Category Archives: Aviation

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s SF Airlines to expand network. The MoU will enable the UAE’s national carrier to expand its reach into China via SF Airline’s extensive in-country network,” said an official release from Etihad. The partnership will provide Etihad Cargo’s customers with greater connectivity to 25 domestic destinations in China via SF Airlines’ road feeder service trucking network, further enhancing Etihad Cargo’s capabilities in the region, the release added. This MoU is the latest step by Etihad Cargo in expanding its operations in China and will see the carrier utilising SF Airlines’ Chinese network to transport cargo to other destinations in China via the Chinese carrier’s Hubei Province mega hub. Etihad Cargo will operate the flights on a Boeing 777 freighter with services commencing on April 28, 2023 in line with this partnership. Martin Drew, Senior Vice President, Global Sales & Cargo, Etihad Airways says: “Etihad Cargo is committed to establishing partnerships that add value to customers across the supply chain. Strengthening the connection between Abu Dhabi and and one of SF Airlines’ major Chinese hubs will enable Etihad Cargo’s customers to benefit from SF Airlines’ exhaustive distribution capabilities in China, and SF Airlines will reap the benefits of Etihad Cargo’s global network for its express product. Etihad Cargo is committed to the country’s ambitious growth vision, and this partnership supports the further development of Abu Dhabi as a major logistics and express hub for the region.”

To expand pharma storage capabilities, Etihad Cargo is launching a state-of-the-art cool chain facility at Abu Dhabi Airport. “Established in partnership with Etihad Airport Services Cargo and Abu Dhabi Airports, our new pharma facility will double Etihad Cargo’s cool chain capacity to carry and accommodate an additional 50,000 tonnes of cool chain commodities, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences products. The pharma hub will support the growing global healthcare and life sciences demand. Etihad Cargo is also working more closely than ever before with partners to more efficiently manage pharma logistics, so we can create a more robust pharma ecosystem and ensure a more reliable global pharma supply chain,” told Fabrice Panza, Manager Global Cool Chain Solutions, Commercial, GDP Pharma Manager, Etihad Cargo. Etihad Cargo is working closely with the Department of Health, customs, the police, ground handling partners and freight forwarders to launch initiatives such as the Pharma Corridor 2.0 – a fully compliant origin-to-destination pharma air corridor – and dedicated long-term storage areas, such as KEZAD – a premier economic zone for life sciences located in Abu Dhabi that hosts many pharmaceutical manufacturers, life science businesses, laboratories, packing businesses and supporting services. “We are also enhancing our IATA CEIV Pharma-certified PharmaLife product, launching innovative features and utilising technology so our partners and customers can be confident their temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products are being shipped reliably. We have also recently announced the launch of dedicated thermal covers, which are helping Etihad Cargo to mitigate environmental risks during the transportation of pharmaceuticals between the cool chain facility and aircraft and handover moments,” he added.

KSU Aviation and Celebi Aviation Holding, shareholder and partner in the TaxiBot India project to associate with Air India and complement Mr Campbell Wilson MD and CEO Air India for his commitment for the environment and his vision to lead Air India towards the adoption of innovative sustainable solutions and is a reflection of the commitment of the TATA group an Industry leader towards reducing CO2 emissions, said an official Linkedin post. With this announcement by Air India along with its subsidiaries to adapt to TaxiBoting would lead the world ,in the area of Sustainable Taxiing , motivating Airlines in India and the World over to follow Air India in its path to reduce the CO2 emissions through the use of TaxiBot. Today India is the only country world over where TaxiBot operations are being performed on a regular commercial basis , KSU Aviation is on its way to almost completing 3000 TaxiBot missions in India and through this will be contributing to reducing some 1800 Tons of CO2. “We would like to thank Mr Arun Kashyap, Capt Sandhu Mr Raminder Singh ,, Capt Gupta , Capt Dhaliwal for their support and guidance throughout . we would also like to thank DIAL Delhi International Airport, BIAL Bangluru International Airport , Director General Civil Aviation India DGCA, Airports Authority of India AAI , ATC and our partner Airlines , Air India ,Spice Jet , Jet Airways, Air Asia India , Air India Express, Blue Dart , Quik Jet for all their support and vision to associate with us. We would also like to extend our appreciation towards TLD and IAI the manufacturer of the TaxiBot and the support of SAS Smart …

UPS Healthcare has more than doubled the size of its healthcare logistics facility in Blonie, Poland. More than 17,000 sq m of space has been added to the site, which is dedicated to the storage of temperature-sensitive treatments between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius and between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. It now offers space for 23,000 pallet positions. The facility is powered by 100% renewable electricity and has an array of solar panels providing 50,000 kWh of energy a year. The facility is supported by more than 300 specialised temperature-controlled vehicles. It serves customers supplying both within Poland and internationally, including elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the CIS Free Trade Area. “The logistics hub in Błonie is part of a pan-European cold chain network that provides our customers with comprehensive, high-quality end to end solutions,” said Fredrik Jansson, managing director, Central and Eastern Europe for UPS Healthcare Europe. A cumulative annual growth rate of 10% is predicted for the Polish healthcare market between 2022 and 2027. To support such growth in Poland and elsewhere, this year UPS Healthcare expects to add a total of more than 200,000 sq m of warehouse space, of which about half will be in Europe. One its newest logistics facilities was recenty opened in Poland’s largest healthcare export market, Germany. The Giessen site, opened last month, has a 27,200 sq m footprint and nearly 30,000 pallet spaces to store a wide range of temperature-sensitive medical products at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, between 15 and 25 degrees, and up to -20 degrees Celsius. UPS Healthcare has 217 facilities around the world. The company has more than doubled its footprint in …

Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) is delighted to welcome ‘China Central Longhao Freighter’ at DEL. The airline will operate two flights per week between Zhengzhou, China and New Delhi with its B747-400 aircraft having capacity of 100 MT. Zhengzhou is a leading city of China, known as an Auto and Aviation manufacturing hub. This lane will strengthen the connectivity of Delhi airport with China in the coming years.

Committed to developing cutting- edge solutions, GMR Group recently launched the Robotics Centre of Excellence (CoE) as part of the expansion of GMR Innovex. The GMR Innovex- Robotics Centre of Excellence (COE) will serve as a hub for innovation, research and development and collaboration in the field of robotics. The Robotics COE will identify and incubate startups working in the field of robotics and co-develop innovative robotic products for the airport and aviation eco-system. It will drive innovation and provide necessary infrastructure, a specially designed robotic lab to the robotic startups, drive thought leadership and collaboration with industry partners, leverage expertise and invest in potential startups. Chief Guest Mr Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana Government, Mrs. Rama Devi Lanka, Director, Emerging Technologies, Govt Of Telangana, Mr. SGK Kishore -Executive Director – South Airports and Chief Innovation Officer, GMR Group, Mr. Hari Panicker – CEO-Business Integration Airports(Business Chairman Office) GMR Group, Mr. Pradeep Panicker CEO, GHIAL and Mr. GRK Babu – CFO, GMR Group graced the occasion. Speaking of the Telangana Government initiative in supporting the robotics eco system, Mr Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Industries & Commerce (I&C) and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana Government said, “ With the ever- evolving technology solutions, robotics technology around the world has attracted various industries like never before. With the thriving robotics eco- system, the government has taken several initiatives towards developing the thriving robotics technology by providing a platform for the startups, industry players and other potential entities working in the robotics and automation space. The government hopes to attract more investment, experts and innovation in …

Hermes Logistics Technologies (HLT) is set to upgrade long-term customer Groundforce Portugal to its latest cloud-based Hermes 5 cargo management system, Hermes Software as a Service (SaaS), bringing major enhancements to security and increasing the speed, volume, and accuracy of cargo processing at three of the handler’s Portuguese stations. Groundforce Portugal’s operations at Lisbon, Porto, and Funchal airports will all benefit from the migration to Hermes SaaS, with Faro station expected to follow in the near future. The upgrade represents the expansion of a long-term collaboration between HLT and Groundforce Portugal, the Portuguese leader for ground handling services and HLT customer of more than fifteen years. “Hermes SaaS is our best software solution to date, representing the optimal way to host a cargo management system, allowing Groundforce Portugal to focus on their core business whilst benefiting from better system performance at a lower cost,” said Yuval Baruch, Chief Executive Officer, HLT. “The system upgrade pays close attention to improving Groundforce Portugal’s messaging, with the solution customised to meet specific local requirements to increase the speed, volume and accuracy of the data that is processed.” The migration of the cargo management system from a server to the cloud will bring increased security for Groundforce Portugal, which will also benefit from HLT’s full NG ecosystem, a collection of applications including NG Business Intelligence and Datalakes, Track and Trace, and NG Landside Management. Key highlights of Hermes SaaS include a new import flight monitor, which provides a comprehensive overview of the status of each import flight, as well as one-button manual NOTOC, which can be prepared before a shipment has been loaded. “Our long-standing use of Hermes’ software has proven to be stable, …

GEODIS has has strengthened its air freight temperature-controlled pharma shipments capabilities in Asia Pacific and Middle East (APAC&ME) with the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certification. The certification covers multiple locations in China (PVG), Indonesia (CGK), India (DEL & BOM), South Korea (ICN), Thailand (BKK), United Arab Emirates (DXB) and Singapore (SIN). This certification supports GEODIS’ strategic goals of establishing Pharma Healthcare as a key organizational vertical and expanding its global network by accrediting sites in numerous countries throughout the APAC region. According to Onno Boots, Regional President and CEO of GEODIS for APAC and Middle East, “With the CEIV Pharma accreditation, we can ensure our customers of our competence and commitment to handle pharmaceutical temperature-sensitive products with the utmost care and attention. Pharmaceutical businesses need to find logistics solutions that are dependable and effective, and GEODIS is in a perfect position to offer them the best services in the area.” This series of certifications is a reflection of the tremendous investment GEODIS has made in guaranteeing the highest levels of quality and compliance in its Pharma Healthcare capabilities. “Without a doubt, we are responding to the healthcare industry’s demand for options in the selection of global supply chain partners and we look forward to establishing GEODIS as a key service provider for pharma and healthcare companies, particularly in Asia Pacific and Middle East where we see the key hubs of production and distribution”, adds Boots. The CEIV Pharma certification for GEODIS further demonstrates its dedication to offering customers supply chain transparency and visibility. GEODIS can provide customers with shipment location and temperature data using GPS data loggers controlled by a control tower, enabling …

ECU Worldwide’s digital logistics platform – ECU360, has launched a new digital air freight service to streamline the shipping process for businesses of all sizes. The service is yet another value-added offering to ECU360’s customers based in US, leveraging technology to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of air freight operations. ECU Worldwide has already provided air freight services to 780 US customers, exporting to 310 airports across 174 countries. The company has built a platform that streamlines the entire air freight process, from Quoting to Booking, including real-time tracking and live schedules. Through this latest technology, the company aims to offer a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective way to move goods globally. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, air freight accounts for approximately 35% of the total value of U.S. international shipments. However, traditional air freight processes can be slow, lack efficiency, and are costly, making it challenging for businesses to move their goods quickly and cost-effectively. Jitesh Shetty, Global Head – ECU360, ECU Worldwide, said, “With the success of Domestic Trucking service, we are confident that our new digital air freight service will be a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline their shipping process and also have an alternate shipping medium as an option. With the gaping opportunity in the US market, opening air freight services to customers on ECU Worldwide’s digital logistics platform – ECU360 is the right strategic move, as this will fulfil the urgent needs of businesses to transport high-value equipment, perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, and other time-sensitive cargo quickly and efficiently, contributing to the growth of various industries and the U.S. economy. We are strong on LCL network and will soon launch air imports …

Qatar Airways Cargo expands cargo network as the carrier has introduced direct freighter service from Bogotá, capital of Colombia to Dallas Fort Worth in Texas. The once weekly Boeing 777 freighter departs from Bogota on Mondays and flies to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The freighter offers close to 100 tonnes of cargo capacity and will be transporting perishables like flowers, fruits, vegetables, coffee, as well as live animals, machinery and other general cargo destined for DFW. Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways said: “The Americas is highly important for us and we have a strong presence in the region. Through this enhancement on the route, we are pleased to grow our existing partnership with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Our customers in DFW now benefit from a direct freighter service to uplift perishables and other cargo directly from Colombia.” John Ackerman, EVP of Global Strategy and Development at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport added: “Qatar’s service direct from Bogota to DFW reduces transit times for high-quality perishable goods by two to three days, extending shelf life for retailers and providing fresher products for consumers. This route adds a vital link to South American markets, enhances our global air cargo network and strengthens our ability to flow goods between Latin America and Asia.” Since the first Boeing 777 freighter took off from Doha to Chicago in August 2010, Qatar Airways Cargo has expanded its network across several countries in the American continent. The carrier serves the Americas with freighters as well as belly-hold cargo flights, flying to 14 freighter destinations and 14 belly-hold cargo destinations. The world’s leading cargo carrier offers more than 5,300 metric tonnes of …