Artificial Intelligence, and how it can help the air cargo industry improve operational efficiency and speed will be the key focus area shares, CK Govil, President ACAAI. “We will hear from companies employing AI in multiple functions and learn from them.” ACAAI is all set to organize 47th convention in Malaysia from Nov 23-26 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “We chose Malaysia because it is a business-friendly country with a rich history of bilateral ties with India for over two and a half decades. Another significant reason is good flight connections from various Indian cities, thus making it easier for all participants to travel to the convention. India has had a bilateral relationship with Malaysia for 66 years, and the trade has only grown. It is an important trade partner for our nation, and I see much more growth in the times ahead. Over the past two and a half decades, our exports to Malaysia have grown at an annual rate of 10.4%, and imports have shot up by 10.3%,” he adds.

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has enhanced its cool chain capabilities through the expansion of the carrier’s network with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group. Etihad Cargo’s US customers will benefit from consistent end-to-end cargo services via the carrier’s PharmaLife and FreshForward products in addition to the cargo handling facilities and services offered by WFS at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. “Etihad Cargo recently expanded its network with WFS to incorporate all the carrier’s US stations,” says an official release. “Before adding Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the carrier partnered with WFS in New York and Washington to ensure Etihad Cargo’s robust quality standards are maintained throughout the cargo’s entire journey. In both New York and Washington, WFS operates specialised facilities for the handling of perishables and pharmaceutical commodities.” At JFK, two cool rooms provide storage for perishables and pharmaceuticals requiring temperatures of between +2 to +8 and +15 to +25 degrees celsius. The JFK facility also features a ramp area located immediately behind the building and an organised ULD storage area with a new racking system, making the handling of cargo more seamless, the release added.

DHL Express has signed an agreement with sustainable aviation company World Energy to buy 668m litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc). The seven-year contract, to 2030, is one of the longest and largest SAFc agreements in the aviation industry to date, said DHL. Under the SAFc system, the fuel’s environmental attributes are separated from the fuel itself using a Book & Claim model, with the aim of ensuring that the emission reductions associated with each credit are accurately transferred and verified by a third party. DHL Express will purchase SAFc, utilise the associated emission reductions, and extend the environmental attributes to its customers through the GoGreen Plus service. DHL adds that SAFc delivered through Book & Claim also helps to minimise logistical costs and emissions as the fuel does not need to be shipped around the world, making them the most efficient way to decarbonise aviation. All World Energy SAFcs for DHL will meet Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials standards and will be monitored by an independent registry to ensure traceability of claims. The fuel itself will be supplied to Los Angeles area airports, close to World Energy’s production facility in Paramount, California.

Ketan Kulkarni, CCO, Blue Dart says, The growth potential in the domestic cargo market drives demand for additional freighter fleets. Airlines can invest in dedicated cargo aircraft to meet the rising demand for air freight services, especially for time-sensitive and high-value shipments. Blue Dart is well-equipped to cater to the evolving demands of the air express industry and meet the growing demand.” He adds, “Consumer demand, especially within the rapidly growing e-commerce sector and evolving consumer habits, plays a pivotal role in the domestic cargo market. E-commerce relies heavily on effective logistics for swift and efficient deliveries. India’s digital transformation, marked by widespread internet access and a well-established digital payment infrastructure, facilitates e-commerce growth, leading to higher shipment volumes and opportunities for cargo service providers and airlines. Additionally, the thriving Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) sector significantly contributes to India’s economy. As these businesses expand, they generate increased cargo traffic for the transportation of raw materials and finished products.”

ESR Group announced that it has acquired 58 acre of land in Nagpur to build a logistic park and will invest Rs 400 crore in the construction and development. In a statement, ESR Group stated that it has acquired 58 acre of land in Nagpur with a total development potential of 1.4 million square feet. “ESR has also committed to invest Rs 400 crore (USD 48 million) for the construction and development of ESR Nagpur Logistics Park 2, which will be the company’s second logistics park in Nagpur and its twentieth park across the country,” it added. With the successful land acquisition, ESR Nagpur Logistics Park- 2 will help boost the supply of modern Grade A logistics facilities within the Gondkhairi-Kalmeshwar logistics cluster. The park is designed to accommodate 10 buildings, with building sizes ranging from 67,000 sq ft to 1,90,000 sq ft to meet a broad spectrum of tenant needs, ranging from e-commerce to third-party logistics (3PL), retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Abhijit Malkani, CEO of ESR India, said, “ESR’s investment in this new Grade A asset builds upon the remarkable success of our first logistics park in Nagpur. Our flagship 22.5-acre development, ESR Nagpur Logistics Park 1, has been operating at full occupancy since completion in 2020, having attracted high-profile tenants from retail and e-commerce domains”. “We are building another best-in-class logistics facility that will redefine warehousing standards in the region and cater to the diverse expansion needs of e-commerce, retail, and 3PL services. Our work is focussed on driving long-term sustainable growth of the economy and uplifting local communities,” he added. As of June 30, 2023, ESR has a development work-in-progress of USD 13 billion.

The increasing focus on using AI in the logistics sector is primarily being seen as a way to bring significant levels of efficiency in our day-to-day activities, says M. Afzal Malbarwala, Immediate Past President, ACAAI and Founder and Managing Director at Galaxy Freight. Ahead of ACAAI’s 47th convention in Malaysia, from Nov 23-26, Malbarwala says, “The challenges would be to identify an AI system which can integrate with our heritage systems, potentially merge with our actual customer deliverables, and protect our data sensitivity while delivering the solution we want as a final achievement. There is a fear among stakeholders that AI run machines can replace the human work force. Addressing such fears should take priority especially for heritage organisations who have long term loyal employees.” It is important to remember that AI’s ability to deliver the benefits is linked to our ability to provide continuous data streams which further allows the system to recognise and analyse data patterns before it can derive a methodology to do the same tasks at a much faster and efficient method.”

Kale Logistics Solutions (Kale) has published a readiness survey of 200 ports that revealed 30 per cent are not prepared to adopt the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s Maritime Single Window (MSW) mandate, which will become compulsory worldwide from 1st of January 2024. Kale highlighted the urgency for the industry to speed up its digital transformation as it unveiled the survey results, which also cited high implementation costs, long timelines, and varying levels of digital readiness as leading factors hindering regulatory compliance. The study involved ports located throughout the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America, and emphasised that Port Community Systems embedded with an MSW are integral to achieving the true potential of a port. “The purpose of this study was to identify the tangible benefits the maritime industry can achieve with technology intervention, and the results showed potential savings of up to USD50 billion annually by using MSW platforms,” said Vineet Malhotra, Co-Founder and Director, Kale Logistics Solutions. “However, these benefits are subject to 100 percent adoption of the MSW, and our report reveals that ports are encountering a number of barriers that hinder this digitalisation. “The MSW concept has the potential to revolutionise the international shipping industry.” Kale’s MSW platform is compliant with IMO standards and enables information and documentation to be transferred electronically between maritime and port stakeholders, which will become a compulsory requirement from the start of 2024. “The importance of this study will sow the seed for a digital revolution in the maritime industry worldwide, demonstrating how digitisation can not only bring order to the ongoing chaotic operations in the industry but also achieve significant sustainability goals in the long run,” …

GEODIS has officially started pharma and healthcare operations at its new 5500 sq. mt. site in Schiphol This new location is next to the existing site and will expand GEODIS’ footprint in pharma & healthcare, which is already well-established at the logistics operator’s Venlo site with a significant presence in contract logistics for customers in both sectors. The new Schiphol-Rijk investment will focus on freight forwarding and be part of GEODIS’ worldwide cross docking network for ambient and cold chain products. The new location is TAPA-A rated for air freight and holds the appropriate CEIV Pharma certification1 for handling goods in the 15-25 °C and 2-8 °C ranges. “Opening an additional specialized warehouse at Schiphol-Rijk enables us to offer customers a turnkey solution for pharma & healthcare logistics,” says Mark van den Assem, Managing Director GEODIS Benelux. “Increasing the synergy between our Contract Logistics and Freight Forwarding lines of business is a crucial part of our growth strategy and will have significant benefits to the supply chain needs of our customers”.

DP World and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to initiate willingness and co-operation between them for developing Vadhvan Port. Nestled towards the north of Mumbai along the Arabian coast, Vadhvan provides an ideal location for a port with a natural draft of 20 meters. Its proximity to Mumbai as well as Gujarat along the western coast along with established connectivity to Northern and Central India via the national railway network and NH8 add to its attractiveness as a trade gateway to the region. Speaking about the MoU, Shri Sanjay Sethi, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, said, “We are extremely happy to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with DP World for the new port at Vadhvan. DP World has been a strong partner for us over the last two and a half decades and we are confident that their support will go a long way in making Vadhvan port a reality.” Commenting on the MoU, Shri. Jibu K. Itty, CEO, DP World Nhava Sheva., said, “Our relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is built on trust and a shared vision to make trade possible. We are excited to partner with JNPA in exploring trade opportunities that can be unlocked by developing Vadhvan port along the west coast of the country. We believe that the proposed location has the requisite features to transform Vadhvan into a great port that can bring incremental prosperity to the region.”

DHL Supply Chain is set to invest 350 million euros ($369.7 million) in Southeast Asia in a bid to boost its customers’ supply chains. According to a company statement, DHL Supply Chain will build 400,000 square meters of warehouse space across the region and plans to create, by 2024, more than 3,000 jobs to meet growing demand. The funds will be invested over the next five years and are part of a number of strategic investments announced over the year, so far adding up to EUR1.35 billion, it said.