Alibaba, Liege Airport work together to use Aviation Brain

Alibaba Cloud and Liege Airport have announced a joint plan to work together to utilize Aviation Brain, a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) program that helps the aviation sector tackle real world operational challenges.

Liege Airport said it hopes to leverage Alibaba Cloud’s technologies to improve procedures and efficiency.

The two hope to work together to reduce on-the-ground logjams by refreshing the aircraft parking apron utilization, or parking spaces for aircraft, in order to increase efficiency and minimize aircraft relocation time.

The usage of specialized technologies also allows flight dispatchers to make more timely and precise decisions to space out arrivals and avoid possible bottlenecks on the runway.

Commenting on the announcement, Luc Partoune, chief executive of Liege Airport, said, “It is imperative that we are functioning as efficiently as possible to ensure cargo planes originated from and arriving at Liege airport will operate safely and timely.

“Alibaba Cloud’s Aviation Brain will provide the world-class technology capabilities required to keep delays to a minimum, and we want to tap on the experience to build Liege Airport as the exemplary aviation hub in Europe.”

SAS Cargo and WebCargo to provide digital e-booking on flights

SAS Cargo and WebCargo by Freightos will partner for fully digital e-booking, dynamic rates and specific capacity on the Scandinavian airline.

WebCargo by Freightos will become the first user of SAS Cargo’s digital application programing interface (API) solutions to more than 1,500 freight forwarders and 26,000 unique users around the world.

Leif Rasmussen, president and chief executive at SAS Cargo, said: “We have a vision of making airfreight easier at SAS Cargo, and we know that today’s customer expects a quick and fully digitized customer experience.

“We believe that the combination of our continuous focus on quality in all our operations and the additional digital connectivity to our already existing online booking platform, will provide extraordinary benefits to our customers.”

WebCargo by Freightos enables direct API connectivity, which means the entire e-booking process happens online. When a freight forwarder selects a rate, the booking is transmitted to the cargo carrier instantly, digitally, without any manual process.

Martin Dellepiane Larsen, head of network and revenue management at SAS Cargo, said: “The partnership with WebCargo by Freightos is a very exciting addition to our own online booking site, through which 80% of our customers book their shipments.

“This expands our visibility worldwide and perfectly builds upon our established digital products and services, like instant booking confirmation, dynamic pricing and a fully automated and digitized document manager, making them available for a broader audience.”

Freightos Group founder and chief executive Zvi Schreiber said of the SAS Cargo Group partnership: “Together we’re improving air cargo for all stakeholders through automatic communication between airlines, GSAs, forwarders and shippers making air cargo more competitive and predictable, helping to expand the world air cargo market.”

CHAMP partners with ATA and Arioneo to monitor horses’ travelling by air

CHAMP Cargo systems is partnering with the Animal Transport Association (ATA) and data logger supplier Arioneo in a study to monitor horses’ well being while they are travelling by air.

The study will provide scientific data that will not only make it possible to better understand shipping-related incidents, but will also improve all animal safety and well being during flight.

The ground-breaking research, undertaken with the University of Bologna, will monitor a horse’s health in flight using a range of measurements, including heart rate, respiration and temperature.

A Memorandum of Understanding will guarantee improved data-capture and development of the solutions in support of the two-year study in collaboration with the university, which aims to show what actions can be taken to improve the well being and safe transportation of animals.

Earlier this year, CHAMP joined with ATA to exchange and develop a close partnership with experts involved in animal transportation and work on next generation information systems together.

The University of Bologna has, in collaboration with members of the ATA, developed an extensive questionnaire and monitored various live transports to gather large amounts of data for a basis of the study.

Data will be collected and transmitted via Arioneo’s data loggers recording horse vital signs. This information is communicated to the pilot and groom on their mobile devices with CHAMP’s data communication capabilities.

It will provide an information flow and data that allows the tracking and monitoring real-time the safety and well being of the animal transported.

The application – which is currently used for training and monitoring of the well being of horses on the ground – will allow for the crew and groom to take preventive actions making sure that horses are checked at the right time.

A full report of each horse will be available after every flight, allowing trainers and owners to learn from the experience and prepare better for the next journeys.

ATA president Filip Vande Cappelle said: “The Animal Transportation Association is dedicated to the improvement of animal well being within the logistics industry.

This study aims to create high standards for animal transportation, as comfort and safety of the precious animals are our number one priority.

“This unique partnership with CHAMP and Arioneo will ensure that we will not only have the tools to improve animal welfare, but also the data to support it.”

Arnaud Lambert, CHAMP Cargo systems chief executive, said: “Animal well being is at the core of such a defining study and technology can play a significant role.

“CHAMP’s innovation lab took the challenge head on to fulfill this need to ensure safe and efficient transportation for animals while improving airline safety.

“We recognize that these joint efforts not only give value to animal welfare, but also the capabilities of our technology in application to delicate or sensitive cargo – whatever it may be.”

Arioneo chief executive Erwan Mellerio said: “Horse health and safety is paramount to Arioneo. The results of this study will have lasting effects on the way airlines and animal transporters look at travel.

“Our partners’ efforts in pushing the boundaries of the technologies available today will shed new light for best practices, ensure safety for the animals and staff and the functionality of the technologies themselves.”

Brussels Airport empowers freight forwarders with new Acceptance & Delivery app

Nallian has extended its open ecosystem of collaborative applications for air cargo with the Acceptance & Delivery app, a mobile application that gives forwarders and their drivers immediate access to all information regarding booked slots for freight pick up and delivery. Having all information at their fingertips and being able to register relevant information regarding the freight handover in real-time throughout the process allows them to save time, reduce admin, eliminate fraud-sensitive handover of paper documents and improve process visibility. The application has been launched at Brussels Aiports’ cargo community this week, as an addition to the existing BRUcloud apps.

The Acceptance & Delivery app is the latest add-on to the suite of landside management applications, designed to streamline operations between ground handlers, freight forwarders and trucking companies. With the app, which integrates seamlessly with the Slot Booking app, drivers can easily consult all slot details, linked freight and documents on their mobile device. They can register timestamps during the hand over process at the Ground Handling Agent (from arrival through to departure) and register damages (and related pictures) or shortages when handling freight. All information is stored digitally in the platform, providing visibility for the parties involved. This reduces disputes between handlers and forwarders and empowers the airport with reliable insights in performance.

The application has been launched recently at Brussels Airport’s cargo community. Sara Van Gelder, Cargo Business Development Manager at Brussels Airport Company, comments, “The go live has been smooth and user feedback is very positive. Drivers typically appreciate the fact that they have easy access to information, are more involved in the process and no longer need to lose time going back and forth between warehouse and reception. This application is yet another powerful add-on to BRUcloud, our cargo community platform that drives efficient collaboration and integration within our cargo community.”

Says Jean Verheyen, CEO Nallian, “This application is yet another step towards efficient, paper-less cross-company processes at the connected cargo hub. It complements our powerful suite of landside management apps, which already include apps such the Slot Booking App, Freight Management App, Check-it for Air Cargo, and many more. Together with our users, such as Brussels Airport’s cargo community, we keep on developing new apps to further enrich the open ecosystem of collaborative apps.”

Dubai International invests in resource planning tech tool to create a smoother passenger experience

Dubai International (DXB) has implemented a new system and resource planning tool to better utilize its fixed resources and overcome data-capture issues.

The airport has invested in the DTP tNexus Message Hub system and Dassault Systèmes DELMIA Quintiq fixed resource planning application to help optimize passenger experience.

DXB is the world’s busiest airport by international passenger traffic, supporting more than 65 airlines flying to 240 destinations. In 2018, it served more than 89 million passengers, almost double the 47 million served in 2010.

One of the biggest challenges for Dubai Airports, the operator of DXB, is maintaining operational efficiency and high quality of service levels.

For a long time, airports using traditional tools for resource planning had to grapple with static preferences and restrictive rules.

The DELMIA Quintiq application is now integrated in the airport IT landscape and has automated capacity optimisation for fixed resources, which include 212 airport stands, 142 gates, 526 check-in counters and 28 baggage belts.

“One of the major challenges faced by airports today is the limited and outdated message parsing capability which lead to information gaps and the loss of data vital to smooth operations,” said Abdul Razzak Mikati, managing director of tech firm DTP.

The processed data from the DTP tNexus Message Hub is used as inputs by the DELMIA Quintiq application to conduct optimization.

Frank McCrorie, SVP operations at Dubai Airports, said: “The people passing through our facilities rightly look forward to the best experience imaginable – shorter queuing times, more efficient check-in, faster immigration processes, and on-time arrivals and departures.

“This can be a challenge when hubs like ours approach design capacity and have limited options for expanding existing infrastructure.

“By partnering with DTP and Dassault Systèmes to deploy the latest technologies and drive digital transformation across our properties, we are extremely proud that DXB is one of the first airports in the world to implement real-time optimization to efficiently allocate resources and consequently deliver on the promise we have made to passengers of a customer experience that is second-to-none.”

Eddie Stobart Logistics’ shareholders accept takeover proposal from DBAY for business stability

DBAY Advisors has won the battle to acquire Eddie Stobart Logistics, after shareholders voted to accept the investment firm’s takeover proposal.

“We would like to thank shareholders for supporting our transaction, which will bring immediate stability to the business. Eddie Stobart’s loyal staff are the best in the industry and we are pleased to be able to provide certainty over their jobs throughout the Christmas period and beyond,” DBAY said.

“We would also like to thank the lenders to the company for their flexibility, which will be invaluable in returning Eddie Stobart to a stable footing.”

The ailing haulage and logistics company is now set to receive a new funding tranche of £75m, “to continue trading through the busy Christmas period”.

The deal will also see the return of William Stobart, son of the company’s founder, who is set to be named executive chairman of Greenwhitestar Acquisition, the holding company of Eddie Stobart Logistics, and who will work alongside the existing management team.

The vote appears to end the ambitions of former chief executive Andrew Tinkler, who had been putting together a rival bid.

The DBAY bid was also criticized by the Unite union, which has 1,000 members working for Eddie Stobart and commissioned a report into the deal.

It claimed that of the original £55m promised by DBAY, as little as £15m would actually find its way to Stobart once fees and charges from lenders and DBAY had been accounted for.

Unite national officer for road transport Adrian Jones said: “This deal provides no certainty beyond the very short term for the workforce who are set to be the latest victims of ‘bandit capitalism’. The DBAY offer is clearly not as it seems and, in reality, a fraction of the £55m that is being touted will be pumped into the business long term.

“DBAY’s investment will be primarily used to pay back the current lenders, the costs of the transaction and DBAY’s own fees.

“Unite fears that if the deal is approved, it will not be in the long-term interests of the workforce. The levels of debts and increase in average costs of capital resulting from DBAY’s offer will leave the company wide open to being sold off piece by piece in order to ensure DBay can record a rapid profit.”

Can logistics industry overcome blockchain paradox?

In a world of increasingly complex supply chains, paperwork piles up. Just one shipment may generate a stack of about 200 communications documents, and the cost of processing and administering this documentation is estimated to make up one-fifth of the cost of transporting goods. Blockchain could be a game-changer, ripping up this paper process and offering substantial efficiency savings.

The irony is the enhanced trust and transparency that blockchain could help to foster in the logistics industry is needed in order for the technology to be fully embraced and adopted in the first place. For the full potential of blockchain to be realized, an industrywide ecosystem needs to be developed.

But a recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey found that although 88% of transport and logistics professionals believe blockchain will disrupt the industry in some fashion, “nearly three-quarters (74%) say that they are exploring opportunities only superficially or haven’t thought about blockchain at all.”

A lack of trust and coordination between industry players — the very aspects of the logistics industry that blockchain could help to improve — are currently blocking widespread adoption.

Best known as the technology behind cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, blockchain uses distributed data storage technology in conjunction with high-grade encryption to record transactions, protecting them from malicious revisions or deletion. The high level of trust in the data that is then engendered can result in related transactions being triggered, leading to a concept of ‘smart contracts’. The global blockchain market may be worth over $23 billion by 2023, up from $1.2 billion in 2018.

Blockchain has exciting implications for the way we move products around the world. If blockchain technology is adopted by the logistics industry, it could make shipping faster and more efficient and improve data visibility and demand management. This would be the result of fewer manual or ancillary transactions (emails, phone calls) being required.

Take the example of a sweater traveling from a factory in China to a shop in the UK. This journey may involve hundreds of paper documents and hours of manual data entry at different (and multiple) points in the supply chain for the same transaction/shipment. This increases the risk of error or an incomplete data chain and a reduction of trust in the data. Often, the retailer will have to make payment in advance.

In a blockchain-enabled supply chain, this sweater could be embedded with an intelligent chip (a function of IoT), which would send a digital signal when the sweater leaves the factory. This signal would be recorded in the blockchain, and the retailer’s system could automatically pay for the product as the result of a smart contract being triggered. An automated customs entry could then be lodged, which would be the equivalent to the importer making a certified declaration. Customs officials could automatically pull all the information they need from the database, knowing that nobody in the process has tampered with the data. When the sweater arrives, the sender could instantly verify that the right person has received it through identity management that is blockchain-enabled.

Blockchain could also help improve shipping industry safety. According to data from the Cargo Incident Notification System, close to a quarter of all serious incidents on containerships are attributable to misdeclared cargo. Wrongly classified or inaccurately identified dangerous cargo can lead to fires and other accidents that cause huge losses, damage and delays.

Tradelens, a consortium of industry leaders that my company is a member of, is currently exploring how digital tools, including blockchain, could help tackle this issue by improving the traceability of dangerous goods and generating more transparency and accountability. A large amount of this security will come from product “self-identifying” against a trusted database stored in a blockchain-enabled system. Ultimately, this should reduce the number of serious incidents involving container ships.

Clearly, blockchain technology could prove to be a powerful tool for the logistics industry. And investors understand this: Analysis by BCG found that venture capital investors have invested around $300 million into startups offering transport and logistics blockchain solutions since 2013. Logistics companies are making their own investments, too.

But a plethora of new solutions is one thing, and effective adoption of blockchain is quite another. Implementation is very difficult due to a fragmented value chain that includes many parties, lack of a common implementation of technical standards and complex regulatory requirements that differ from one market to the next. Add to this the inherent lack of collaborative forums in the industry and a lack of transparency, and you have an industry that’s both ripe for blockchain disruption and simultaneously very difficult to disrupt.

Until a critical mass of new industry participants fully understands the benefits of frictionless international trade, embraces the potential of the new technology and creates effective forums for joint implementation, the promise of more efficient, streamlined trade around this technology will be slow to be realized. But once we do reach that tipping point, global supply chains could be changed forever.

Companies that play a role in the global supply chain need to recognize the full potential of blockchain by working together to accelerate the pace of change. Organizations need to ensure they recruit or build the right skills in their organizations and make the exploration and implementation of technology like blockchain one of their key strategic priorities. Critically, rather than protecting information from each other, companies must work together to find solutions, even if this means working closely with competitors. And to reach its full potential, blockchain should be used in conjunction with other technologies, including IoT, robotic automation and big data analysis.

Blockchain is set to change the world, including the way that we move goods around the globe. It’s time for logistics companies, governments and regulators to work together to overcome the blockchain paradox. Source: Biju Kewalram, Chief Digital Officer at one of the world’s leading logistics companies, Agility (Forbes).

DP World, CSCEC, COSCO sign trilateral partnership to build Egypt’s new administrative capital

DP World Sokhna recently entered into a trilateral partnership with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), and the China Ocean Shipping Company Ltd (COSCO), to serve as the hub for all construction material imports needed to build the central business and financial district of Egypt’s new administrative capital.

As part of the agreement, CSCEC, the largest construction conglomerate in China and the company in charge of developing the central business and financial district in the new capital, will benefit from Sokhna’s proximity to the new capital and its advanced road and rail links, in addition the Port’s strategic location just below the southern entrance to the Suez Canal, on the Red Sea, a key gateway for Asia, Europe and other international markets.

DP World Sokhna already has a dedicated facility for catering existing and future business of CSCEC. Upcoming Basin 2 facility will support the business of CSCEC.

Located approximately 50km east of the current capital Cairo, Egypt’s new administrative capital will cover an area of 700km2 and will be capable of accommodating 6.5 million people, when completed.

Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director of DP World Middle East and Africa said: “Our strategic partnership with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation and China Ocean Shipping Company provides the opportunity for DP World Sokhna to expand its role in supporting Egypt’s economy by serving as the exclusive port for all of the central business district’s cargo, and ultimately, companies who will be setting up their operations in the new capital.”

Al Banna added, “As a major gateway for Egypt’s trade, we look forward to utilizing DP World robust capabilities to handle cargo transiting through the important East-West trade route.”

As a driver for economic growth, job creation and urban transformation, the new capital is a $45 billion mega-project and one of the key development projects that are being rolled out by the Egyptian government. Moreover, the government plans to relocate ministries, parliament and civic institutions to the new capital.

DP World Sokhna recently marked its 10th year anniversary by announcing a major expansion through Basin 2, a move which brought DP World’s total investment in Egypt to $1.6 billion.

When completed in the second quarter of 2020, Basin 2 will nearly double capacity at the port to 1.75 million TEUs per year.

Aramex strengthens its last mile delivery with Aramex Spot

Aramex has launched its latest last mile delivery solution, Aramex Spot, across Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

As part of its efforts to enhance customer service and to accommodate the growing demand for more Pick-Up options, Aramex has partnered with commercial locations to utilize their outlets as convenient PUDO locations for its customer’s shipments.

The rollout of Aramex Spot comes as part of the company’s commitment to strengthen its last mile capabilities while remaining committed to its asset light structure. This is built on the back of the growing customer expectations within the e-Commerce industry.

Aramex has already partnered up with commercial locations and expects to grow to 150 Spot locations across KSA and the UAE by the end of 2020. Interested locations can sign up to join the Spot network by visiting our website on: spot.aramex.com

Commenting on the launch, Iyad Kamal, Chief Operating Officer of Aramex, said: “This latest addition to our last mile delivery solutions will allow the end recipient to conveniently Pick-Up their shipments from a nearby supermarket, pharmacy or other commercial outlets.

“We believe this is incredibly important and is in line with our strategy to increase operational efficiency while enhancing customer experience through innovative solutions. As for the Spot locations, they will benefit from the compensation they will receive per shipment and the increased footfall our customers will drive to their locations.”

Mohammed Sleeq, Chief Digital Officer of Aramex, added: “We are excited to launch Aramex Spot given the growing consumer expectations within our domain. This brings us closer to our customers whilst creating a marketplace for the commercial community in our core markets.

“With this proprietary tech comes our industry track record; we are well positioned and confident of introducing a robust PUDO network. Aramex Spot joins Aramex Fleet, our crowdsourcing delivery arm, together forming a zero-asset tech driven platform that supports our capacity scalability efforts on the last mile.”

The debut of Aramex Spot follows Aramex’s successful launch of Aramex Fleet in December 2018 and WhatsApp for Business in October 2018, which collectively, are efforts to enhance customer experience, digitize and simplify the end-to-end shipment journey.

Bollore and dnata to build logistics facility at DWC

Bollore Logistics is in discussions with partner dnata, which wishes to build a new facility at Al Maktoum Intenational Airport (DWC) for long-term regional logistics support, reports AIN Online.

The new facility is expected to be ready by late 2020.

“Aerospace is a very specialized product, due to the timeframe pressures aircraft face at airports,” said Marc Doherty, general manager, Bollore Logistics LLC. “Generally, depending on size, an aircraft has anything between 20 and 80 minutes to offload passengers and cargo, be cleaned and then reloaded for the next flight. We have a very short time frame to provide our services.”

Dnata, which holds a 51 percent stake in Bollore Logistics, runs cargo villages at Dubai International Airport (DXB), as well as at DWC. It also employs a light industrial unit at Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone to receive inbound freight being handled for UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) customers.

“Here in the UAE, we are 150 staff and manage 23,000 square meters [247,570 sq feet] of warehousing, of which 5,000 sq m is dedicated to aerospace,” adds Doherty.

A Middle East-based airline can often require an item from a supplier in Florida, Seattle, Toulouse, Germany, or the UK.

“We will then arrange with our aerospace team in that country to pick it up, and air freight it to the customer as quickly as possible,” he said. “We will arrange for the part to be picked up, flown to the GCC, cleared with customs, and delivered to the client.”

He said Dubai has become one of the logistics gateways to East Africa. “Of the 26,000 employees in Bollore Logistics, more than 12,000 are based in Africa. Bollore Logistics is the number one logistics provider on the African continent. It is also number one in France, number three in Europe and in the top 10 worldwide. Dubai has become a logistics gateway, moving goods in from Europe and Asia-Pacific.”

Shafaf Shereerudheen, regional manager, aerospace, GCC, said many freight forwarders lacked the expertise to get the aerospace logistics job done. “We have the network to get parts here. Our market advantage is speed and our global network in the region, and on five continents.”