Category Archives: Aviation

China Airlines Cargo is set to launch a freighter service from Mumbai. Group Concorde, which has been the airline’s general cargo sales agent in India, will look after the sales in Mumbai. The airline will operate four flights a week, two per week coming from Taipei to Mumbai and going forward to Amsterdam, and two per week coming from Amsterdam and going to Taipei. The operations will focus on active and passive pharma. For pharmaceuticals, the airline offers services for products requiring the strictest temperature control, products that need to be kept in a certain range of temperature, and products that need to be stored in temperature-controlled facilities or room temperature. The first flight is scheduled to operate on November 16 (subject to all government approvals) westbound, and November 17 eastbound. Pukhraj Singh Chug, Chairman, Group Concorde, said, “China Airlines Cargo is a premium carrier and well-known brand in Delhi. It’s time we showcase its strength to customers in Mumbai. It is a service-oriented carrier and have always satisfied its customers. We are positive that the Mumbai market will be elated to have the services of CI to enhance the customer experience.”

CEVA Logistics has announced the launch of a specialist installation service for large-scale medical equipment using its own dedicated team of engineers and technicians in India. In a further expansion of its global healthcare capabilities, CEVA’s expert team will be responsible for unpacking, installing and setting up equipment such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Scanners, Cath Labs, Digital Radiography machines and CT (Computerised Tomography) Scanners on behalf of several global manufacturers. Akash Agarwal, Director Business Development India and Head of Freight Management Sales, India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey, CEVA Logistics, says, “Cutting-edge medical machinery requires specialist handling and installation, a complex and technical process. As our clients are increasingly relying on our know-how in this regard, CEVA Logistics decided to bring its healthcare logistics expertise to the next level by setting up a dedicated team of medical equipment installation specialists.” Initially based in Mumbai, India, the team will work on installations there as well as in Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Belgaum, before being gradually expanded across CEVA Logistics’ network.

Chinese cargo carrier, SF Airlines, started its first cargo service to Delhi from Shenzhen, China (SZX-DEL). Earlier in September 2019, the cargo carrier completed its first intercontinental flight from Wuxi to Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, via Chongqing. SF Airlines started its India service in August 2018. Since then the airline has four flight routes to Chennai as Shenzhen-Chennai, Shanghai-Shenzhen-Chennai, Chongqing-Shenzhen-Chennai and HongKong-Shenzhen-Chennai.

DP World has launched Log-X, a technology accelerator platform for logistics in India. The accelerator platform was launched in partnership with Invest India, Kerala Start-Up Mission and its accelerator partner Startup Réseau, to encourage innovation and technology adoption in the Indian logistics sector. The program will focus on digital technologies like block chain, artificial intelligence, robotics, simulators and internet of things, to identify logistics-focused technology start-ups in India. “Technology adoption and innovation will play a strong role in building an integrated logistics platform which offer end-to-end solutions for cargo owners,” said Rizwan Soomar, Chief Executive and Managing Director, DP World Subcontinent.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) has announced the opening of cargo terminal at Surat airport by the end of December. The city’s trade and commerce is set to get a major boost with the announcement. The steel-based modular cargo terminal structure built at the cost of Rs8 crore is ready but is awaiting approval from Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). With it getting operational, cargo movement is expected to cross 7,000 tonnes per month. Constructed on the land between the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the terminal building, the ground base of the cargo is 1,000 square meter and the first floor will have the same size. The cargo terminal has a cold storage facility for export of perishable items, a strong room among many more facilities.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation Ministry has permited SpiceJet to carry out self-handing of cargo from off-airport facilities. The order has been issued in accordance with ground-handling regulations (GHA), 2018 but has left some of the private airport operators displeased as this means loss of revenue for them. The ministry has said the airline to self-handle their cargo that is subject to clearance from Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The private airport operators want all the cargo to move through the designated handlers at the airport and argue non-adherence of this may create safety issues.

GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo launched Hyderabad Cargo Charter Circle (HC3) for facilitating cargo charter operators via Hyderabad Air Cargo Terminal. The move is to develop Hyderabad as an air charter hub in South and boost the regional direct connectivity and link it to the main hubs across the globe. The innovative and dedicated platform for enabling cargo charter operations was launched in the presence of charter operators, freighters, shippers, consolidation agents, freight forwarders and other airport stakeholders. “Cargo charters in India is still in nascent stage but holds a lot of promise, hence, we have launched the HC3 platform to give value and advantage to this segment and thereby boost trade and logistics,” said S.G.K. Kishore, Chief Executive Officer, GHIAL.

SpiceXpress could be listed on a stock exchange within a year as the rise of e-commerce drives growing demand for fast shipping across the region. The carrier plans to sell its share in the logistics business in an Initial Public Offering (IPO). The carrier is expanding its one-year old cargo hauling arm to fill the growing need for overnight shipping services, fuelled by online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc.’s Flipkart. SpiceXpress has nine scheduled departures, six days a week, to Hong Kong from Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati, and one domestic rotation connecting Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India in collaboration with Shreeji Translogistics have started bonded trucking service from Kolkata, Indore Airport, Vizag and Goa to Celebi Terminal Delhi IGI Airport from October 1, 2019 to provide their customers a possibility to move air cargo in an efficient, safe, process-driven and cost-effective manner. Celebi Bonded road feeder service is successfully running from Kanpur, Ludhiana, Indore SEZ 1&2, Ahmedabad and Noida SEZ which has given tremendous opportunities to freight forwarders and airlines to solicit business from stations that are offline. These bonded services will facilitate Celebi’s airline customers to offer services to a city to which they do not fly and help CHA/freight forwarders to custom clear, handle duty drawback and shipment documents at origin, while avoiding multiple handling and damage to cargo.

In order to expand its air cargo operations, SpiceXpress has taken the delivery of its first 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF). The standard-body freighter, which is the first 737-800BCF to be operated in South Asia, is on lease. The 737-800BCF entered service last year and its order book has grown to 120 orders. Boeing has ramped up production, with output set to more than double to 17 units in 2019. The 737-800BCF, which carries up to 23.9 metric tonnes of payload. Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, said, “We are expanding the markets we currently serve, particularly in the Middle East, Hong Kong and Bangladesh and the 737-800BCF’s reliability and versatility is helping enable our strategic direction.” Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier validated the 737-800BCF’s certification.