Category Archives: International

In a bid to make Saudi Arabia a global transportation and logistics hub, the country will invest over 500 billion riyals ($133.34 billion) in airports, sea ports, rail and other infrastructure by 2030, informed the transport minister. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a transport and logistics drive, details of which have been partially released publicly, last Tuesday. Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser said that the strategy included many mega projects, with over 500 billion riyals reserved for investment. About 35% of that spending will come from the government and the rest from the private sector as officials launch a new international airline, expand airports, build a broader train network and explore new technologies, said the Transport Minister Saleh Al Jasser.

FIATA and PayCargo have teamed up to develop and launch Freight-Pay, a digital platform that enables FIATA members to carry out online transactions. Freight-Pay allows FIATA members to send and receive money to and from other members who have joined the platform. Benefits for members using the platform include: reduced transaction fees, flexible payments and end-to-end encrypted transactions. Stephane Graber, FIATA director general, commented: “Freight-Pay is meant to simplify the freight forwarder’s day-to-day business and we are excited to introduce this new tool to our members. As we dive deeper into the digital world, we must continue to equip our members with hands-on resources that make their daily practice easier. That is why we collaborated with PayCargo to develop the Freight-Pay solution, so that FIATA members can have an efficient and secure platform to transfer money among themselves at a reduced cost.”

Cathay Pacific Cargo has revealed plans to remove the seats from two more of its aircraft as it predicts an industry-wide capacity shortfall for the peak season. The Hong Kong-headquartered carrier said that while its passenger network is slowly growing, it will offer around 30% of its normal capacity in the fourth quarter, which “leaves a shortfall in vital belly space against anticipated demand for the peak season”. Meanwhile, the airline warned of ongoing supply chain disruption as a result of first the Suez Canal blockage and then the Covid-19 outbreak in the Guangdong Province, which led to strict quarantine and testing measures on workers at ports and in particular on the truck drivers servicing those ports across the Greater Bay Area. The Guangdong outbreak led to greater disruption to ocean shipping operations than the Suez incident.

The first container block train from Finland to India is on its way carrying 32 containers loaded with paper-based products of a Swedish company. It is the first such service linking Europe and India using the western wing of a new transport corridor that seeks to cut transit time and cost of transportation. The train will pass through the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The estimated travel time by rail from Vuosaari to Astara station in Azerbaijan is eight days. From Astara, the containers will be transported by road to the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran and then hauled by a ship to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the state-owned container gateway near Mumbai. The transit time from Vuosaari to Jawaharlal Nehru Port is around 25 days, about half that it takes to go via the Suez Canal, said a spokesperson for Nurminen Logistics Services Oy.

New York’s JFK International Airport will get its first new cargo terminal in 20 years as part of modernisation programme. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has signed a long-term ground lease agreement with Aeroterm for the development of a $145m, 350,000 sq ft cargo facility on more than 26 acres. The facility will be operated by Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) once completed. The Aeroterm project will demolish two obsolete facilities at JFK and build an expanded facility that will incorporate “advanced technology systems designed for maximum efficiency in the handling and storage of cargo, as well as a dedicated temperature-controlled area for handling pharmaceutical products”. This includes greater ramp capacity to handle three large freighters and more than 50 dock doors. Demolition of the existing facilities is scheduled to begin in September 2021, with project completion expected by the end of 2023.

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, announced the launch of its OTP-based non-contact delivery service in India today, making it the first international logistics player to offer this service in the country. As an industry leader, the company has always been at the forefront of innovation. The launch of the non-contact delivery service will help to ensure maximum employee and customer safety, amidst the new normal. Commenting on this new offering, R.S Subramanian, Senior Vice-President & Managing Director, DHL Express India said, “The ongoing pandemic has made businesses rethink and re-invent operations. Safety of our employees and customers has always been our top priority, while ensuring business continuity. The launch of non-contact deliveries is a step towards enhancing customer experience, while maintaining safety standards at the time of delivery. It is a win-win for all.”

Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) will capitalise on the growth in its cargo operations through the conversion of an A320NEO into a dedicated cargo-in-cabin aircraft. Flying from 21st June the newly converted aircraft will operate initially five times weekly across the region and further grow RB’s strategic focus in the cargo sector. “We’re delighted to launch this new service to the cargo community to further support the strong regional demand and of course continue our role of transporting essential supplies and services into and from Brunei. Our cargo operation has performed strongly over the last 12 months and this A320NEO conversion allows us to further build on our capability, network and the strategic location of Brunei in the region to maximise the opportunity.” said Captain Khalidkhan Hj Asmakhan, RB’s CEO.

On the occasion of Day of the Seafarer, DP World, UAE Region reaffirmed its support for the seafarer community through the Jebel Ali International Seafarers Centre, located in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza). The Jebel Ali International Seafarers Centre has been a breakout zone for crew members of vessels calling at the Jebel Ali Port and the crew of vessels at other ports in the UAE. Since the relaunch of the Jebel Ali Seafarers Centre in 2016, the entity has supported over 20,000 seafarers through various initiatives. As part of its sustainability initiatives, DP World, UAE Region will be carrying out several activities including medical screening (vital signs, ophthalmology, dental, etc.) and distribution of food packs/meals and giveaways packs to support the seafarers. The smart trade enabler will also host awareness sessions on ocean protection topics.

Global port operator D P World Ltd will close the deal on July 1 to buy three units of Dubai-based Transworld Group promoted by Indian businessman Ramesh Ramakrishnan, ten months after it was announced in August last year. The acquisition will help the Dubai government owned firm bolster its Indian and global logistics play as part of a strategy to transform from a pure play container terminal operator into an integrated supply chain solutions provider. The transaction was cleared by the Competition Commission of India on June 7. D P World’s majority-owned subsidiary Unifeeder ISC FZCO has acquired 100 per cent of Avana Logistek Limited (including its subsidiary Avana Global FZCO) and Transworld Feeders Private Ltd (the containerized Indian coastal and EXIM feeder shipping operations of Mumbai-listed Shreyas Shipping & Logistics Ltd, excluding its container vessels and bulk ship operations).

DRONAMICS, the leading middle-mile cargo drone developer and operator and the global full-service provider Hellmann Worldwide Logistics have entered a strategic partnership to develop and offer a pioneering new transport service for the cross-border transportation of time-critical goods. As part of the cooperation, Hellmann plans to offer the first routes with unmanned cargo drones from DRONAMICS as early as next year. This partnership will provide customers seeking an on-demand solution for shipping goods with an integrated service, with DRONAMICS’ next-generation middle-mile service offering a speedy delivery at a competitive cost. The two companies will work together to develop the initial routes that they will be piloting for customers early next year. The first geography of interest will be Europe, where the regulatory environment permits operations across the European Union.