Glyn Hughes, Director General, The International Air Cargo Agents Association of India (TIACA) says, “Safety and security are and will always remain the industry’s top priority.  With regards to safety, Dangerous Goods handling and transport are subject to international and national regulations and carrier specific policies.   The development of the various regulations take into account manufacturing developments, packaging standards and safe controls.  Documentation, training and accountability ensure that all parties in the supply chain should be aware of what’s being moved, how it has been packaged and what safe controls to apply. There are regulations and standards applicable to cargo carried in passenger aircraft and different regulations and standards applied to all cargo freighter aircraft.  This takes into account the different containment measures applicable in the various cargo holds and main deck environments.   ICAO, through its Technical Instructions (TI), published every two years, provides the primary source of regulations for the safe carriage of dangerous goods.  IATA then publishes its Dangerous Good Regulations manual which is based on the ICAO TI’s and adds additional chapters covering carrier specific requirements. One major area of focus is on the safe carriage of lithium batteries, volumes of which have grown significantly in recent years.  Lithium batteries have undergone significant testing in an air cargo environment to determine the safest standards to apply.  These standards include the maximum state of charge that a battery may hold whilst being shipped, it also covers quantities when loaded loose, quantities within appliances and other considerations.  The key consideration though starts with knowing what is being carried and correct declaration.”

Ground handler dnata has invested $4m in 14 new 180kVA electric ground power units (GPU) at Dubai International airport (DXB) to cut operational emissions. The new GPUs – a mobile or stationary device used to provide electrical power to aircraft while they are on the ground – will replace diesel equipment and reduce fuel consumption by 550,000 litres annually at DXB, said dnata. dnata’s first four electric GPUs have already been deployed, exclusively supporting Emirates Engineering’s services. The remaining 10 units are expected to arrive in November. Overall, the new equipment will handle 33% of all GPU utilisation at the airport. Jaffar Dawood, senior vice president, airport operations – UAE and MEA, dnata, said: “Our latest fleet investment underlines our ongoing commitment to using electric equipment wherever the airport’s infrastructure permits. “It reflects our focus on environmental responsibility and aligns with both customer expectations and the airport’s sustainability efforts. In addition, it improves operational efficiency and reduces maintenance needs.

According to the latest ratings by ICRA, “India’s overall air cargo volumes are projected to see healthy growth of 9-11 per cent year on year (YoY) to 3.6-3.7 million tonnes in fiscal 2024-25 (FY25), supported by 11-13 per cent expansion in international and 4-6 per cent growth in domestic cargo. The international cargo volumes had seen a muted YoY rise of 1 per cent in the first half (H1) of FY24 on the back of the slowdown in the global economy and geopolitical conflicts. However, international cargo volumes witnessed a healthy expansion of 18 per cent in H2 FY24 amid the Red Sea crisis, which started in October 2023. Consequently, the seaborne cargo traffic was affected, which in turn benefitted international air cargo traffic, the report adds. “ICRA’s outlook on India’s airport infrastructure is stable, with revenues of ICRA’s sample set likely to grow by around 12-14 per cent YoY in FY25, supported by the sustained improvement in both domestic and international passenger traffic, increase in tariffs at some of the major airports and ramp-up in non-aeronautical revenues,” said Vinay Kumar G, vice president and sector head, corporate ratings, ICRA, in a release.

DP World welcomed the maiden call of the vessel M.V. Folk Jeddah at its Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT). This maiden voyage marked the commencement of the India Red Sea Service (IRS). This new service will strengthen connectivity between key ports in India and contribute to enhanced trade flows across the Middle East. The IRS service’s port rotation includes: Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Jeddah, and Salalah, providing vital links to India’s two of the largest major ports to along its route. By reducing transit time and improving access to major ports, the new route will further support strong trade link for bilateral trade between the Middle East and India, promoting efficient movement of goods. Ravinder Johal, COO, Ports & Terminals, Operations & Commercial, DP World Subcontinent and MENA Region, said, “The commencement of the India Red Sea Service is a strategic step forward in enhancing trade connectivity across various regions that supports government’s vision of boosting exports by 2030. This service is designed to streamline supply chains and provide better connectivity to key ports, allowing businesses to operate with greater efficiency. This new service strengthens the trade links between India and the Middle East. At DP World, our aim is not only to support economic growth but also offer businesses faster access to emerging markets and optimize their supply chain.” DP World remains committed to minimizing its environmental impact and ensuring sustainable trade operations. The company has made significant strides in integrating renewable energy and sustainable practices into its terminal operations in India, with the goal of leading the maritime sector towards a greener future. As part of this effort, DP World’s Nhava Sheva terminals initiative of open access sourcing of …

Vishwachetan Nadamani, COO, Ecom Express says, “Our employees, especially our ground staff—including Distribution Center heads, delivery partners, and field executives—are the backbone of our operations, and their roles become even more crucial during the festive season, when their hard work doubles to meet the surge in demand. These rewards and incentive schemes reflect our commitment to motivating and recognizing the extraordinary efforts of our teams. Through these initiatives, we are enhancing individual performance and fostering a positive work environment, ultimately translating into an exceptional customer experience. This comprehensive program underscores Ecom Express’s dedication to fostering a motivating environment for its employees, promoting teamwork, and delivering exceptional service during one of the busiest times of the year.”  

  Ajay Rao. Founder, Emiza says, “We have scaled up warehousing capabilities to ensure that our clients can efficiently meet the sharp rise in demand during key festive periods like Diwali, Dussehra, and the year-end holiday season. At Emiza, we initiate our proactive hiring process in June to ensure that new employees are well-acquainted with our processes and operations before the festive season begins. This year, we’ve bolstered our workforce by 10-12% through additional manpower, with plans to integrate many of these employees into our permanent team post-festive season to maintain operational continuity. Particularly in the Fashion & Lifestyle and Home & Kitchen Appliances sectors, we are meeting this influx with our expanded workforce and optimised operations. These sectors are expected to drive a substantial portion of our business during the festive period. To further support our capacity during this busy time, we maintain a flexible pool of skilled workers in key locations across major cities, ready to be deployed to warehouses as needed. This ensures we are well-equipped to handle peak workloads efficiently. Additionally, employees are offered incentives for extra hours and higher productivity*. These incentives we offer our taskforce enables dedication and performance, helping us sustain high levels of efficiency during the busiest periods in the year.”    

Abhinav Singh, VP – Operations, Amazon India says, “We are committed to providing customers across every serviceable pin-code in India with fast and reliable deliveries this festive season. To meet this goal, we have hired over 1.1 lakh additional people to strengthen our fulfillment and logistics network and ensure we can handle the increased demand seamlessly. A number of these associates continue to work with Amazon even after the festive season and many others return year after year to work with Amazon. Our focus remains on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all our associates, whether they are working in our buildings or out making deliveries to customers. Our nationwide infrastructure is an engine for creating job opportunities and our focus remains on creating a safe, equitable and empowering environment with social security and financial wellbeing benefits.”

Sandeep Kulkarni, Chief Operating Officer, Allcargo Gati says, “We’ve implemented a number of cutting-edge technologies to make sure that our operations run smoothly, especially during the festive season. New, high-tech tools like double-deep racking systems, elevators, and advanced Hand-Held Terminals (HHT) are used in our sorting and fulfilment centres to make the process faster and more efficient. We have also digitalized all of our centres’ processes to cut down on the amount of work that needs to be done by hand and improve accuracy. We also use data-driven route-optimisation tools to make sure that last-mile transports happen faster, even when demand is high. This enables us handle more packages without slowing down or lowering the quality of service. These technologies, along with our manpower capabilities, enable us to manage the surge in demand efficiently while maintaining operational resilience. During the festive season, we strategically alter our supply chain management over the holidays to meet the high demand from e-commerce and rapid commerce. We increase network capacity by improving warehousing, fleet, and fulfilment centre proximity to demand hubs. We use AI-driven demand forecasts and route optimization to assure efficiency and timely deliveries. Our external partners help us maintain operational flexibility and streamline last-mile delivery to satisfy consumer expectations for speedy, same-day deliveries. These methods provide smooth operations and surge management.”    

“We have significantly ramped up our manpower through the engagement of six additional manpower supply services to meet the demand on order processing and delivery during this festive season,” says Sandeep Kulkarni, Chief Operating Officer, Allcargo Gati. He adds, “We further upgraded our sorting and fulfilment centres by adding double deep racking, conveyors, and improved hand-held terminals. It has made operations more digital, increased our capacity, and helped us work more. We have started using data for route optimization, which quickens last-mile deliveries and makes them effective. These smart upgrades are going to help manage the volumes of the busy season well with maintaining quality in service.”

Cathay Cargo has formalised its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) partnership with DB Schenker through a signing ceremony. The Cathay corporate SAF programme was established in 2022 to help tackle climate change. It enables members to purchase SAF for uplift on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Cargo flights from Hong Kong and other ports on the network. Cathay Pacific and Cathay Cargo have committed to using SAF for 10% of their jet fuel consumption by 2030. The initiative goes hand in hand with Cathay Cargo’s Fly Greener programme, which offers carbon offsetting through Gold Standard certified community and environmental projects. DB Schenker first adopted SAF for a proportion of its transport volumes in 2020 as part of its carbon-reduction programme. In July, DB Schenker became the largest contributor to Cathay Pacific’s corporate SAF programme and committed to buying 878 tonnes of SAF from the airline as part of its largest deal to date. The investment is anticipated to help reduce more than 2,600 tonnes in carbon emissions. The signing ceremony, attended by Cathay director cargo Tom Owen and DB Schenker vice president global carrier relation Susanne Stemmer, was held to mark the global forwarder’s membership of Cathay’s SAF programme.