Category Archives: International

Lufthansa is reactivating the Airbus A380 in response to rise in consumer demand and delayed delivery of ordered aircraft. The carrier will relaunch some of its super jumbo jets such as the Boeing 787 and 777-9 from Summer 2023. The German flag carrier said it is likely to use the long-haul aircraft beginning in the 2023 summer travel season. The company is assessing how many A380s to get back into service and, which destinations the Airbus will fly to. Lufthansa (OTCUS: DKLAY) has 14 of the double-deck aircraft, which are currently parked in warehouses in Spain and France. Six of the aircraft have been sold and eight remain part of Lufthansa’s fleet.

According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, India’s logistics sector is valued at $160 billion and employs over 22 million people directly. It is expected to grow at a 10% CAGR to $215 billion by 2022.Rudimentary methods of fleet management in today’s scenario are heavily impacting business efficiency as well as the safety of vehicles and drivers. Adoption of technology, especially AI and IoT, will have a transformative impact on the Indian logistics industry. The shift has already begun, with many companies introducing smart solutions to help fleet owners and operators manage their business efficiently. LocoNav offers a bespoke and comprehensive full-stack SaaS-based fleet technology solution that benefits several fleet owners and drivers across India and the world. Here is a detailed look into its Fleet Management Solution. LocoNav’s Fleet Management Solutions help fleet owners and operators run and manage their fleet in a safe and efficient manner. It can be used for all kinds of on-road vehicles such as cars, taxis, bikes, buses, trucks, ambulances, police vans, and even construction vehicles, helping fleet owners from different industries to keep track of their vehicles and stay on top of their business. It integrates over 2200 devices around the world and shares real-time alerts, rich analytics, customised reports, and more in a super easy-to-use interface which is available in over 14 languages such as English, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic, Spanish, etc. Here are the top 12 key features of the Fleet Management Solution offering: Vehicle tracking: With the help of a simple GPS tracker attached to the vehicle, fleet owners and operators can easily track the vehicle’s live location, speed, and distance covered on each and every trip. Fleet managers can …

Locus, a global B2B SaaS logistics planning and dispatch optimization platform for last-mile delivery enterprises, announced its recognition as a Representative Vendor in the 2022 Gartner Market Guide for Supply Chain Network Design Tools. Gartner delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. “High-impact disruptions have made the structural design of networks and product flows harder to hold steady. The frequency with which organisations review the design of their supply chain networks has increased from being measured in multiples of years to months or even weeks, due to shifts in markets and consumer behavior.” Gartner said in the report. “A well-planned network design is indispensable for running frictionless last-mile deliveries. Given the growing complexities of modern supply chains, more brands are now rethinking their distribution networks. With ‘what if’ simulations and supply chain digital twin representations, we help enterprises design flexible and optimal distribution networks for the smooth flow of merchandise. Being listed as a representative vendor in the latest Gartner Market Guide is an absolute honour for us as we strive to make last-mile logistics effortless for enterprises across the globe with our tech,” Nishith Rastogi, CEO & Founder of Locus, said. Locus uses machine learning and proprietary algorithms to offer solutions like route optimization, real-time tracking, vehicle allocation, fleet utilization, insights and analytics.

Last year, in March, LATAM officially received the second of ten 767 Boeing Converted to Freighter (BCF) cargo planes contemplated in its cargo fleet growth plan, announced in 2021. With this, it has increased its offer for this type of transport by nearly 10 percent, reduced the average age of its aircraft, and will finish Q1 with 13 B767 cargo planes. By 2023, the company plans to have a cargo fleet composed of up to 21 freighters and practically duplicate its offer.

GEODIS announced that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire Keppel Logistics. The project will significantly increase GEODIS’ Contract Logistics footprint and e-commerce fulfillment services in Singapore and Southeast Asia. This project is a significant step along GEODIS’ strategic roadmap for the Asia-Pacific region, where GEODIS currently employs 3,700 people spread over 76 sites. The acquisition will reinforce GEODIS’s position as a leading logistics service provider, further expanding its footprint by adding to recent investments in contract logistics sites in India, South Korea, and Australia.

European Cargo Limited recently closed a significant minority equity investment by Priority 1 Logistics Holdings LLC, a newly-formed subsidiary of U.S.-based Priority 1 Holdings LLC. Proceeds of the investment will be used to eliminate third-party debt, convert EAL’s A340 fleet to full cargo freighters, acquire additional aircraft, complete heavy maintenance checks, and pay shareholder dividends, says the release. Paul Stoddart, Chairman of ECL, commented: “This is a major step forward in the growth of European Cargo. We have positioned our airline to provide our valued freight customers with a reliable air bridge to meet the increasing demand for air freight. “The investment by Priority 1 into ECL will help us continue to build a sustainable, successful, and profitable business following one of the most difficult periods in aviation history due to COVID-19. “This partnership with Priority 1 provides us with additional financial resources as well as deep commercial aviation expertise, which will increase our capacity and ensure that we meet our rapidly accelerating customer demands.”

Following last year’s well-perceived first Masterclass on Pharma Logistics—an international joint initiative between the air cargo industry and world-renowned academic institutions—a second edition will take place from September 5 to 9, 2022 at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi. Apart from highlighting the current critical aspects of pharma logistics, this masterclass aims to create a unique opportunity for industry professionals to gain more in-depth knowledge, as well as for academics and Ph.D. students to obtain advanced insights into how pharmaceutical supply chains are organised and logistics processes are optimised through applied technology for the pharma and life science sectors.

Keku Bomi Gazder, CEO of AAI Cargo Logistics & Allied Services Co. Ltd., has almost three decades of experience in the Middle East and India in the aviation sector, holding key roles in firms such as Air France-KLM Cargo, Martinair Cargo, and Saudi Arabian Airlines, among others. He has been with AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited since June 2017, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Airports Authority of India, which is part of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. He oversees cargo and logistics operations at over 90 AAI airports, identifying business opportunities across the company’s many verticals for future growth and developing business strategies to stay ahead of the competition in the cargo market. AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited has begun managing the In-line Hold Baggage Screening System at AAI-managed airports. He works closely with the Ministry of Civil Aviation on a variety of initiatives. Gazder is a part of the following initiatives and committees: the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Krishi Udaan initiative; the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Defence Convergence Committee; the Governing Council of the Logistics Skill Council (LSC), established under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship; the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Investment Clearance Cell; the Air Cargo Forum of India (ACFI); and the Confederation of Indian Industries’ National Committee on Civil Aviation.

Shailender Anand, Managing Director (India) & Director (Dubai) of Pronk Multiservice India Pvt. Ltd., began his career in sales after graduating with honours from Punjab University, Chandigarh. Anand’s career in the forwarding sector began with Airfreight Ltd, and he then relocated to Dubai to work in the same industry. After 10 amazing years in Dubai, visiting about 60 countries and learning about the global industry, he chose to return to India to pursue better future opportunities. After nearly two decades in the forwarding industry, Anand joined Logistics & Supply Chain in 2011 to work in value-added services, specifically industrial packaging. In 2011, he joined Pronk as a partner and launched Pronk in India. Anand’s adventure at Pronk has spanned over 11 years, and it continues in the industrial packaging and solutions market. Pronk India was approached by Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bengaluru, to develop a solution and boxes to pack 30,000 ventilators for COVID-19 patients in 2020. When India was trying to deal with the pandemic, the Pronk India team, led by Shailender Anand, was working full-time at all of Pronk’s plants across the country, with special clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs to operate from all of their locations in India.

Softlink Global was founded by Amit Maheshwari, who also serves as its CEO. Having begun his career as a freight forwarder and customs broker, the logistics technology guru, Maheshwari, founded Softlink Global with the objective of providing a single platform software to integrate and automate the entire logistics operation of the company. An engineer by education, he is a technology evangelist well-known in the logistics business for his thought leadership and game-changing ideas. His attention to detail, technical and creative skills and commercial awareness enabled Softlink to achieve success with each software product created. Maheshwari’s knowledge and experience include strategic planning, information management, financial resource management, product development, and marketing. He is in charge of Softlink’s worldwide operations, which comprise all regional business operations as well as corporate activities including marketing, product development, quality, and technology.