ATSG has secured conversion slots for A330 freighters as it continues to expand its mid-sized freighter options. While announcing its second-quarter results, the lessor said that it had secured 20 conversion slots for A330 freighters. Until now, the company has operated with a fleet of Boeing freighters. However, the company recently announced plans to add its first A321 freighter next year. Rich Corrado, president and chief executive officer of ATSG, said: “The A330 converted freighter, like our B767-300s will be a popular mid-sized option for our leasing customers. The addition of an A330 option will provide our leasing business with a third platform for growth, and complements the A321 freighter we will also introduce next year.” The slots start in mid-2023 through the end of 2025.It also secured 40 conversion slots for B67-300s, Airbus A321s.

Holisol Logistics announced the expansion of a 0.4 million sq. ft. network area in its first quarter of the current financial year. This network expansion will provide 35% additional coverage to Holisol’s existing customer base of global and domestic brands, which enables them to reach their end consumers quickly and fulfill their orders faster. Holisol’s network already serves more than 80 established marquee brands and is aligned to serve new-age brands which are catering to the changing consumption pattern of end consumers. The company’s new customer base is from the fast-growing D2C companies and brands focusing on digitally serving the end consumers. Holisol’s network now consists of 25+ fulfillment centers, 60+ hyperlocal fulfillment centers, and 30+ integrated in-plant engineering and customised packaging sites.

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/ BLR Airport) is now on the cusp of a digital transformation, with an Internet of Things (IoT) based solution to monitor temperature-controlled cargo all set to enable real-time supply chain visibility. Currently available at Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore (MABB), one of the Cargo Terminals at BLR Airport, the technology will enable live monitoring of temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceutical and perishables, including fruits, vegetables, meat, sea food, dairy products, cut flowers etc. The TAGBOX-developed technology will provide shippers and agents real-time temperature data of the shipment from the time it leaves the warehouse to the point it is loaded onto an aircraft at BLR Airport. The battery-powered Tag360 sensor, attached to each small SKU, box, or pallet tracks the product’s temperature, at every step of the journey. Shippers and agents can monitor the end-to-end health of their products through a central monitoring dashboard via a web or mobile interface.

Swiss WorldCargo, the air cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines, is proud to be the first airline to have successfully carried out a commercial shipment between Zurich (ZRH) and New York (JFK) with an Envirotainer Releye® RLP container onboard. The shipment was transported on flight LX 14 on August 3, departing at 13.20h local time and landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 16:10h local time. Ahead of the flight, the Envirotainer Releye® RLP and its shipment were loaded into the belly of a Swiss International Air Lines Boeing 777-300ER. The container held a care-intensive shipment from a leading pharmaceutical company, requiring a specific temperature range. “We are proud to have successfully carried out the first shipment of an Envirotainer Releye® RLP from Switzerland, and look forward to welcoming this container into our product portfolio,” said Lorenzo Stoll, Head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines. “The RLP helps showcase Swiss WorldCargo as the premier carrier of choice for the transport of temperature-sensitive, care-intensive pharmaceutical goods. Additionally, the RLP offers reduced CO2 emissions and improved environmental performance through a lightweight material design. This fully aligns with our own focus on sustainable operations and continued reduction of our carbon footprint.”

Airports Council International (ACI) World published a complimentary report to help airport operators develop successful cargo strategies that can contribute to the sustained recovery of the industry by developing alternative revenue streams. Air cargo remains an engine of economic growth and its crucial role during the pandemic has created positive momentum as the industry enters its recovery phase. Many airports have managed to sustain or even grow their cargo operations during the pandemic, which has proven crucial in providing liquidity for airport operators and in some cases, even ensured the longer-term solvency of the airport business. “As airports come out of the pandemic and look to ensure long-term financial sustainability through the diversification of their revenue streams, cargo is an important area to be explored,” ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “A clear cargo strategy will help further airports’ understanding of the current landscape and opportunities, as well as build a robust business plan for the future.”

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) published the IATA World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) with performance figures for 2020 which signifies the devastating effects on global air transport.In a recent statistics released by World Air Transport Traffic, despite the massive drop in capacity from the bellies of passenger aircraft Air freight was the bright spot in air transport for 2020. The top five airlines ranked by scheduled freight tonnes carried were Federal Express (8 million), Qatar Airways (2.3 million), Emirates (1.8 million), United Parcel Service (5 million) and China Airlines (1.5 million). “2020 was a year that we’d all like to forget. But analyzing the performance statistics for the year reveals an amazing story of perseverance. At the depth of the crisis in April 2020, 66% of the world’s commercial air transport fleet was grounded as governments closed borders or imposed strict quarantines. A million jobs disappeared. And industry losses for the year totaled $126 billion. Many governments recognized aviation’s critical contributions and provided financial lifelines and other forms of support. But it was the rapid actions by airlines and the commitment of our people that saw the airline industry through the most difficult year in its history,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Strategic Aviation Solutions Int’l (SASI World) and The Transportation Research Board (TRB) enter into an agreement as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in the United States — to commence work on an extensive research project: Modernizing Air Cargo and Infrastructure at U.S. Airports, managed by the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP). The objective of this project is to develop a guidebook for U.S. airports of all types and sizes to help modernize their airport cargo facilities, processes and operations in coordination with key logistics stakeholders. The guidebook will address the optimization of a multimodal approach to facilitate the flow of commerce and the movement of goods in coordination with on- and off-airport facilities and services. Leading the team from our SASI World USA headquarters will be Mark Diamond and Charles Edwards, fully supported by the global team of SASI World. In announcing the award, Stan Wraight president and CEO of SASI World commented “SASI World is truly honored to be awarded this contract and our agreed mandate to deliver Head Office – Strategic Aviation Solutions International LTD. 409-111 Rue Vinet Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3J2W2 a true, value-added guidebook that will have practical and implementable solutions for airports to meet the challenges that the next decades will present.

The auto industry is still reeling under issues pertaining to cost and container availability, majorly fueled by its dependence on Chinese container manufacturers and foreign shipping lines, revealed Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) on Tuesday. ACMA president Deepak Jain said that auto component exporters are being confronted by a ‘4x to 6x increase in logistics cost due to the container issue’. The apex body, which represents the interests of the Indian auto component industry, announced that component exports recorded an 8% dip in FY21 compared to the year before, though the good news is exports to China have seen a small increase. “The container shortage began in H2 of FY21 but now the pinch has sharpened and the rates for a 40ft container to the US has gone up from $2,000 last year to $6,000 now,” said Jain. “A 40ft container to the EU used to cost $1,500 which is now $5,000. Given that the US and EU are our top export destinations, this has hit exporters badly,” the president added.

Korean Air recently operated 10,000 cargo-only passenger flights as of August 1. The airline launched its first cargo-only passenger flight on the Incheon-Ho Chi Minh route in March 2020, and has operated these flights on 65 routes to North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, China and Japan, transporting 400,000 tons worldwide. Approximately 40 tons are transported per round trip (20 tons one-way). After most flights were suspended following the COVID-19 outbreak, Korean Air began operating cargo-only passenger aircraft. Beginning with 38 of these flights in March last year, the airline currently operates more than 800 cargo-only flights a month. Through close cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and aircraft manufacturers, Korean Air has increased its cargo capacity by utilizing overhead bin space, using “cargo seat bags,” a safety device that can load cargo on passenger seats, and removing seats to enable cargo floor loading.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), one of the premier container handling ports, recorded 433,533 TEUs in July 2021 compared to 344,316 TEUs in July 2020, a growth of 21.15% as compared to the same period last year. The container traffic handled at JNPT during the first 4 months of FY 2021-22 was 1,797,838 TEUs as against 1,192,165 TEUs, which is 50.80% higher than the container traffic over the same period of last year. In terms of rail operations, JNPT handled 77,662 TEUS of ICD traffic from 503 rakes in July 2021, and the Rail-Coefficient was 17.91%. To enhance the model shift from road to rail, JNPT is undertaking a host of initiatives like the commencement of rail service between JNPT and Balli (in South Goa) on the Konkan Railway, and other initiatives like ITRHO has helped to maximize train placement, track productivity, efficiency, cost-effective handling, reduce dwell time of import ICD boxes, connecting export ICD boxes to respective terminals in time and also increase rail quotient at JNPT.