Air cargo traffic is predicted to drop by a further 4% next year, while yields and revenues are also expected to weaken compared with this year’s levels, said IATA. The airline association’s head of policy analysis Andrew Matters, at IATA’s global media day suggested that cargo volumes are expected to fall 4.3% year on year to 57.7m tonnes, following on from an 8.1% fall this year to 60.3m tonnes. “This reflects the challenging global economic backdrop in terms of global economic growth but also in terms of international trade,” Matters said. He added that as a result of load factors returning to pre-Covid levels, yields are expected to decline by around 22% next year, following on from a 7% increase this year, a 24% increase in 2021 and a 50% increase in 2020. Matters said that current yield levels were unsustainable. “It (22%) sounds like a big number and quite dramatic but it isn’t too unreasonable given the very strong increases we have seen in recent years,” he explained. Airline cargo revenues are expected to fall around 25% next year around be $149.4bn, although Matters pointed out this was still around 50% higher than pre-Covid levels. “The exceptional period that we have had looks like it is coming to an end. We started to come back to levels across a number of these variables that we are more accustomed to.”

Teleport has raised new growth capital of $50m to build its freighter fleet and expand logistics operations in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, said release. The funds will also be used to further invest in technology that supports its operations across southeast Asia, said Teleport, the logistics venture of Capital A (formerly AirAsia Group Berhad). In September, the company announced it would be increasing its freighter aircraft from one to four, with the addition of three Airbus A321 freighters leased from BBAM. Teleport further said the three A321Fs would be operated by AirAsia and will be delivered in stages starting in the first quarter of 2023. Pete Chareonwongsak, chief executive of Teleport, said, “Our mission from day one is to deliver consistently better than anybody else in Southeast Asia. We believe if we guarantee next-day speed at a cost anyone can afford, everyone will choose to ‘Teleport It’. “Today we are profitable, larger, and growing faster than pre-COVID. We are battle-tested and believe a challenging environment is the perfect opportunity to build the leading cross-border logistics company in Southeast Asia,” he added.

To address the requirements of the global semiconductor supply chains, Kuehne+Nagel Logistics has launched a new offering for air freight shipments. With a robust air freight capacity, security solutions and the new quality standard, ‘SemiconChain’ will enable industry stakeholders to establish reliable and agile supply chains, said an official release. The increasing need for semiconductors and growing pressure on manufacturing require resilient supply chain to support continuous operations, the release added. “An outcome of Kuehne+Nagel’s close collaboration with customers and in-depth air cargo and semicon industry expertise, the new air logistics service supports customers with improved visibility, security, reduced risks and automated processes.” The offering is based on the SemiconChain quality standard that guarantees process standardisation, continuous improvement, and service excellence across the dedicated Semicon network. “SemiconChain is built on a quality foundation tailored explicitly to the Semicon industry and integrates ISO 9001-2015 and IATF 16949, ensuring that shipments are always transported in a standardised, robust manner providing complete tracking visibility. SemiconChain locations are staffed with industry experts that regularly undergo a comprehensive and continuous training programme,” the release added.

With an intent to bridge the gap of unemployment and employ more logistics professionals in India, Awign has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Logistics Sector Skill Council (LSSC), an organization set up by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) through National Skill Development Corporation of India. The collaboration aims to fulfill the demand-supply gap in the logistics sector and create a conducive ecosystem which aids employment for jobseekers, said reports. As part of the MOU, Logistics Sector Skill Council will facilitate sourcing of skilled candidates pan-India through its existing database, by organizing job fairs with the support of District Skill Committees, ASEEM job portal of NSDC and placement portal of Logistics Sector Skill Council. Awign will share the requirement of workforce across locations with Logistics Sector Skill Council and fulfill the gig workforce requirement for the fast-growing logistics sector in India. According to a report by NITI Ayog, India’s gig economy might witness $250 billion in transactions by the end of the next decade, or 1.25 percent of the GDP. In the future, opportunities in the gig economy are most likely to arise in the following four industry sectors: construction, manufacturing, retail, and transportation & logistics.

FTH Daily, the subscription-based e-grocery initiative of FreshToHome, through partners launched a state-of-the-art warehousing facility spanning up to 75000 sq. ft. in Bengaluru. Built with a capacity to hold more than 70,000 SKUs across 100 categories including farm fresh fruits, vegetables, groceries, household essentials, dairy, among others, the warehouse will play a vital role in the operative procedures of an efficient supply chain. With an advanced grading process unit that is exclusively set up to follow the 25+ quality control protocol, the warehouse adopts a three-point grading system to segregate, grade, and approve the farm fresh fruits, vegetables, and green leafy vegetables that are directly sourced from farmers. To sustain the freshness of fruits, vegetables, green leafs, FTH Daily, through its partners, has geared all its processes for quick turnaround from the source to the customers doorstep. At 6 PM, the harvest that is at the farm is delivered before 7.30 AM next morning to the customers. In its vision to enable easy access to farm fresh fruits and vegetables to millions of families, FTH Daily has facilitated its vendors to partner with a community of over 1200 farmers. More than 150 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and greens are available on the app at mass market prices. Speaking about the new facility centre, Shan Kadavil, Co-Founder, FreshToHome, said, “FTH Daily has been a key enabler in making daily nutrition accessible to lakhs of families. Our community of FTH Daily customers has grown from 10,000 families to 1.5 lakh families who trust us for quality, affordability, and wholesome nutrition. It’s our turn to extend appreciation and thankfulness to our customers, and build infrastructure solutions that will help us reach them faster, …

IAG Cargo is now directly integrated with WiseTech Global’s logistics platform CargoWise to enable freight forwarders to efficiently choose, book, confirm and change shipments, in real time. Direct data connection with IAG Cargo’s operational data allows CargoWise customers direct access to schedules, dynamic rates, capacity and allotment bookings. The integration is designed to allow CargoWise users to easily change digital bookings without leaving the application, supporting IAG Cargo’s Destination Digital strategy. John Cheetham, chief commercial officer at IAG Cargo, said, “Connecting through CargoWise is another exciting partnership strengthening the digital development of IAG Cargo. This partnership is the latest step in our journey to transform the way we do business, making it easier than ever for CargoWise customers to book their freight directly with IAG Cargo.” Jorre Cobelens, vice president – logistics data and connectivity, WiseTech Global, said “We are pleased that IAG Cargo has joined the growing group of leading cargo carriers that integrate with CargoWise, supporting our industry digitalisation and integration strategy. “This direct digital data exchange helps increase data security, data quality and simplifies the eBooking process between parties. CargoWise customers, including ten of the top 25 global freight forwarders who have either completed, or are in progress of, global rollouts of the CargoWise platform, will have access to IAG’s dynamic rates, schedules and services for key routes between Europe, Asia Pacific, and North- and South-America fulfilling an important part of our global network needs.”

Celebi India announced its appointment as the official ground handling partner at Chennai airport. The company will provide complete ground handling support to scheduled and non-scheduled airlines at domestic and international terminals. Its appointment has been accepted by the Airport Director at the Airports Authority of India, Chennai. Murali Ramachandran, CEO of Celebi India, said, “We understand the needs of the airlines and the growing aviation industry in India and are well equipped to meet current and future airline and passenger traffic. We will provide the much awaited quality ground handling services at Chennai airport and develop a sustainable ecosystem to meet the larger goal of the aviation industry to become carbon neutral in the very near future.” Chennai is the 9th airport in India for Celebi after Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Goa (Manohar International airport, Mopa), and Kannur. Recently, Celebi won the bridge-mounted equipment services contract for Bengaluru airport and introduced 100% electric, air-conditioned tarmac coaches for passenger transportation at the Delhi International Airport.

Lufthansa Cargo will begin using lightweight nets to secure cargo pallets to save weight on flights and reduce CO2 emissions from January onwards. The “Pallet Net Zero” nets made by AmSafe Bridport, which Lufthansa Cargo will be using through its subsidiary Jettainer, weigh between nine and eleven kilograms, which is less than half the weight of a conventional net made of polyester fibres. Pallet Net Zero is made out of a bio-based fibre – a pioneering material extracted from renewable bio-based raw materials. The weight reduction of the new nets is largely achieved by the high tensile strength of the special fibre. The reduced weight of the transport nets saves Lufthansa Cargo around 140 tons of fuel and therefore around 440 tons of CO2 per year, said the airline. Lufthansa Cargo will be Jettainer’s first customer to use the new, lighter Pallet Net Zero solution. The ULD expert will make around 2,000 nets available to the airline, which will be used for aluminum pallets. The net will be fixed to one side of the pallet to minimise the loss rate for these nets, said Jettainer.

Aimed at boosting air connectivity in the coastal Indian state of Goa, the newly-inaugurated Mopa International Airport, or Manohar International Airport, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is ready to start operations on January 5th next year. According to several reports, the new airport has the potential to serve as a significant logistics hub. It could directly connect several domestic and international destinations. Efficient multimodal connectivity is also planned for the airport. The first phase includes the construction of a single three-and-a-half kilometer runway (09/27) alongside integrated passenger terminal buildings and a cargo terminal. The airport may officially announce about the cargo carriers which will operate at the new airport and its dedicated cargo facility soon. “The New Goa International Airport shall be starting operations from January and will begin with domestic cargo operations by February followed by International Cargo operations by March. There is great potential for Air Cargo Agents in the coming months and would warrant having a Goa and Pune Region team,” said the minister. “This airport shall cater and increase the exports of perishable items and also the pharma products which had to be transported to Mumbai and other international airports,” the minister added.

Customs Broker License Management System (CBLMS), an e-application making interaction with Customs Brokers Paperless, Faceless and Contactless was launched recently by Vivek Johri, Chairman, CBIC. It is the first ever CB license that has been issued through the CBLMS portal. The members of Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers’ Association (BCBA) congratulated CBIC on the landmark initiative launched and implemented across India which marks a major step towards paperless processes of Customs Broker’s Licensing & registration formalities. The members also focused on increasing trade facilitation in India with Johri. BCBA also addressed the matters relating to improvising trade measures in line with the newly implemented National Logistics Policy for promoting fast track clearance and safeguarding the interest of the Customs Brokers. BCBA pledged full support to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making India a 5 trillion dollar economy by year 2025. They suggested measures for improvising the Faceless assessment, Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Scheme, as well as simplifying the processes for Exports from India to support the Make in India Initiative. The trade body meet was organized on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Customs Act, at Mumbai Customs House.