FedEx in its latest reports noted its financial year results and outlined expectations of ongoing supply chain disruption, expressing a slow return of air bellyhold capacity and lower growth levels for the coming fiscal year. According to the reports, in the fiscal year ending May 31, the express giant saw revenues increase by 11.3 per cent year on year to $93.5bn and operating income increased by 6.6 per cent to $3.8bn on the back of higher yields across its express, ground and freight businesses. Looking ahead, the coming 12 months are expected to see freight demand reduce with volumes expected to grow by a low single digit. Brie Carere, CCO, FedEx said, “We anticipate consumers will keep spending and their spending will continue tilting towards services from goods. We expect more consumers to return to stores. With this backdrop, we do expect pressure on B2C volumes.” She added that the latest Purchasing Managers Index showed a sharp decline and that inventory restocking is slowing after a build up last year and earlier this year. “This will dampen freight demand,” she said on a positive note.

Korean Air has been recertified by IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators Pharma (CEIV Pharma) for air transport of pharmaceuticals. Korean Air provides customised cold chain services for a wide array of products that call for dynamic requirements and conditions. The airline transports pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, lab reagents and serums, and fresh products including flowers, fruits, seafood, through its “Specialised-Pharma” and “Specialised-Fresh” services. Through a joint investment with Incheon International Airport Corporation, the airline operates a “Cool Cargo Center” at the airport’s Terminal 2.

Qatar Airways Cargo announces Chapter 4 of its WeQare sustainability initiative which is dedicated to the 2,873 diverse individuals who are the face and heart of the airline, and the main reason for its success. “Strength in numbers is one thing – whether this is revenue figures or number of employees,” said Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways. “Yet, the true strength, the core, and the success of a company is made up by the individual attitudes and aptitudes of its people. Naturally, since air cargo is an international business, Qatar Airways Cargo is blessed with a highly international family of employees. Our staff come from close to 100 different countries, and altogether speak more than 40 languages. We are also very diverse in age range, from 18 to 65,” he added. “Every one of us at Qatar Airways Cargo comes with their individual strengths, life experiences, cultural background, and job responsibilities, yet we are all united in one goal: ensuring the success and satisfaction of our customers. That goal is achieved precisely because of our different skills and approaches. Diversity is a proven driver for positive performance, and Qatar Airways Cargo is living proof of this. WeQare’s Chapter 4 is a celebration of our diversity,” Halleux further added.

Lodha Developers have signed a pact with global lifestyle and athletic footwear and apparel brand Skechers to develop a 1.1 million sq. ft. warehouse and distribution centre at Lodha Industrial and Logistics Park, Palava. The development will be undertaken by Palava Induslogic 2, where Lodha and an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI) have partnered for developing a warehouse park spread over 72 acre land parcel. The new Skechers Distribution Centre will be undertaken in two phases, with the first phase being completed in mid-2023. The logistics centre will be the second-largest National Distribution Centre for Skechers in Asia and is likely to be one of the tallest warehouse structures in India.

Approval has been granted by Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry to launch a cargo ferry service between Kankesanthurai (KKS) and Tamil Nadu. Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda said in a statement that permission was granted for the commencement of a cargo ferry service between KKS and the Karaikal Port, and Port of Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu. He said a cargo boat service will commence thereafter. Devananda added the service will allow Sri Lankans access to fuel, fertilizer, milk power, and other essentials including medicines, at a low cost.

Considering wait times at India’s major ports as the major bottleneck, Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Shipping Minister has set ambitious target to reduce it. “Wait times are expected to reduce drastically if our targets are met. There should be zero waiting time for inbound and outbound cargo. This means there should be zero waiting of ships as well as for trucks carrying cargo,” he said at an event recently. This will entail reducing current wait time of around a day for berthing at major ports to zero.

The government is planning to focus on completion of port connectivity projects in 2022 with a record 50 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) lined up for finalization in FY23. As part of the PM’s Gati Shakti plan, port projects have been accorded top priority given their importance in facilitating trade and augmenting support to multi-modal transport. An official of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said, the government has prioritised 65 road projects (2,041 km) to improve road link to ports. He said that out of these, nine projects with a total length of 161 km have been completed, five with a length of 105 km have been awarded under port connectivity component and four projects (992 km) are being developed under other components of Bharatmala.

To expand network in Asia, Indonesia headquartered MY Indo Airlines has added a Boeing B737-800F freighter to its fleet. The scheduled and charter cargo airline is based in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and focuses on the domestic and international cargo sector. MY Indo Airlines stated in a post, “MY Indo Airlines become the first freighter operator in Indonesia to operate the B737-800F series. It will provide more cargo capacity for our customer and at the same time offer the opportunity to expand our network within Asia.” Also the airline has B737-200F, B737-300F and B737-400F aircraft. The airline aims to expand its network beyond Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei to other parts of Asia, including China and Japan, said the post.

Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) has selected ICAD Holding Ltd. as Master System Integrator (MSI) consultant for the development of Noida International Airport (NIA). ICAD will support NIA with the systems integration design, integration program management and integration of ICT and Airport Systems. ICAD will also lead the core airport systems implementation and integration. NIA will set a new benchmark as a digital airport, with the implementation of latest technology to provide a seamless flow throughout the airport. This will be supported by integrated systems, services and use of technologies such as indoor navigation, passenger flow management, and data analytics. The digital environment to be set up at NIA includes paperless digital processing across all checkpoints in line with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation’s DigiYatra Policy. Christoph Schnellmann, CEO, YIAPL, said, “We are pleased to partner with ICAD to bring alive our vision of a digital airport. NIA will be a modern, efficient, and customer-friendly airport, offering the highest levels of convenience and ease of making connections to the passengers and commercial benefits to its partners.”

SpiceXpress has transported 100 tonnes of lychee from Darbhanga in Bihar to various parts of the country this season, which is four times the quantity carried as compared to the last year, stated a release. Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, said, “We have transported 100 tonne of lychee from Darbhanga to various parts of the country till date. Timely transport of fresh produce is essential to minimise post-harvest loss and ensure availability in markets across the country. We are happy that through our cargo network, fresh produce is being transported timely and efficiently, helping the farming community maximise profits and access more markets across the country.” SpiceXpress has been transporting farm and agro products such as shrimps, fish seeds, fresh fruits, and vegetables to various domestic and international destinations to help farmers with timely access to markets and boost the export of agro products from the country.