Category Archives: Aviation

Kamesh Peri, CEO, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India said, “Domestic air cargo carriers are all set to launch new freighters in the coming months, which would be able to transport outsized or heavyweight cargo. Once this is done, then the terminal operators will get their act together. We are in that sense, planning to look at the opportunities. We have recently signed up with one of the new freighter airlines who are entering the Indian market soon. We are going to be looking at handling its cargo operations. We are modifying our processes, improving our infrastructure to meet their requirements. We cannot disclose it now but we will be announcing it soon. We have got the manpower, the trainings, the infrastructure, the equipment, special handling equipment, and the coordination that is required with the ramp ground handler. We have taken all those elements into account.” The demand is on the rise, and we have the belly capacity, which is not completely utilized yet, he added.

Abhishek Chaudhary, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) said, “We have integrated air cargo under our Unified Logistics Interface Platform developed with an aim to removing and breaking the silos of different systems of different ministries which were not aligned or integrated with each other. Under the ULIP platform, we have integrated different systems of various ministries. Close to 30 systems of seven ministries have been integrated by way of developing over 100 APIs and that cover close to 1,600 fields. “Air cargo has come as first time start point for us because under LDB we were not looking after the air cargo initially. But, under air cargo category, our systems are integrated with three different systems which are Air Cargo Community System, Hans Infomatic and ACMES used by Delhi airport, Hyderabad airport and AAICLASS operate 26 airports across India.”

Cargo facility at the Chandigarh International Airport is likely to be completed in a month’s time. As per reports, all the approvals have been okayed by CHIAL and Airport Authority of India Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS) and both are closing the agreement. Decks have been cleared to fully operationalise the cargo facility. The decision to sign a pact with the AAICLAS was finalised at the CHIAL Board meeting recently, said reports. Rakesh Ranjan Sahay, CEO, CHIAL said, “The three-acre facility will be handed over to the AAICLAS and it will be ready in a month’s time. Once operationalised, the cargo facility will add a new dimension to the airport. We will provide the covered structure and install the set-up and operationalise it.” He added, “With this, the current capacity of 20 tonne is set to jump up to 80 tonne in the coming days. A full-fledged cargo facility operational at the airport will give a fillip to the businesses from Punjab. Vegetables, fruits, and pharma houses in Himachal Pradesh will also gain.”

Keku Bomi Gazder, MD and CEO, Aviapro Logistics Services said, “The trajectory for growth in domestic air cargo sector will continue to be strong for the next few years to come. So, moving from about 1.8 million tonnes to close to 4 million metric tonnes in the next five years is not an impossible target, it can be achieved with the collaboration of all the stakeholders. I feel the use of military aircraft for transportation of perishables is long needed. If you want to move fruits and vegetables in huge quantities, it is important that we use all other available capacity apart from what the commercial capacities. The other important thing is National Gati Shakti which is focused on empowering each one of us, all departments, commercial, non-commercial, and make it a single mission to achieve a common goal. Our industry wants transportation for movement of cargo. If that is implemented perfectly, we will leapfrog in the next couple of years.”

To eradicate duplication and simplify procedural requirements, Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister said the central government is working on bringing a single logistic law for all modes of freight transportation. The PPP model should be encouraged for the development of air cargo infrastructure in India, the minister added. Addressing the 12th DACAAI Convention, the minister said, “The Centre is working on bringing a single logistic law for all modes of freight transportation to eradicate duplication of processes and simplify procedural needs. This system will facilitate multimodal transportation in the truest sense.” Gadkari added that the government is working towards reducing logistics cost to 8 per cent, citing India’s logistics cost is around 14 per cent of GDP currently.

“The existence of well developed air cargo infrastructure will benefits not only the airport but the region’s economy as well,” said Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways at the recently concluded The Domestic Air Cargo Agents Association of India (DACAAI) convention. He added, “Air cargo service can facilitate the supply of raw material and components to the region which attracts manufacturing. But it is true that in the domestic market air cargo share is very low and the challenges are many. However, in the era of Amrit kal, that is the next 25 years, we are committed to make of our country our Armanirbhar Bharat. The first important thing for that is reducing the logistic cost to 8% of GDP. This is at the top of our agenda and it will benefit all sectors and all the owners economy. Aviation infrastructure should be developed using the latest technology.If we can make it efficient and accessible then it will create in huge numbers.Air cargo has the biggest advantage of speed to save transit time can help global business in a big way.We have a huge flight capacity.Utilization should be improved by taking appropriate measures. If we can transport more volume by air, logistic cost will be reduced.” Gadkari also focused on boosting domestic perishables trade. He said, “I am in discussion with the Defense Minister regarding use of big Defense aircraft for transportation of fruits, vegetables and agriculture produce.”

The Domestic Air Cargo Agents Association of India (DACAAI) organised the 12th edition of its convention in New Delhi on Friday. The theme of the event was ‘The Future of Domestic Air Cargo in India: Way Forward.’ The event began with the inaugural address by Suraj Agrawal, Secretary, DACAAI followed by the lamp lighting ceremony by DACAAI members Arvind Nayak, President DACAAI, Gaurav Ghuwalewala, VP and Founder DACAAI, Amit Bajaj, Member DACAAI and leading air cargo experts and government officials namely, Mahesh Malik, CCO, IndiGo Cargo, Kamesh Peri, CEO, Celebi and Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, MoCA amongst others. DACAAI members also launched the yearly handbook in the virtual presence of Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road, Transport and Highways. The focus of the convention was on building resiliency in the domestic air cargo sector. The experts also highlighted on leading domestic airlines launching freighters in the coming months to meet the surge in demand and new cargo complexes coming up at the regional airports boosting logistics activities from the tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The experts also focused on the growing e-commerce sector bolstering growth of air cargo domestically. “We have adequate infrastructure, policies and manpower in place to achieve the pre-COVID growth levels in the coming years. We have government’s support and we are moving in the right direction,” said experts.

At recently concluded 12th edition of The Domestic Air Cargo Agents Association of India (DACAAI), Amber Dubey, Joint Secretary, Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India told exclusively to Cargo Talk that Industrial collaboration will definitely help in achieving the ambitious target of 10mn tonnes by 2030 for both domestic and international cargo. “Industry should collaborate and work towards achieving one mission – growth. All the respective organisations should team up and keep their ego aside and work towards the benefit of the industry,” said Dubey. Focusing on the growing importance and prominence of cargo drones, he added, “Drones will help in transportation of variety of cargo especially pharmaceuticals to the remote locations and far off areas. We will see more of cargo drones in the coming years.” He also urged the industry to make the best use of adopting cost-effective IT solutions and digitalisation for resilient supply chain operations.

Cathay Pacific has extended its Fly Greener, a carbon-offset program, powered by an integrated carbon emissions calculator, to its air cargo services as part of its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, said a release. The new carbon emissions calculator works out the carbon emissions of shipments and the cost to offset them. Customers can then contribute to buy carbon offsets from carefully selected carbon-offset projects. All selected projects are certified under the Gold Standard to ensure their carbon reductions are verified and come with societal and developmental benefits. “The carbon-offset program follows the launch earlier this year of Cathay Pacific’s SAF Programme, which brings SAF into Hong Kong International Airport for the first time in history. It provides corporate customers the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint from business travel and air cargo shipments by contributing to the use of SAF,” stated a release. 

IndiGo Airlines is planning to set up a cargo facility at Vijayawada and at other important airports in Andhra Pradesh. Giridharan Srinivasan, Regional Director (South), said four dedicated cargo aircraft will be introduced shortly, the first one from October which will be linked to AP airports also. In a seminar organised by the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation on improvement of air cargo facilities at airports in the State, he said that IndiGo had a dedicated cargo facility at the Rajamahendravaram airport, which was operational before COVID. The airline planned its resumption, and it would be available for exporters. The cargo facility at the Visakhapatnam International Airport was customs-notified, from where cargo is exported directly by IndiGo to 27 overseas destinations after necessary customs clearances.