply chains, which are critical to their business growth.” The Freighter, which GEODIS is leasing for several years, will be integrated into the GEODIS AirDirect global schedule. Initially, it will fly three times per week between Amsterdam/London and Chicago (AMS/ STN–ORD) and will additionally be deployed on weekly rotations connecting Amsterdam and Hong Kong (AMS–HKG).

DoKaSch Temperature Solutions has opened a new service station in India. It is located at GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo terminal. Strategically, the Hyderabad Airport location is a very important network station for the global supply of lifesaving medicines given Hyderabad’s status as a major pharma production and export hub. With the new location in India, DoKaSch strengthens its network in the region and globally. In turn, the solution provider contributes to a reliable cool chain for highly sensitive pharmaceutical products, especially during the pandemic. Hyderabad was chosen because of its outstanding importance for the global pharmaceutical industry. The city’s Genome Valley business district is a hub for research and development as well as manufacturing for pharma and lifesaving medicines. Several key pharmaceutical companies are located here and export their products to the USA, EU, Japan and other major countries across the globe. The upcoming Pharma City, an extensive industrial park for pharmaceuticals, will further increase the city’s importance.