Shankar Shinde has been appointed as the Vice Chairman of the International Coordination Council on Trans-Eurasian Transportation (CCTT) during the 32nd Plenary Meeting which was recently held in Moscow. Shinde was earlier Chairman, Federation of Freight Forwarders Association of India (FFFAI). The partnership is focused on improving border trade facilitation through INSTC route. Shinde, Immediate Past Chairman of FFFAI is also Secretary General of CIFA. Li Zhiming has also been elected as new CCTT Vice-Chairman. This year the meeting was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Council. More than 250 delegates from departments, companies and organizations from 20 countries of the Eurasian continent, heads and representatives of international organizations and associations participated in this GLOBAL event. Other new members who also joined during this meeting were from China, South Korea, Iran and Southeast Asian countries. The CCTT was founded by the Ministry of Railway Communication of the Russian Federation (after the restructuring of 2003 – RZD OJSC; Deutsche Bahn (DB AG); Group of European Trans-Eurasian Forwarders and Operators (GETO) and Korean International Freight Forwarders Association (KIFFA).

FedEx Express is further enhancing its intercontinental services between Vietnam and India, with the introduction of a new flight service that offers faster transit time, says official release. Effective October 31, 2023, the new flight service will use a dedicated B767 freighter flying four evenings a week from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, improving transit time by one business day for importers in India. With a total of nine weekly flights now departing from Ho Chi Minh City, shipments will now reach India within two business days*. This enhancement from FedEx will help businesses in India benefit from Vietnam’s status as a growing manufacturing hub. Currently, India stands as one of Vietnam’s top eight trading partners, and the bilateral trade between both the countries has seen steady growth over the years. According to Indian data for the financial year April 2022 to March 2023, bilateral trade grew 4 % year-over-year compared to 2021-22 and reached US$ 14.70 billion[1]. “The evolving India-Vietnam relationship promises to unlock new growth opportunities for businesses in both nations, facilitating increased trade and economic expansion,” said Nitin Tatiwala, vice president of Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and Africa air network, FedEx Express. “The transit time enhancement can provide importers in India with a competitive advantage, by helping them build faster and more efficient supply chain networks with businesses in Vietnam. This facilitates trade and boosts the growth of businesses, especially SMEs, in both countries.” FedEx has been supporting cross-border trade to and from India since 1984. With the new flight service, businesses in India may gain a competitive edge with expedited delivery time. This latest announcement reaffirms the company’s dedication to improving services and strengthening operations …

There’s a need to be actively engaged in persuading the shippers to explore the newer trade opportunities abroad other than the conventional destinations for perishables, says Sunil Kohli, MD, Rahat Cargo. He shares, “As a freight forwarder mainly focused on perishables, we have commenced moving shipments to US and Canada. An optimal utilization of airports in non-metro cities such as Amritsar has also been our prime objective to promote exports from there to direct/assorted stations thereby providing the benefit of an economical airfreight to the exporters. We have also succeeded in handling the exports from shippers on pan-India basis in collaboration with our associates in all major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad etc. The business being emanated from our concern has been shaping well and in all likelihood it would witness a considerable growth in future keeping in view the enhanced number of exporters, developed infrastructural facilities at the airports and the government’s liberal policies.”

Airfreight rates on major east-west trades picked up in October as the industry entered its traditional peak season. The latest figures from the Baltic Exchange Airfreight Index (BAI) based on TAC data show that average rates – spot and contract – on services from Hong Kong to North America increased by 18.4% compared with September to $5.80 per kg. Compared with last year prices are down 13.9%, although the difference between the two years has continued to narrow from a high of 47.7% in May. From Hong Kong to Europe, rates in October increased 14.5% on the September level to $4.26 per kg. Against last year, prices on the route are down 26.3%. Airfreight rates tend to rise at this time of year as the industry enters the peak season, although the increase level depends on the strength of demand. Many had been expecting a “muted” peak season this year with minimal rate rises due to subdued demand. In its latest market summary, TAC Index said that the recent rate rises reflected a “genuine if modest peak season bounce with gains on rates from all major outbound locations around the world”. Meanwhile, data provider WorldACD said that global air cargo tonnages and rates had stabilised after recovering from China’s National Day Golden Week in early October. It said that there are no clear signs yet of any significant fourth-quarter peak season, despite anecdotal reports from some freight forwarders of a slight seasonal tightening of the market.

NYSE-listed AerCap Holdings delivered its first Airbus A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) aircraft to IndiGo. The aircraft conversion was completed by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) before being delivered to IndiGo at ST Engineering Aerospace in Singapore, says a release from AerCap. “We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of AerCap’s first A321 Passenger-to-Freighter aircraft with our long standing customer IndiGo,” says Rich Greener, Head, AerCap Cargo. “The A321P2F is a best-in-class narrowbody freighter solution, offering superior economics in terms of fuel-efficiency and flexibility to meet the growing demand of cargo operators. We wish IndiGo every success as they expand their fleet to meet their customers’ freighter needs, and we thank the EFW and ST Engineering Aerospace teams for their support with this conversion programme.”

DP World has ushered in a new era of connectivity with the arrival of the maiden voyage of the vessel ‘M.V. Celsius New Orleans’ at its terminal in Nhava Sheva in October 2023. Operated by the Unifeeder Group and ONE LINE, this new weekly “MJI” service is designed to optimize supply chain efficiencies, connecting key ports including Jebel Ali, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Mombasa, Beira, and Maputo. This strategic rotation spans 35 days and deploys three ships with a capacity ranging from 1,700 to 2,000 TEUs. This interconnected service aims to alleviate congestion and supply chain challenges in East Africa. By reducing transit times and enhancing accessibility to major Middle East and Indian Subcontinent ports through Jebel Ali, it significantly improves lead times while improving cost efficiencies, greatly benefiting customers. Commenting on the new service, Ravinder Johal, COO Ports & Terminals, DP World Subcontinent and MENA region said, “It is our endeavor to fortify the connection between India, the Middle East, and East Africa through our new service from Nhava Sheva. This strategic initiative underscores our relentless commitment to fostering crucial trade links and enhancing route connectivity. With a heightened focus on efficiency and reliability, our customers will further benefit from a seamless flow of goods, resulting in reduced transit times and cost savings. This initiative isn’t just about transportation; it’s about enabling businesses of all sizes to explore and access new markets along this strategically significant route, defining a future where global trade truly knows no boundaries.”

Bird Airport Services has commenced ground handling services for SriLankan Airlines today at Chennai International Airport. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s continued growth and commitment to delivering exceptional services. The scope of ground handling concession, includes the right and the duty to provide, the following services to all domestic & international airlines. It includes Ramp handling services (marshalling, cooling and heating, ramp to flight deck communication, loading and unloading, aircraft starting, safety measures, moving of aircraft, cabin & utilities cleaning, cargo ramp handling and storage of ULDs. Following a rigorous tendering process in 2022 (in which more than 10 international players had participated), which focussed on benchmarks in industrial know-how, current international operations, best practises, reliability, safety procedures and quality standards, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) awarded Bird Airport Services, a long term ground handling concession to develop and operate a state-of-the-art ground handling operation for both domestic and international airlines at Chennai International Airport. “As we embark on this new venture, Bird Group’s commitment to excellence remains unwavering. The company has made substantial investments in equipment, employee training, and facilities to enhance safety, sustainability, and performance. This includes upskilling new employees, implementing a digitalized aircraft turn-around process to improve efficiency and safety, and investing in state-of-the-art electric Ground Service Equipment (GSE) equipped with IoT and advanced safety features. Bird Airport Services is excited to bring its expertise to Chennai Airport, and we are dedicated to delivering exceptional ground handling services to all airlines and passengers,” said a spokesperson, Bird Airport Services.

Sterling, a Kuehne+Nagel company, has launched a global aerospace service designed to expedite urgently needed aircraft parts from one of the largest original equipment manufacturer (OEM) based in Seattle, Washington. The high-level service will be operating 24/7 from a logistics service hub built in Seattle, staffed with Sterling drivers and a new fleet of vehicles, says an official release from Sterling. As a trusted logistics partner for delivering time-critical aerospace solutions, Sterling’s new shuttle service offers a secure and expeditious solution, complete with a comprehensive chain of custody protocols to guarantee the integrity of every shipment, the release added. “Sterling’s newly established Seattle logistics service hub is overseen by aerospace logistics professionals, featuring a specialised team of drivers and a dedicated fleet of vehicles. This configuration focuses on the initial stages of transportation, effectively mitigating associated risks at the onset of the shipment. ”

Allcargo Logistics is all set to collaborate with the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai (IIM) to develop a strong talent base in logistics management in India. They have started working on a case study titled ‘LogicOn’, this case study competition is inviting first-year and second-year MBA students to tackle challenges in the world of logistics using their unique ideas. Students who excel in the competition will be offered summer internships and pre-placement interviews apart from lucrative cash prizes. Already, the competition has secured millions of impressions on IIM Mumbai’s talent engagement platform and nearly 7,000 have registered for the competition. It is noteworthy that the LogicOn Grande Finale has been scheduled to be held at IIM Mumbai on November 1, 2023.

IAG Cargo saw its revenues fall in the third quarter of the year despite its volumes increasing. The airline group, which includes British Airways and Iberia, registered a 29.5% decline in revenues during the period to €263m. Meanwhile, air cargo traffic increased by 19.7% to 1.1bn cargo tonne kms. The reason for the decline in revenues despite higher volumes is a drop off in airfreight rates compared with a year ago. For example, the latest monthly rate data from the Baltic Exchange Airfreight Index (BAI) shows that rates from Hong Kong to Europe were down 38.9% in September compared with a year earlier. IAG’s own figures show that in the third quarter, its revenues per cargo tonne km fell 41.1% year on year to 23.11 cents. However, this is still higher the pre-Covid 2019 level for the third quarter of 19.99 cents. Commenting on the performance of its cargo business, IAG said: “Our Cargo business continues to see declines in revenue and profit as industry supply continues to exceed reducing demand for air freight. Cargo yields remain above 2019 levels.”