Category Archives: Aviation

Shankar Shinde, Chairman Elect, Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) has been elected unanimously as Managing Director of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Association (IFCBA). IFCBA enjoys the status of Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) representation on World Customs Organisation (WCO).The election of Shinde in IFCBA’s crucial position once again underscores the growing importance of FFFAI and India at large in the international Logistics & Customs Brokers business. Having more than 30 years of experience in Logistics and Customs Broking industry Shinde is very well-known for his huge contribution to the entire industry. Apart from FFFAI and IFCBA, he has also been associated with various industry associations including Nashik Customs House Agents Association as President, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) as FFFAI nominated representative, Brihanmumbai Customs Brokers Association, Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, etc. In addition, from FFFAI Shinde is spearheading the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project collaborating with the Government of India. “The international trade community depends on the work done by Customs Brokers and IFCBA serves Customs Brokers by keeping them at the centre of the international trading system. It is IFCBA’s mission to promote the value and use of Customs Brokers worldwide,” emphasized Shinde while commenting on the importance of IFCBA. IFCBA works to bring about improvements in Customs policies and best practices on a global basis. These improvements benefit both Customs and Customs Brokers for achieving transparency in trade facilitation measures, brainstorming towards innovation for recommendation of seamless cross border customs processes and standardization with use of technology in achieving paperless transaction.

Aimed at supporting airports to prepare their logistics for vaccines, the Cool Chain Association (CCA) has launched the Covid-19 Distribution Change Management Matrix. The Matrix looks at adherence to temperature requirements, packaging, forecast and quantity, and timeframe across different stages in a vaccine’s journey through an airport. The Cool Chain Association will share the Matrix with members for them to complete and then bring together the information to help the supply chain focus on potential pinch points, training needs, safety and security, as well as supplier and risk management, and quality. “CCA members can share vital information, which, once consolidated, will provide a useful resource as the industry prepares in the best way we can for the distribution of the vaccines,” said Nicola Caristo, Secretary General, the Cool Chain Association and Airline Partner Manager, SkyCell. “We are not aiming to suddenly find an end-to-end solution, but focussing on airports, where we know there are potential bottlenecks and where we can use the vast knowledge in our network to help establish workable guidelines.” The scheme was unveiled during association’s recent Covid-19 Taskforce Workshop, where the focus was on the need for both shippers and legislators to play their part. Guest speaker Ruud van der Geer, Global Deliver Strategy team MSD, said, “The pharma industry was working to be as prepared as possible in volatile times. The biggest challenge is that we have to develop a network, but there are still so many unknowns, from the required shipping temperature to where it will be manufactured and delivered, and the overall manufacturing capacity.”

With an aim to bring its global cargo operations onto a single integrated digital cargo platform to improve operational insight across its entire network, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has appointed IBS Software. This will be achieved through the deployment of IBS Software’s iCargo SaaS-based cargo management solution. The implementation will see SIA transitioning from its existing air cargo systems to iCargo to support its cargo business units, which include sales, import and export operations, air mail handling and revenue accounting. This will serve to strengthen its ability to better manage cargo capacity, gain enhanced visibility of shipment yields and revenues, optimise network performance and seamlessly collaborate with partners’ systems, as well as drive efficiencies and improve operational resilience. “The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged the air cargo industry and greatly accelerated the need for change, especially in digitalisation. We look forward to working closely with IBS Software to leverage the many strengths of iCargo to improve our digital capabilities and allow us to deliver a differentiated customer-centric quality of service, while staying compliant and up-to-date with global industry standards and initiatives.” said Chin Yau Seng, Senior Vice President Cargo, Singapore Airlines. “Singapore Airlines is an iconic brand in the airline industry, synonymous with innovation. It gives us immense pleasure to welcome them to the iCargo user community during these turbulent times. We greatly value the trust that Singapore Airlines has placed with us and I’m looking forward to our teams jointly developing the next generation of air cargo ecosystem for their customers and partners,” said, Gautam Shekar, Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Asia Pacific, IBS Software. iCargo is an integrated solution that supports the end-to-end business functions such as cargo …

To ensure that the air cargo industry is ready to support the large-scale handling, transport and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine, The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceuticals Logistics & Distribution provides recommendations for governments and the logistics supply chain in preparation for what will be the largest and most complex global logistics operation ever undertaken. Reflecting the complexity of the challenge, the Guidance was produced with the support of a broad range of partners, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) , UK Civil Aviation Authority, World Bank, World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Trade Organization (WTO). The guidance includes a repository of international standards and guidelines related to the transport of vaccines and will be updated regularly as information is made available to the industry. Accompanying the guidance, IATA established a joint information-sharing forum for stakeholders. “Delivering billions of doses of a vaccine that must be transported and stored in a deep-frozen state to the entire world efficiently will involve hugely complex logistical challenges across the supply chain. While the immediate challenge is the implementation of COVID-19 testing measures to re-open borders without quarantine, we must be prepared for when a vaccine is ready. This guidance material is an important part of those preparations,” said, Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and CEO, IATA. Key challenges addressed in IATA’s Guidance for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Logistics and Distribution include the availability of temperature-controlled storage facilities and contingencies when such facilities are not available, defining roles and responsibilities of parties involved in the distribution of vaccines, particularly …

The 10th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (ALMAC), an annual signature event for the industries jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened today, running online for the first time in light of the pandemic. “The year 2020 has been a landmark year in many aspects, perhaps the most challenging year we have faced in our lifetime,” says, Xerrxes Master, Vice President, Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India. Explaining the nature of Indian logistics industry, he continues, “The size of the Indian logistics industry is US$250 billion; it’s a highly fragmented industry with hardly 10-15 per cent owning by organised players. So, one can imagine the magnitude and sheer scale of industry and what it is really capable of. However, slow but steady the progress has been made at every step. Indian government, in the last five to 10 years, has really supported multi-modalism; one of the prime examples is the development of inland waterways and the coastline which has been neglected all these years and which has really not being used to its full potential. It is estimated that 14500 kms length of rivers are navigable throughout the year. The Inland Water Authority of India (IWAI) has declared five national waterways covering a total of 4,434 kms of inland waterways covering routes on river Ganga , river Brahmaputra , back waters of Kerala, Krishna and Godavari river system along with the Buckingham Canal and Brahmani Mahanadi river system along with East Coast Canal. In 2016 the government of India declared 106 navigable rivers as National Waterways also. India and Bangladesh have agreed upon …

In a bid to leverage each other’s global and regional networks, Vietjet and UPS have entered an agreement. The agreement provides Vietjet with access to flights on UPS’s international freighter network from Asia, while the US express firm will be able to utilise Vietjet services within Vietnam, Thailand and the wider Asia region. The partnership started on September 26 when the two partners operated a cargo flight from Hanoi to the US with one stop in Incheon (South Korea). The service has been operated with one service per week since then. The cargo, including garment products, seafood, medical commodities and other general cargo, is collected from all Vietjet’s hubs in Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian destinations to Hanoi. Both sides have also conducted cargo flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur using UPS planes as well as joining forces for cargo transportation on Vietjet’s flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. “The agreement with Vietjet comes at a significant time for trade in Vietnam,” said Russell Reed, Managing Director (Vietnam & Thailand), UPS, in adding, “As Vietnam’s economy embraces growth momentum, the country is poised to benefit from shifts in global manufacturing and trade flows, and UPS, together with Vietjet, hope to expand import and export opportunities for businesses of all sizes in Vietnam, enabling them to trade with greater ease and confidence on a global scale.” Prior to the agreement, Vietjet and UPS Express have previously collaborated to handle cargo on Thai Vietjet’s return COB (cargo on board) flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok. Do Xuan Quang, Chief Executive, Vietjet Cargo said, “The cooperation with UPS paves the way for Vietjet to …

International air cargo handled in India during October was 90 per cent of its year-ago level, tweets, Hardeep Singh Puri, Civil Aviation Minister. He says, “With our skies and airports busy facilitating more than 1.81 crore domestic passengers since May 25, 2020, another area which witnessed robust activity and growth is air cargo.” The air cargo data across the country shows multiple green shoots. Air cargo at Indian airports has increases from 1.55 MMT in 2006-07 to 3.56 MMT in 2018-19 as a result of global downturn due to COVID.” “Chandigarh Airport saw a growth of 16 per cent in October 20202 over October 2019 while Srinagar handleld staggering 853 MT air cargo in October 2020 showing a huge jump of 135 per cent over October 2019. Madurai, Kochi and Chennai also registered double digit growth in October 2020 over October 2019,” the Minister informs. Registering exemplary growth in air cargo movement, Amritsar Airport handled 211MT of total air cargo in October 2020; an increase of 48 per cent over October 2019 while with 14.4 MT of domestic air cargo in October 2020 Amritsar Airport has registered a growth of 149 per cent over 2019.

American Airlines Cargo has continued the modernisation of its business with the completion of digital Air Mail Handling and Mail Revenue Accounting modules from IBS Software’s iCargo system. This deployment, which was completed in late August, was the final transition necessary to complete the multi-year modernisation effort that replaces the cargo business’s technology platform. iCargo has helped American simplify its cargo business’s IT landscape by reducing the number of systems from 90 to 10, eliminating redundancies and inefficiencies in systems and processes that will drive improvements for its 8000+ cargo team and 30,000 customers. The enhanced technology enabled teams to better communicate with customers and offer new solutions in a time where keeping cargo moving was especially critical. “Completing the transition to iCargo is a critical step in digitalising our global air cargo business. Air cargo has played a vital role during the pandemic, and it is important that we continue to innovate and press ahead with our digital strategy as we look toward the future,” said, Angela Hudson, Head of Transformation for American Airlines Cargo. She added, “Our entire team owned this transition and have been working side-by-side to leverage our new tools with customers in mind.” “The successful go-live of the iCargo platform at American Airlines Cargo is a testament to the commitment that iCargo and IBS Software brings to the global air cargo business. American has an incredible team running an intensive air cargo schedule, especially now with their cargo-only flight schedule, and we’re delighted that iCargo will be playing a critical role in helping them achieve that,” said Ashok Rajan, Senior Vice President & Head of Cargo and Logistics, IBS Software.

Drone Delivery Canada Corp has executed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with CSC Drone Aviation – a CSC Group Company, effective November 12th, 2020. The company has signed the LOI with the assistance of its sales agent Air Canada. Under the terms of the LOI, the parties shall cooperate and work jointly with the local regulator (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and shall work together to identify and analyse market opportunities in India for DDC’s Condor drone delivery solution with the intent to work towards a definitive agreement for that market. “We are pleased to be working with CSC Group towards an agreement for DDC’s Condor drone logistics solution in India. With a population of 1.4 billion people, and the world’s third largest GDP at US$ 8.7 trillion, India is a massive logistics market, so there are numerous potential applications for the Condor, from first-mile/last-mile cargo delivery, to oil & gas, mining, government, military, healthcare, humanitarian aid and infrastructure inspection services. We are very encouraged by the strong Canadian and international interest in the Condor as we work towards its commercialisation and the finalisation of testing,” said Michael Zahra, President & CEO of DDC. “Diwali symbolizes victory, goodness, knowledge and prosperity, so during the auspicious period of Diwali, we are honoured to announce joining forces with Drone Delivery Canada to work towards bringing their advanced drone delivery solution to the enormous Indian market. Their solution, especially with the capabilities of the Condor, addresses many commercially viable use cases from commercial/industrial delivery applications to social benefit applications like healthcare,” said Tushar Jani, Chairman, CSC Group.

To speed up the process for customers, Lufthansa Cargo has launched the online booking portal namely eBooking. The carriers has simplified the process into three steps to booking; all that is now required to make a booking is to define the shipment, choose the product and confirm the route. The system guides customers through the booking process with automatic suggestions and suitable options. The booking system then calculates a price that can be booked directly. Changes can also be made afterwards with just a few clicks. This makes the booking even faster and easier for all customers and also allows them to confirm the booking immediately. The new booking portal also demonstrates Lufthansa Cargo’s responsibility towards the climate and environment: with the integrated carbon calculator, all customers have the opportunity to check the CO2 emissions caused by their transportation and having them offset in the future. “Most of our customers already book online. With the new eBooking we are improving the usability for our customers. Access to our capacity with bookable prices is now even easier for our customers 24/7. Our sales department will continue to focus on the individual needs of our customers,” explains Dorothea von Boxberg, Lufthansa Cargo Chief Commercial Officer. Following the expansion of the digital interfaces, the introduction of the dynamic pricing ‘RapidRateResponse’ and digital PreCheck of shipments, Lufthansa Cargo has reached another milestone in its digitalization strategy with the new eBooking. At the same time, the cargo airline has taken a decisive step forward in digitally mapping the entire supply chain and separating the data flow from physical freight traffic.