Category Archives: International

With the aim of cutting costs and time taken to transport goods between India and the Maldives, the two countries launched a cargo ferry service connecting Tuticorin and Cochin ports with Male. The maiden voyage of the ferry service was launched during a virtual ceremony by Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State for Shipping, Government of India and the Maldives’ Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aishath Nahula. The cargo vessel MCP Linz, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), will travel from Tuticorin to Cochin and then to Kulhudhuhfushi port in the north of the Indian Ocean before making its way to Male on September 29. The service shall have a round voyage of 14 days connecting Cochin, Tuticorin and Kulhudhuhfushi Male with a container cum break bulk vessel having a capacity to carry about 200 TEUs and 3000 metric tonnes of cargo. This vessel provides direct cargo connectivity between India and the Maldives on a predictable and affordable basis for the first time, and will lower costs and times for traders in both countries. The ceremony was joined by representatives of Tuticorin and Cochin ports and officials of the Maldives Ports Limited and the foreign ministry of the Maldives.

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has announced the launch of the Safe Supply Chain class in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The first class is scheduled for October 20-23, 2020. The development of course is aimed at providing necessary knowledge and skills to ensure that cargo is handled appropriately in a safe and efficient manner within the ICAO’s regulatory framework. This course will provide the entities in the air and mail cargo supply chain with the necessary knowledge and skills to work together effectively to ensure that cargo is handled appropriately in a safe & efficient manner within the ICAO’s regulatory framework. The course also addresses the ‘what causes’ and ‘why it could impact’ the safety of the supply chain through an understanding of the global market and supply chain trends. The course is in a classroom format and will be offered in the English language.

In order to satisfy clients’ needs in the US market, LATAM Cargo Group has increased its frequencies from Colombia to the United States. The Group has increased its capacity by 21 per cent from Bogota, going from 14 to 17 weekly freighter frequencies to Miami. This destination is also reached through the 5 weekly frequencies originating in Medellin that the company will maintain. LATAM Cargo offers 22 frequencies in total, thus reaffirming its commitment to transporting Colombia’s flowers to the world. Once the Colombian Government gave its approval and passenger flights were reactivated, the company gradually began to restore its domestic cargo transportation capacity in 8 of the country’s cities.

Developed by operator Fraport, Swissport Cargo Services Deutschland is set to open a new cargo handling warehouse at Frankfurt Airport. Swissport is aiming to start operations at the facility in November. Located in CargoCity South at Frankfurt Airport (FRA), the new building has 17,000 sq m of floor space, including temperature-controlled zones for handling sensitive pharmaceutical products. There are also 2,400 sq m of office and communal space. Willy Ruf, Senior Vice President – Central & Eastern Europe, Swissport International, said, “From November, we will be in a position to handle the cargo of our customers in Frankfurt in one of Europe’s most state-of-the-art air cargo centers. Our new cargo warehouse has 50 per cent more handling capacity and is therefore a commitment to growth at Frankfurt Airport. With the integrated Swissport Pharma Center, which has several cooling zones, we are well-equipped to satisfy the stringent requirements for the temperature-controlled transportation of medicines and vaccines.” “The property meets the stringent requirements of a cutting-edge air cargo handling facility,” said Felix Kreutel, Head – Real Estate and Energy, Fraport, in adding, “The warehouse connects the airside and landside areas of the airport through separate freight yards. Moreover, its ground-breaking material-handling system represents an important step in the continued automation of our freight processes.

STARLUX Airlines has deployed IBS Software’s iCargo platform to manage business and operational functions for its entire cargo business. The iCargo management platform was implemented ahead of STARLUX Airlines’ launch in January 2020, which saw maiden flights to Macau, Penang and Da Nang with three A321neo aircraft. After a rigorous evaluation process, STARLUX Airlines chose IBS Software’s iCargo SaaS-based cargo platform to provide a single, unified platform for all critical functions. iCargo now manages all aspects of STARLUX’s cargo business, including sales, airline operations, US customs, mail, Unit Load Device, cashiering, claims, cargo and mail revenue accounting, portal services, data warehousing and business intelligence modules. “We chose the industry-leading iCargo management platform to achieve our goal of providing the best and seamless cargo service to our customers,” said Glenn Chai, CEO, STARLUX Airlines. “So far, iCargo has proved itself to be well worth the investment. It is an advanced digital solution featuring advanced and user-friendly functions. STARLUX is very glad to have made the right choice.” STARLUX plans to expand its network with additional A321neo aircraft scheduled for delivery, plus wide-body A350 XWB aircraft. iCargo is fully enabled to support this future growth and continue to empower STARLUX to deliver on its brand promise to customers.

In response to increased demand for pharma and technology goods, DHL Global Forwarding (GF) has announced an airfreight charter service connecting Asia Pacific to Europe and the US. DHL GF’s in-house charter team, the twice-weekly charter originates from Chongqing and flies to Amsterdam, Chicago and Incheon before returning to China. According to DHL GF, South Korea has seen its export of healthcare products rise year-on-year by 26.7 per cent in the first half of 2020; pharma goods meanwhile increased by 52.5 per cent. DHL GF added that China has exported 28.5% more medical devices in the first five months of the year, compared with a year ago. Thomas Mack, Global Head – Airfreight, DHL GF, says, “While some passenger airlines have resumed operations, the situation in the airfreight market remains volatile – especially as belly capacity is still tight. Our top priority is to provide our customers with sufficient and reliable airfreight capacity. Not only are the resilient, agile and reliable supply chains of highest importance for an economic recovery, but also in preparation for the availability of vaccines and other essential medical supplies during the pandemic.”

Bolloré Logistics partnered with Antonov Airlines to deliver Airbus Defence and Space’s newest satellite, ANASIS-II to the USA. It was carried from Airbus Defence and Space’s facility in Toulouse (France) by one of the airline’s seven Antonov-124-100. The aircraft landed at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space center from where the SpaceX teams took the lead for the next stage. The satellite container used to deliver ANASIS-II measured 11 meters in length and weighed 18 tonnes. The operation gave Bolloré Logistics and Antonov Airlines the opportunity to trial a new lightweight, low profile loading equipment specially designed and manufactured by Antonov Airlines to transport largest satellite container in near future.

London Heathrow Airport’s air cargo community has successfully completed its first trial of IATA’s ONE Record technologies, which aim to replace the legacy Cargo-Imp and XML standards. The vision for ONE Record is an end-to-end digital logistics and transport supply chain where data is easily and transparently exchanged in a digital ecosystem of air cargo stakeholders, communities and data platforms. Its objective is to address the main challenges of e-freight and unlock the possibilities of a full digital air cargo industry, creating opportunities for new value-added services and business models. Working on behalf of CCS-UK, the operator of the UK’s air cargo community system, US application development and data management specialist Nexshore built a ONE Record server based in the UK, to control the storage and transmission of the ONE Record data objects which form the core of the new concept. The server was built to the latest ONE Record standards, but was also designed to support earlier versions. In addition, security to the latest IATA specifications was built into the CCS-UK platform. “We are delighted at how well this initial pilot has gone, but we need additional participants in order to test the system on a larger scale, under everyday working conditions and with higher traffic levels,” says Malcolm Fowler, CCS-UK User Group. “ONE Record may not seem like the most important priority for the industry right now, but in fact there has never been a better time to adopt it. It delivers greater efficiency and potential cost savings, and low implementation costs. In addition, through the total transparency and uniformity it brings to the supply chain, it provides the kind of seamless data flows and visibility which shippers …

To help the air cargo industry in order to match the shipping needs with the availability of infrastructure capabilities and certifications of service providers across the value chain, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched IATA One Source. ONE Source lists the latest operational information on airlines, airports, cargo handling facilities, freight forwarders, ground handlers, shippers, and trucking companies. All critical information contained on ONE Source has been verified by IATA to help ensure its accuracy. IATA ONE Source is free for all service providers across the air cargo supply chain. The online programme is particularly timely amid the COVID-19 crisis when shippers of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals need accurate information for time- and temperature-sensitive shipments. “Air cargo has been essential in the global fight against COVID-19, transporting vital equipment and medicines to those who need them most. However, with over 3,500 differently sized cargo handling facilities worldwide, the industry until now has lacked visibility on the capacities and services these facilities can offer. The need for greater transparency is even more critical in the current context. ONE Source addresses this by providing a single reference point for up-to-date infrastructure and certification data, helping save time and keep air cargo moving,” said Glyn Hughes, Global Head of Cargo, IATA.

Shipping group CMA CGM has announced the enhancement of its existing China India Express (CIX) service that connects Asia with the Indian subcontinent region. The CIX enhancement will see Xingang and Pusan being added as ports of call, making CIX a more comprehensive weekly service that links key ports in China and Korea to Colombo, Nhava Sheva and Pipavav. Via the trans-shipment hub of Hong Kong, shipments onboard CIX will be able to gain access to markets situated in Central and South China through the shipping network of CNC and the CMA CGM Group. The enhanced CIX, complemented by the existing Asia Subcontinent Express (AS1) and Asia Subcontinent Express 6 (AS6) services, forms part of CMA CGM’s portfolio of Asia-Indian subcontinent services. CIX will begin its new port rotation from Xingang on October 20 and will call at Xingang, Pusan, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Colombo, Nhava Sheva, Pipavav, Port Kelang, Singapore, Hong Kong and Xingang.