Qatar Airways has announced that it will increase daily frequencies to the Scandinavian capitals of Stockholm and Oslo, alongside the Italian cities of Milan and Rome.
Due to an increase in demand to key European destinations, especially from the Asia Pacific region, flights to Rome, Milan and Stockholm will increase to 17 per week from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, while flights to Oslo are set to increase from seven to ten frequencies per week.
The airline has also announced that double daily flights to the Russian capital Moscow will increase to three times daily from December 14th, just five days before Qatar Airways’ inaugural daily flight to the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
An Airbus A320 aircraft will operate the additional frequency to Moscow.
In addition to the frequency increases to Moscow, Stockholm, Oslo, Rome and Milan, Qatar Airways recently announced additional daily non-stop flights to Kyiv, Prague, Warsaw and Helsinki due to a significant increase in passenger demand.
Gulf Air, recently announced that it has awarded a 15-year contract for Boeing 787 aircraft Component Support to Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd (ST Aerospace) the aerospace arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering).
Under the agreement, ST Aerospace will provide comprehensive component Maintenance-By- the-Hour (MBH™) support covering component exchange, repair, overhaul, modification, reliability monitoring and logistics services for Gulf Air’s new fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Commenting on the agreement Gulf Air Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi, said, “ST Aerospace has demonstrated that it is the right partner for Gulf Air as we drive forward with our fleet renewal programme in preparation to welcome our new aircraft which commence delivery in the second quarter of 2018.”
Dubai-based flydubai recently announced a commitment to a US$27 billion order for 225 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to support the growth of its fleet. This is the third aircraft order placed by the airline with Boeing in its eight-year history and follows orders placed in 2008 and 2013. This new aircraft order will support its continued expansion within a geographic area that is home to 2.5 billion people.
The airline by the end of the year will have a fleet of 61 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. In addition, there is a pipeline of 70 aircraft due for delivery by 2023.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, flydubai, commented on the aircraft order and said, “Today’s aircraft order underlines the success of flydubai’s founding vision helping to strengthen trade and tourism links across its network and has contributed to the enhanced connectivity of Dubai’s aviation hub. In under a decade, flydubai has extended its network to 97 destinations in 44 countries and we look forward to the arrival of the new aircraft from 2019 in support of our future ambitions.”
With this announcement, this will bring the total number of aircraft the airline has on order to 320.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai added: “Today marks the next chapter in flydubai’s success story. Since we launched in 2009, flydubai has opened up 67 previously underserved markets serving our passengers across the region. We welcome the continuation of our long partnership with Boeing. We ordered this aircraft model as it has given us the versatility and flexibility to carry 44 million passengers since our first flight.”
“We are extremely honored that flydubai has selected to be an all-Boeing operator for many years to come. This record-breaking agreement builds on our strong partnership with flydubai and the other leading carriers of this region,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister. “With flydubai’s proven business model and ambitious growth plans, we look forward to hundreds of flydubai 737 MAXs connecting Dubai with the rest of the world.”
flydubai was established in 2008 to create opportunities for travel, tourism and trade within the flying radius of its fleet of Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Emirates, recently announced a US$ 15.1 billion (Dh55.4 billion) commitment for 40 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners.
In the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group signed the agreement with Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister on the opening day of the 2017 Dubai Airshow.
Sheikh Ahmed said, “Emirates’ orders today will be delivered from 2022, taking the airline well into the 2030s. Some of these will be replacements so that we maintain a young and efficient fleet, and others will power our future network growth. We see the 787 as a great complement to our 777 and A380 fleet, providing us with more flexibility to serve a range of destinations as we develop our global route network.”
“It has always been Emirates’ strategy to invest in the most advanced and efficient aircraft, and today’s orders reflect that. Today’s announcement is also speaks to our confidence in the future of aviation in the UAE and the region.”
Emirates is evaluating engine options for its Dreamliner order.
Emirates’ agreement includes conversion rights to switch the aircraft to 787-9s, offering the airline additional flexibility for its future fleet and global network. Emirates’ Dreamliners will be delivered in a mix of two and three-cabin class configurations, potentially seating between 240 and 330 passengers. These aircraft will be delivered in phases from 2022 onwards.
Emirates is a powerful engine for American aerospace manufacturing jobs. Applying the US Department of Commerce jobs multiplier (every $1 billion in US aerospace exports supports 5,200 American jobs), this new order will create and support over 78,000 additional jobs in US aerospace manufacturing – not only with Boeing, but also with the thousands of other suppliers in the value chain across the US, many of which are medium and small-sized businesses.
The recent order comes on top of Emirates’ historic purchase of 150 Boeing 777X aircraft equipped with GE9X engines at the 2013 Dubai Air Show, to be delivered from 2020 onwards.
Etihad Airways’ flights to and from Switzerland will become an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation with the aircraft being deployed on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva route, effective 25 March 2018.
The Dreamliner flights to Geneva will complement the airline’s existing 787 Dreamliner scheduled services connecting Abu Dhabi and Zurich, becoming the fifth European city to be served by the carrier’s rapidly growing fleet of next generation aircraft.
Etihad Airways currently operates daily flights between the UAE’s capital city of Abu Dhabi and both Geneva and Zurich.
Introduction of the 787 Dreamliner will also see a scheduling change that will continue to provide attractive timings for customers travelling to and from Geneva. Etihad Airways will be the only airline operating out of the UAE to offer an early morning arrival into Geneva, and the revised timings will also improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
Etihad Airways has a fleet of 18 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operating from Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations worldwide – Amman, Amsterdam, Beijing, Beirut, Brisbane, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Melbourne, Nagoya, Perth, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich.
Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said, “The Geneva services cater to business and leisure travellers in Abu Dhabi, Switzerland’s second largest city, and offer connections over our hub to and from many destinations across our global network. The Dreamliner is fast becoming our flagship long-haul aircraft and as more join the fleet, we will continue to look at upgrading existing routes offering ground-breaking cabin interiors that have set a benchmark for high service levels in the region and across the world.”
CEVA Logistics has promoted Jerome Lorrain to the role of chief operating officer for freight management, while Michael O’Donoghue will take over as managing director for North America.
Lorrain will be adding the responsibility for air and ocean freight to his position as head of the ground business line, which he has taken over from Helmut Kaspers who has left the company, and Lorrain will continue to serve on the company’s executive board.
CEVA Logistics managing director for North America, Michael O’Donoghue
O’Donoghue, the managing director of the UK, Ireland and Nordic clusters will take over from Lorrain on 1 January 2018, and his replacement will be announced in due course.
CEVA chief executive officer, Xavier Urbain says, “I would like to congratulate Jérôme and Michael on their well-deserved promotions. They are two exceptional individuals with wide-ranging business skills which make them ideally suited to their new roles.”
“At the same time I would like to thank Helmut Kaspers for his contribution to CEVA’s transformation and wish him well in his new endeavours.”
Lorrain, a French national, worked at Kuehne + Nagel for nearly a decade beginning in 2000 in senior executive positions across the world, before taking the roll of chief executive officer of Wallenborn Transports in Luxembourg between May 2009 and May 2014.
O’Donoghue joined CEVA in 2010 following a 25 year career in the freight and logistics industry including senior management positions in both contract logistics and freight management for major players such as DHL and Excel.
Both Lorrain and O’Donoghue will be based in Houston, Texas.
Bollore Logistics has partnered with Oro Inc. in a global venture offering clients one-stop B2B e-commerce sales and processing service.
The international and logistics company says it creates an enhanced means for multichannel retailers to do business with customer companies, simplify and speed up order preparation, handling and delivery procedures orchestrated by Bollore Logistics.
The service harnesses direct digital sales to consumers by adapting those to the particularities of B2B e-ecommerce – an activity set to reach $6.7 trillion by 2020.
The OroCommerce platforms – tailored to the specifics of B2B – are augmented with Bollore’s LINK collaborative information network.
LINK provides real-time tracking, inventory, first and last mile status and other updating, using the constant input of maritime, air and road transporters, warehouses, customs and other supply chain companies.
It is already used by 5,300 customers, 20,000 specific users per month and receives 400,000 views per month.
Bollore Logistics solutions director, Frederic Serra says, “B2C e-commerce sites have become the ambassadors of retailers’ online presence, and we import and adapt those efficiencies to simplify and increase B2B experience and activity.”
“We then go further by integrating our transport and logistics expertise and IT assets into the offer, providing processing service and visibility from order placement and management to final destination delivery.”
Bollore Logistics Asia Pacific regional e-commerce solution, Ludovic Laungani says: “Next step for us is to integrate well-known payment gateways in order to provide a complete, end-to-end offer for B2B.”
The Dimerco Express Group has continued the expansion of its European network with the opening of an office in the Netherlands.
Dimerco reported 30 percent growth in Europe for 2016-2017 earlier this year and the new operation, which is based at Venlo, will be its third location in the Netherlands (other offices are in Amsterdam and Rotterdam), reflecting the company’s confidence in continued success in the region.
The Venlo office commenced operations this month (November). It will focus on the development of Dimerco’s trucking and rail services, according to Europe regional director, Eddie Lin, who cites Venlo’s status as a ‘logistics hotspot’, ideally situated for rail, barge and road connectivity.
“Venlo’s business and trade parks are easily accessible by road, rail and by inland waterways,” Lin says. “The rail and inland shipping terminals will provide excellent trans-shipment facilities for containers, which will be extended further with the imminent opening of a new second rail terminal on Trade Port North.
“The opening of Venlo will strengthen Dimerco’s coverage for targeted industries, such as fashion, e-commerce, electronics, medical and technology, where we see enormous potential, as well as enabling us to provide strong local support for a major customer developing in the area.”
The Taiwanese company will be providing a range of services from Venlo, including international freight, contract logistics, cross-docking, European LTL/FTL distribution and more.
Global trade enabler DP World and its flagship subsidiary Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) participated in the Water, Energy and Environment Technology Fair (WETEX) that was held from October 23-25 at Dubai World Trade Center.
DP World has been installing 88,000 solar panels in Jebel Ali and Port Rashid on the rooftops of buildings, parking lots and warehouses.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO stressed the importance of WETEX as a global platform that brings together companies to showcase their sustainability efforts.
He said: “Jafza encourages its customers to reduce energy consumption, conserve natural resources and reduce carbon emissions so that we can secure the rights of future generations to a safe and clean environment.”
Jafza has recently completed the biggest retrofit project in the region with Etihad Energy of 157 accommodation buildings housing 55,000 people working for companies in the Free Zone with the replacement of 5,200 old window air conditioning units by modern energy efficient split air conditioning units. The AED 85 million self-financed project through energy savings is set to meet the target of the UAE 2030 plan to cut energy consumption by 30% ahead of time..
Meanwhile, over 85,000 conventional light fixtures and lamps have been replaced with energy-saving LED Lights/lamps.
Other planned retrofits for 28 office buildings have also started with a target to save 25% of energy consumption once completed in a in 2018.
The inaugural Cargo Zone conference at Dubai Airshow 2017 celebrated the rise of airfreight and growing interest in the sector with leading experts agreeing that the business has undergone a revolution in recent times.
Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, said, “The cargo industry is moving towards a major change in the way it is conducted. The days of simply moving cargo from A to B are gone. Specialization is now part and parcel of what we do.
“Today, we must understand each vertical industry, the stress points and provide solutions, not just space. There has been a revolution in the way we look at cargo.”
He told delegates how Emirates SkyCargo analyzed every single vertical sector it serves, to create a service over and above simply transporting cargo, a true supply chain solution. He highlighted that cargo can be shifted between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport in under five hours by a fleet of bonded trucks.
He told delegates gathered at the Dubai Airshow how Emirates is today the largest freight airline in the world, in terms of freight-ton kilometres, connecting 155 destinations globally.
Glyn Hughes, Global Head of Cargo, IATA, speaking from an international air cargo perspective, revealed that air freight accounted for $5.9 billion of cargo moved in 2016; some 35% of global trade.
“Today air cargo is the premium cargo movement method. We have seen accelerated growth in the last year and a decline in ocean freight. In fact, the growth rate of air cargo is increasing faster than that of global trade.
“An order for 10,000 shoes goes in a container on a ship. But 10,000 shoes ordered by individual shoppers will go by air freight. The industry has moved on from moving boxes. It’s all about solutions for all commodity types. The industry’s success relies on global connectivity, so it’s good to see airlines investing in new aircraft and routes, especially here at the Dubai Airshow.”
Michele van Akelijen, Managing Director of organisers, Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East, said: “Today’s event highlighted the growing success and importance of the cargo sector, which, according to IATA, is growing 4.1% per annum, led by the Middle East and Africa. As Emirates SkyCargo relocates its freight operations to Al Maktoum International Airport, we will see this strategically located hub open even more doors for business into Europe, Africa and Asia.”
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