Category Archives: Technology

Singapore Airlines and WiseTech Global, provider of leading logistics execution platform CargoWise, have partnered to provide a direct exchange of eBookings between their systems, adding significant value to many forwarders across the globe. The integration is the first of its kind for SIA and through the use of custom APIs, allows CargoWise customers, including some of the world’s largest freight forwarders, direct access to SIA to book and modify shipments in real-time from within the CargoWise platform. Chin Yau Seng, senior vice president cargo, Singapore Airlines said, “We are committed to the continued digitalization of all areas of our business. Our partnership with WiseTech Global will result in the integration of our eBooking systems, enabling customers to book airfreight directly with SIA via the CargoWise online platform. This is one of the many steps that we are taking to provide a more seamless experience for our cargo customers.”

LATAM Airlines Group and its cargo subsidiaries have collaborated with a leading digital sales platform cargo.one, making the carriers’ network available for instant booking on the cargo.one platform. This milestone is part of LATAM Cargo’s innovative digitalization agenda, with the aim of diversifying its distribution channels while offering its customers best-in-class direct booking options. “We want to provide customers with reliable and efficient solutions and a broad set of options that allows them to choose what works best for them. The LATAM Cargo carriers’ network and product portfolio are great examples of that. Partnering with cargo.one is fully aligned with this goal as it gives customers access to LATAM’s cargo capacity through an innovative way,” comments Andres Bianchi, Chief Executive Officer of LATAM Cargo.

Even as global trade is resurging in a post-Covid world, supply chain management has emerged as an integral component for businesses. An efficient and effective supply chain, with a robust logistics system at its core, mitigates supply bottlenecks, yields competitive edge, and enhances profitability. While the pandemic heightened the challenges for organisations and drove them to recalibrate their sourcing and distribution structures, Covid-19 also acted as a catalyst for change, accelerating the momentum for a technology-powered transition. Through the pandemic, the e-commerce sector grew exponentially from 13% to 17% of total retail market, while paving the way for continued growth in the years to come. The Indian e-commerce sector is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 27% to reach the USD99-billion mark by 2024. The rise of e-commerce and the digital marketplace phenomenon are changing the dynamics of the market, both, in terms of buyer behaviour as well as business transformation. To thrive in the highly disruptive environment, businesses are re-examining their conventional operations and recalibrating supply chain strategies to improve efficiencies, lower costs and ensure sustainability. For this, an efficient logistics system can be a critical differentiator, and technology can serve as a key enabler.

Cathay Pacific Cargo is launching Click & Ship, its new digital booking platform, progressively across its network starting this month. Click & Ship promises booking transparency and speed, day and night. Customers in South Asia, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka can view prices and capacity, and book cargo with instant confirmation in just three steps through the intuitive booking interface. Digitalisation and automation are central to Cathay Pacific Cargo’s vision to become the world’s most customer-centric air cargo service brand. Click & Ship is the latest digital innovation along this journey. “Our customers globally have been telling us that they want a quicker and more efficient way to book shipments at any time,” said Rajesh Menon, Regional Head of Cargo, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. “We listened. We are rolling out Click & Ship progressively across our network including South Asia. We aim to make real-time flight schedules, space availability, allotments, and updated rate information available on www.cathaypacificcargo.com andwww.ezycargo.com for all Cathay Pacific Cargo customers over the next year.”

Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) has opened its revolutionary new Integrated Hactl Control Centre (iHCC), creating a single command centre that is manned 24/7/365. The iHCC centralises operations control, systems control and maintenance control for the first time, with duty managers able to monitor the entire SuperTerminal 1 facility – from traffic management at its truck parks through the many different functional areas of the terminal, to cargo dispatch activities at the airside area. The iHCC provides comprehensive real time data, and workload forecasts for the coming eight hours, enabling instant adjustments to be made to staffing and resources to cope with any unexpected workload peaks. The iHCC also serves as a fully-integrated emergency centre, facilitating the involvement of the crisis management team, and coordinating actions across all departments, to ensure effective decision-making and proactive responses to crises. The Centre’s concept is similar to the emergency centres now found in many airlines and major airports around the world.

Shripad Y. Naik, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Tourism, Government of India, visited Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), for a comprehensive Port visit. During his visit, the Minister closely observed the Port operations and was apprised about several infrastructural and technological advancements harnessed by the Port, enabling it to offer world-class services to the global maritime and EXIM community. During his visit across the terminals at JNPT, the Minister engaged with the Port stakeholders and explored numerous tech-enabled ‘Smart Port Initiatives’ that are being undertaken to optimize terminal operations in order to further enhance the Port’s efficiency and competence. In addition, the Minister also experienced the RMQC crane simulator, used for training efficient & skilled crane operators, who are an integral and core part of the Port operations.

American Airlines announced a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) off-take agreement with Aemetis to bring the airline’s total SAF commitment to more than 120 million gallons, a signal of the integral role SAF will play in American’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve its ambitious sustainability goals. The airline’s agreement with Aemetis is the result of work with the oneworld alliance, the first global airline alliance to commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 and to publish a pathway for doing so. oneworld is now the first global airline alliance to announce a SAF purchase. “The American Airlines team is committed to reducing emissions from our operations, and sustainable aviation fuel is the cornerstone of our strategy in this decade,” said Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of American. “We’re proud to join with our oneworld partners in supporting the growth of SAF through this agreement with Aemetis, and we’re eager to continue collaborating with like-minded partners to meet aviation’s climate challenge.”

Brussels Airport launched Stargate project, receiving a grant within the European Green deal. In the next five years, Brussels Airport will be working with a consortium of 21 partners on some 30 concrete projects to make aviation and airports greener and more sustainable. Stargate includes building a biofuel blending installation at the airport, electric ground handling material and testing a new innovation that will make engine test runs much quieter. At the end of 2020, following a call of the European Commission, Brussels Airport took the initiative to submit an ambitious programme (“Stargate”) together with 21 partners, including three European airports, airlines, mobility and knowledge institutes and local authorities, to develop innovations and initiatives for an accelerated transition to greener aviation. Brussels Airport’s Stargate project was selected and has received a 24.8 million euros grant within the European Green Deal to implement these projects in the coming years.

Freighter airline MENA Cargo has partnered with Awery Aviation Software to streamline operations on its scheduled and charter services across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The Bahrain-headquartered MENA Cargo will use Awery’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) product, as well as its CargoBooking tool. Awery ERP is a web-based, customisable platform, which MENA Cargo will initially use for flight and crew operations and charter sales management. The CargoBooking tool delivers instant quotes, manages bookings, and has full Application Programming Interface (API) integration. Awery and MENA signed the deal at the Dubai Air Show in the UAE last week, and MENA will be rolling out Awery solutions over coming months. Said Peter Hewett, general manager at MENA Cargo: “In creating a lean and efficient cargo airline with SMART technology at its core, it makes sense for us to collaborate with leading global suppliers of customisable aviation software. We believe that this partnership with Awery, who have the same mindset in business adaptability, will enable the realisation of our strategy to quickly scale, while remaining flexible in our operations and agile in our approach.”

Cathay Pacific Cargo rolled out its latest digital innovation, Click & Ship, an online booking platform that offers registered customers “an intuitive, always-on booking interface”. Said Tom Owen, director cargo: “Our customers have been telling us that they want a quicker and more efficient way to book shipments at any time. “We listened. We’re rolling out Click & Ship progressively across our network and we aim to make real-time flight schedules, space availability, allotments, and updated rate information available on cathaypacificcargo.com and ezycargo.com for all Cathay Pacific Cargo customers over the next year.” Users will be able to book through an easy, three-step process whenever they like, said a Cathay Pacific Cargo spokesperson – with most bookings “confirmed on the spot”. It also gives visibility of pricing and space availability to defined routes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The global roll-out is being led by the South West Pacific region, where customers have been trialling the technology ahead of a wider introduction.