Category Archives: Aviation

SpiceXpress keeps up to its tradition of creating unique propositions in the Indian Logistics field by inaugurating the first of its kind Airport Based Free Trade Zone Warehouse in GMR Hyderabad international Airport, Telengana. At a time when India and the state of Telengana in specific is looking forward to promote the export and import of goods and help the manufacturers and traders boost their business we at SpiceXpress have taken the initiative of creating the Free Trade Zone at GMR Hyderabad International Airport, which is the right solution. A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to customs duty. Most of our free trade zones are on the sea port side helping the manufacturers and traders who use the sea mode. Manufacturers and traders using Air mode, specifically Pharma, E Commerce, Aero Space, Perishables, etc had logistical challenges using these free trade zones. We at SpiceXpress are the first ones to set up a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Warehouse on the Airport Side. We thank Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Telengana, I&C and ITE&C Department for gracing the occasion and inaugurating the facility and opening it for all the manufacturers and traders to use.

GECAS announces to lease two 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) to M Jets International’s start-up, Kargo Xpress. The BCF’s are expected to be delivered in October and December 2021. These two 738BCFs are said to increase capacity for Malaysia’s newest freight carrier. Kargo Xpress began scheduled flights in June with one 737-400F and this added capacity will enable the operator to provide fast, timely and efficient delivery of goods as they expand their footprint to include Northern China and Western India and serve some thinner, underserved routes. Gunasekar Mariappan, managing director, M Jets International, said, “Kargo Xpress appreciates the close working relationship with GECAS to induct our initial two 737-800 BCF. We are focused on developing a robust, reliable, cost effective network within Asia, centered around a fleet of 737 freighters. Our goal is to be the provider of choice for express e-commerce shipments, as well as point-to-point delivery, trans-shipment and flight-truck services for our time-to-market sensitive customers within Asia.”

Air Charter Service recently chartered a Boeing B787-9 to transport 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid donated by the British government for those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. James Cristofoli, London Cargo Director at Air Charter Service, commented, “It was just over a week ago that the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office then contacted us to arrange the shipment – the cargo includes shelter kits and solar powered lanterns for up to 1,300 families, and we expect to see more such support to follow over the next week or so. Our US offices have already arranged several additional charters with relief in support of the operation.” “It is tragic that the country has been struck again after the devastating earthquake in 2010. Following that tragedy, we arranged more than 100 flights as part of the humanitarian effort and a number of our staff spent time on the ground during the operation, which makes our work particularly poignant.”

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has partnered with the global transport and logistics provider Scan Global Logistics for the international transportation of COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in Japan to Cambodia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Laos, East Timor, Fiji, and Maldives through the Japanese government’s cooperation with the COVAX facility. The COVAX Facility is a logistical hub designed to maximize resource mobilization and supply coordination led by Gavi, the global vaccine alliance leading COVAX efforts. The initiative aims to secure equitable access to vaccines worldwide regardless of income levels and increasing availability in developing nations throughout Southeast Asia is key to this strategy. The transportation of vaccines present a number of logistical hurdles, requiring ANA to leverage its full range of expertise and experience gained at the forefront of cargo transportation.

Kale Info Solutions Inc’s recent study on the impact of digitisation at Atlanta Airport, Georgia, USA showed that by using digital tools the Atlanta Airport Community, which is powered by Kale’s digital solutions, had saved nine tonnes of CO2 from being processed since the beginning of 2021: the equivalent of planting more than 400 trees. The study demonstrated CO2 and fuel savings, as well as reduced labour costs, and close to 2,000 man-hours saved. They looked at 1,839 shipments, 389 trucks, and 680 tonnes of cargo going through Atlanta Airport for the first seven months of 2021. In total, more than 5,650 litres of fuel, USD 69,000 of labour costs, and 1,945 man-hours were saved by using Kale’s slot management tool to organise and facilitate the arrival and loading of trucks at the airport. Kale’s Single Window System used for airport and maritime community systems enables electronic communications between multiple supply chain stakeholders. “We want to add momentum to the global sustainability drive and be a major influencer for airports, ports, and supply chains across the world to go paperless, improve digital connectivity, and reduce carbon emissions,” said Amar More, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kale Info Solutions, USA.

CEVA Logistics continues supporting Indonesia with the fight against the COVID-19 virus. It announces the transport of oxygen concentrators from the U.S. to Indonesia via Singapore. As part of the broader Singapore Changi Airport community, CEVA is participating in the aid project organized by the Changi Airport Group. The project’s first shipment of oxygen concentrators from Los Angeles weighed more than 14,000 kilograms and was delivered directly to the CEVA Logistics warehouse located within the Airport Logistics Park of Singapore. With many Southeast Asian and Pacific countries affected by the highly transmissible Delta variant, CEVA Logistics is using its global network to connect the right medical supplies with those that need them. In total, 1,380 machines are being donated by the Changi Foundation together with more than 30 other airport partners, as well as individual airport employees.

GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC), a division of GMR Air Cargo and Aerospace Engineering Limited today announced that it had become the first cargo terminal in India & South Asia region to handle a shipment using the next generation Envirotainer Releye® RLP air cargo containers. Envirotainer active heating and cooling containers are one of the preferred options for movement of highly temperature-sensitive air cargo shipments globally. Pharmaceuticals and vaccines need to be protected from the vagaries of temperature excursions at all times throughout the supply chain providing an unbroken cold chain, irrespective of location, time of day or mode of handling, this is the preferred choice. Envirotainer has introduced the RLP size for the first time in an active container in the industry. Releye® RLP is the next generation temperature-controlled air cargo container introduced by Envirotainer, offering superior performance, up to 50% higher space efficiency, advanced live monitoring, and control features with an unparalleled ability to maintain the temperature of shipment for up to 170 hours, the highest in the world today.

The advisory group on air cargo met the Minister for Civil Aviation, Jyotirditya Scindia to discuss key issues related to Air cargo that will help boost the Air cargo in India. The Minister took keen interest complementing the deliberations and very pro-active action items were discussed at length. In a message by Cyrus Katgara, President Air Cargo forum of India he said that the meeting was quiet a success. The meeting chaired by the Honorable Minister with the advisory group on air cargo to get an overview of the major policy and infrastructure-related issues facing the sector and developing a robust air cargo ecosystem in India.

Etihad Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East, has signed a strategic partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to provide Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions on Boeing 777-300ER’s. In 2019, IAI and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) announced the launch of the Boeing 777-300ERSF, a programme which established a P2F conversion dubbed ‘The Big Twin’ denoting its status as the largest ever twin-engine freighter. While the Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the aviation sector, cargo operations are offsetting operators’ losses, as it continues to play a critical role in facilitating international trade. As a result, industry forecasts show an increase in demand for wide-body freighter aircraft with long-haul capacity. Etihad Engineering will capitalise on their expertise and extensive capabilities for the specialised Boeing 777-300ERSF conversion. In the initial stage of the partnership, Etihad Engineering will facilitate towards two conversion lines accommodating multiple aircraft conversions per year.

Ethiopian Airlines Group has teamed up with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to launch a B767-300ER freighter conversion line in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive Tewolde GebreMariam, said: “In line with our Diversified Aviation Business Model of Vision 2025, we have been increasing our cargo capacity in fleet, ground service infrastructure and cargo connectivity network. Accordingly, we are partnering with IAI, one of the global technology leaders in the Aerospace industry, in building a cargo conversion center in our MRO facilities in Addis Ababa Airport. The Cargo conversion center will commence its first business with three Ethiopian Airlines owned B-767-300 aircraft.” Yossi Melamed, IAI’s executive vice president and general manager of Aviation Group, said, “the partnership comes as the company witnesses a “sharp rise in demand for cargo aircraft” on the back of an acceleration in e-commerce demand due to the Covid-19 outbreak.”