Ground handler Alliance Ground International (AGI) has become the first company in the US to roll out CHAMP’s Cargospot Mobile solution in conjunction with its Cargospot Handling system.
Cargospot Mobile enables CHAMP’s Cargospot Handling system to be used on mobile devices in settings such as warehouses and handling areas.
CHAMP said that Cargospot Mobile enables handling data to be collected in real time, using an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet with a Bluetooth scanner, which can ultimately help to increase the efficiency and accuracy of handling operations.
Nicholas Xenocostas, vice president of commercial and customer engagement at CHAMP Cargosystems, commented: “We are honored to be a part of Alliance Ground International’s impressive growth and support it with our latest technologies. Cargospot Mobile is the next step to further digitalize and streamline its warehouse processes.”
Jared Azcuy, chief operating officer at Alliance Ground International, added: “Cargospot Mobile’s technology completes our goal of a fully integrated, real-time, end-to-end cargo handling system.
“The benefits will positively impact all areas of our operation including, but not limited to, labor force management, SLA compliance, management reports, information accuracy, pickup/delivery times and service transparency to our customers.”
Leisure airlines TUI, Condor and SunClass Airlines have expand their digital booking capabilities for cargo customers through CargoAi and Webcargo.
The airlines’ GSSA, ECS Group, collaborated with the carriers and the two digital platforms as part of the roll out.
Matthieu Petot, chief executive of CargoAi, explained, “These three airlines offer a multitude of destinations. Our users can now benefit from this by reserving their capacities on our platform in a few seconds.”
He added, “Our customers need us to support them in new ways to maximize their income, and digitizing the distribution processes is one of them. We therefore connect to all major e-booking platforms in the market to sell the cargo capacities of airlines under total cargo management contract in a more efficient way.”
WebCargo said that the move comes as supply chain unpredictability has led to a five-fold increase in e-bookings this year.
“Now more than ever, our customers demand rapid and accurate services,” said Cédric Millet, ECS chief strategy & digital officer.
“This is why we are connecting to all the leading digital platforms like WebCargo, expanding our digital reach by distributing online the capacity of our airline customers managed under a Total Cargo Management contract.”
WebCargo also pointed out that as passenger travel resumes, leisure airlines expect to resume more frequent and sustainable services, increasing air cargo capacity.
“We are delighted to add Condor, TUI, and SunClass Airlines to WebCargo, which offers the largest selection of Digital Air Cargo (DAC)-enabled airlines” said Manel Galindo, WebCargo chief executive.
“Together, we are committed to providing the necessary tools for carriers to manage fast-changing rates and capacity, and provide their customers with the best possible service.”
This is not the airlines’ first move in the digital cargo booking space, in November the carriers announced a partnership with cargo.one.
Dronamics has revealed which five European airports it will use as bases for cargo drone operations.
Rather than offering final mile delivery, the “middle-mile” drone developer aims to connect its “droneports” in Europe with same-day services using its Black Swan cargo drones, which are capable of carrying 350 kg and have a range of up to 2,500 kms.
The first five airports in the network are: Liège Airport, which serves as Alibaba’s European Hub and Brescia Airport, the national hub for the Italian postal system, as well as Skövde (Sweden), Seinäjoki (Finland) and Osijek (Croatia).
It has plans to add another 30 droneports to the network in the future.
The launch of the network comes as the European Union’s (EU) unified drone regulations are set to kick-in on January 1.
Dronamics said it is already preparing for the necessary certification under the new rules, aiming to obtain operational authorization by the end of 2021 with the first commercial flights of the same-day drone cargo services expected to begin in early 2022.
Svilen Rangelov, co-founder and chief executive of Dronamics, said: “The power of logistics to unlock economic value and opportunity is second to none. This is why especially in a post-2020 world, it is increasingly important to ensure same-day shipping is available not just in big cities, but in every community, no matter how small or remote.
“Now, more than ever before, it’s vital for countries to ensure uninterrupted trade and supply lines with their neighbors no matter what, and our international droneport network will allow just that.
“We are starting with Europe not just because our 2,500 km range allows us to cover the whole continent in one flight, but also because the EU and EU Aviation Safety Agency have shown remarkable regulatory leadership in the field of air mobility, and we are happy to find such great airport partners who will work with us to pioneer this emerging technology.”
Steven Verhasselt, vice president commercial at Liège Airport, said: “We believe that unmanned airfreight will be an important part of the future of the logistics industry. With the capabilities of the Black Swan, Dronamics taps into the growing segment of on-demand same-day delivery in e-commerce, pharma and time-critical cargo. Innovation is key in our industry to meet the current and future challenges and developing LGG as a drone hub is part of our strategic plan.”
Massimo Roccasecca, group cargo director at SAVE Group, the operator of Brescia Airport, added: “Earlier this year the whole world saw the effects that border closings and strict quarantine measures had on global supply chains, as the world was and still is combating the Covid-19 pandemic. But when you have a way to move cargo without traveling with it, supply chains become lockdown-proof.
“Joining the strategic positioning of Brescia — in the center of the industrial Italian territory — as an airport that can service international unmanned cargo and serve as a gateway for Italy within this emerging market is a truly exciting opportunity.”
As part of the roll-out, the drone firm will base its droneport equipment at each location and will hire and train local staff to operate and handle the flights.
Tigers has added to its Virtual Warehouse offering by developing a new linehaul solution to help customers minimize supply chain disruption post Brexit.
The Virtual Logistics Facility means that goods can be physically located between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) for ease of last mile delivery, with the online solution providing full visibility, inventory control, and a single tariff in a single place.
“From January 2021 we will operate a linehaul between the UK and EU for goods which have been consolidated at customers’ sites, for either B2B or B2C business to serve their end customer in the EU as usual from the UK,” said Shahar Ayash, Tigers Regional Managing Director, Europe.
“Moving from a ‘one box’ supply chain concept serving the EU and UK to a ‘two boxes’ supply chain brings benefits, such as simplistic VAT for B2C, speed to market, and last mile cost reduction in a post Brexit environment.
“On the other hand, there are other complications, such as cost, and control of the split inventory.
“Some businesses are just not ready yet to open a second location and for them we developed our transportation solution so they can continue to serve the EU from the UK and vice versa while adopting their supply chain to the new terms and conditions post-Brexit.”
The linehaul solution is a further addition to the Tigers Virtual Warehouse, powered by its SmartHub:Connect (SHC) freight and e-commerce portal, to bring together the entire supply chain from shipping to warehousing and last mile.
Tigers is offering customers either limited fiscal representation if they have a European entity that sells their goods locally or general fiscal representation to avoid the need to have a European entity to continue selling and meeting all local regulations.
Tigers’ facilities in Thurrock, UK, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands, have been designed for omnichannel fulfilment, offering sustainable e-commerce products and low-cost last mile B2B and B2C solutions across Europe.
“We will prepare an Export Declaration and Transit Document for the goods to be exported to the EU, which we will then transport to Rotterdam where we facilitate the import clearance process to Customs-clear the goods into the EU,” said Sharon Page, Director Freight Forwarding at Tigers.
“Once import clearance is released, we will perform a cross-docking function to ensure safe final mile delivery throughout Europe.”
Tigers has Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) and Authorised Consignor and Consignee status, meaning customers benefit from a lower rate of compliance inspections, a reduction in the number of Customs control checks, and simplified documentation for imports and exports.
Joby Aviation, a transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing passenger aircraft, which it intends to operate as early as 2023, today announced that Uber Technologies has agreed to invest a further $75 million in Joby as part of a broader transaction involving the acquisition of Uber Elevate by Joby and an expanded partnership between the two parent companies. This investment comes in addition to a previously undisclosed $50 million investment made as part of Joby’s Series C financing round in January 2020.
Under the terms of this week’s deal, Joby Aviation will acquire Uber Elevate, while the two parent companies have agreed to integrate their respective services into each other’s apps, enabling seamless integration between the ground and air travel for future customers.
Established in 2016, Uber Elevate has played an important role in laying the groundwork for the aerial ridesharing market by bringing together regulators, civic leaders, real estate developers and technology companies around a shared vision for the future of air travel. Their software tools enabling market selection, demand simulation and multi-modal operations are at the center of their work, and form the basis of this future-focused deal.
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation, “We were proud to partner with Uber Elevate last year and we’re even prouder to be welcoming them into the Joby team today while deepening our cooperation with Uber.
“The team at Uber Elevate has not only played an important role in our industry, they have also developed a remarkable set of software tools that build on more than a decade of experience enabling on-demand mobility.
“These tools and new team members will be invaluable to us as we accelerate our plans for commercial launch.”
Joby will operate an affordable, quiet and clean transportation service, using the revolutionary all-electric, vertical take-off and landing aircraft it has spent the last decade developing. With a range of up to 150 miles and a top speed of 200 mph, the vehicle and the service has the potential to make a significant difference to the lives of travelers.
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber, “Advanced air mobility has the potential to be exponentially positive for the environment and future generations.
“This deal allows us to deepen our partnership with Joby, the clear leader in this field, to accelerate the path to market for these technologies.
“We’re excited for their transformational mobility solution to become available to the millions of customers who rely on our platform.”
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in early Q1 2021, subject to regulatory review and customary closing conditions.
Uber’s new $75M investment brings its all-time total investment in Joby to $125 million and Joby Aviation’s total funding, including previous rounds, to $820 million.
One of the largest and most complex logistical operations ever undertaken will launch as soon as a Covid-19 vaccine has received approval. Temperature-controlled Unit Load Devices (ULD) are expected to become a limited resource within air transportation. The increasing demand for cool transport solutions and interaction between the growing number of stakeholders will prove complex and time-consuming. cool&fly, a unique management service offered by Jettainer for temperature-controlled ULDs, is the perfect solution to maximize the efficient use of cool containers. Jettainer’s dedicated temperature control competence center in the Middle East will offer customers a single point of contact to ensure the smooth operation of the entire cool ULD journey and has been further resourced to meet the expected demand.
Securing supply and managing containers for temperature-sensitive goods is an extremely complex mission that requires absolutely accurate and attentive management. This includes on-time ordering and positioning, as well as constant traceability and monitoring throughout the entire process chain in order to be ready for an immediate response to all eventualities as there is no margin for error due to the highly valuable and sensitive goods involved.
Based on our longstanding expertise in temperature-controlled ULD management and in response to market needs, Jettainer has now launched a unique management service: cool&fly. The product is one of a kind, comprising full cool ULD order management, steering and positioning along with monitoring as well as after-service management. It is available to airlines, no matter their other ULD management setup. The dedicated cool competence center is the single point of contact for customers, providing customers with simplified interfaces and a worry-free process. The expert team selects the best rental trip based on Jettainer’s global positioning network and ensures timely delivery through effective positioning and return of cool ULDs. Continuous monitoring allows for immediate and proactive intervention in the event of irregularities and the provision of 24/7/365 support. This approach allows Jettainer to significantly minimize the risks caused by the complex interaction between all supply chain stakeholders. cool&fly delivers demonstrable improvements when positioning and repositioning cool containers, thus maximizing the availability of cool ULDs.
Jettainer’s cool competence center in the Middle East has bundled its wide-ranging experience in temperature-controlled ULD management for several years now, managing cool containers for companies including Lufthansa Cargo and American Airlines. Last year alone, the highly specialized team has managed almost 12.000 cool ULD orders, providing its customers with more secure supply, increased availability as well as substantial financial benefits due to optimized lease trips, as delays incur high demurrage costs. The team has now been further resourced and strengthened to meet the expected demands of customers and the market.
“The logistical challenges involved when transporting vaccines by air are huge. Maximizing the efficient use of the cool ULDs will be key – reliable management of all interfaces from a single point will minimize risks during the transport. cool&fly and our highly experienced cool competence center provide customers with the perfect solution,” said Thomas Sonntag, Managing Director of Jettainer GmbH.
GEODIS is transporting 10 metro trains made up of 40 railcars from French rail manufacturer Alstom for the Hanoi metro.
The latest train – part of a total of 10 shipments of four cars – will leave the port of Dunkirk (France) this weekend, aboard the containership Champs Elysées.
Manufactured at the Alstom factory in Petite-Forêt (Valenciennes), the new metro cars, that will leave France for Hanoi arrived at Dunkirk by road, with transport arranged, two by two by the GEODIS team, at the end of last week. They will be delivered in Hanoi in less than two months’ time.
The whole complex move will be spread over a nine-month period and is due to be completed by mid-2021.
GEODIS Industrial Project teams are managing the end-to-end transport process from France to Vietnam through Malaysia including the loading at Alstom Valenciennes premises, oversized pre-carriage to Dunkirk, port handling, delivery to the destination site and transport engineering.
The entire shipment will amount to nearly 10,000 freight tonnes of passenger railcars and will comprise ten full metro trains.
Johann Taccoen, GEODIS’ Deputy Regional Director, Industrial Projects in France, said: “This is a meticulous operation that we have been preparing for in close partnership with our customer, the manufacturer Alstom, over several months.
“Our aim is to ensure that the goods reach their destination safely and securely, all within a very tight timeframe. In particular, our people’s skills in achieving reliable transit times, controlling costs and maintaining safety standards are pivotal.”
The container line CMA CGM that provides the ocean transport, on behalf of GEODIS, needs to trans-ship the cargo in Port Kelang, Malaysia before continuing the journey to Haiphong, the Vietnamese port situated some 190 kilometers from Hanoi.
Both the pervading Covid-19 restrictions and the need for specially designed lifting equipment at all three ports constitute further challenges for the operations teams.
In Vietnam, Vu Huynh, Industrial Project Manager of GEODIS, leads the delivery operation.
“The on-carriage of each railcar requires a road convoy of more than 30 meters in length,” he said.
“As a consequence, the delivery of each metro train set involves two overnight journeys with planning for secure stopping areas and ensuring all safety and traffic impact requirements are fulfilled. Moreover, given space constraints at the Hanoi Metro Depot off-loading site, careful coordination is needed to guarantee a safe, damage-free operation.”
Envirotainer, the global market leader in secure cold chain solutions for air transport of pharmaceuticals, broadens its existing partnership with Unilode Aviation Solutions, the leading provider for outsourced Unit Load Device (ULD) management and repair solutions, to meet the upcoming worldwide demand for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Envirotainer has increased its active temperature-controlled container capacity at several key locations around the world for its customers in the pharmaceutical supply chain to ensure the fast, safe and reliable delivery of vaccines and other healthcare products, which require high-quality cold chain packaging solutions. Envirotainer has been working with Unilode since 2013 for the repair, maintenance, handling, transportation and storage of temperature-controlled active air freight containers at 24 strategic locations. The latest joint service innovation is the development of pop-up ground handling and repair shops. These will be implemented, at short notice, for large volume COVID-19 vaccine distributions, closer to key pharmaceutical production hubs, to ensure the fast and safe delivery of the much-needed vaccines across the world.
Niklas Adamsson, COO Envirotainer, said: ”Unilode has been Envirotainer’s trusted partner for several years, and especially in these times our partnership is very important for our operations as it enables Envirotainer to support the upcoming unprecedented global demand of vaccine distribution with our cold chain solutions. Unilode is increasing its MRO capacity at key locations and will support Envirotainer with maintenance and repair services at our recently started ground operations in Beijing, China. Unilode’s expertise in the maintenance and repair of Envirotainer’s active containers will ensure the optimal performance of our containers when time is of the essence and availability of the units is crucial to ensure the success of global vaccine distribution. We look forward to deepening our partnership with Unilode.”
Don Jacobs, Managing Director MRO Solutions, Unilode, said: “As the world prepares for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, stakeholders in the air cargo and pharmaceutical supply chain need to ensure a seamless and efficient end-to-end cold chain that includes the availability of temperature-controlled containers for the quick and efficient transportation of the vaccine.
The strong partnership between Unilode and Envirotainer has provided a solid foundation to look for additional solutions to support the aviation and pharmaceutical industries and we have developed joint initiatives to meet the anticipated high demand for the distribution of pharmaceuticals around the world. Unilode’s global ULD MRO solutions make it possible to provide additional repair capability to meet its partners’ requirements and we are pleased that Unilode can help support the global distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine by saving time and increasing the availability of active containers for Envirotainer’s pharmaceutical customers.”
DoKaSch Temperature Solutions and Air Europa have signed a Master Rental Agreement about the usage of the temperature-controlled Opticooler packaging solution. The collaboration opens up important new direct routes between Europe and Latin America. Until now, several destinations could only be reached by changeover flights from Europe. With the new agreement, forwarders and pharma producers now have new direct transport options, which is why the agreement is highly beneficial for global pharma logistics.
Air Europa is a Spanish airline based in Madrid. The airline offers flights within Europe, to Africa and the Americas and can in turn provide highly flexible services, which has become especially important in times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Most importantly, Air Europa is offering direct flights with wide-body aircraft from Madrid to 21 destinations in Latin America. These include Asuncion (Paraguay), Montevideo (Uruguay), Quito and Guayaquil (Ecuador), Bogota and Medellin (Colombia), Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Recife, Sao Paulo, Fortaleza and Salvador (Brasil), Buenos Aires and Cordoba (Argentina), Lima (Peru), San Pedro Sula (Honduras) and Panama, among other destinations.
Since pharmaceutical goods are highly sensitive and require high standards when being transported, direct flights are always preferred by forwarders and pharma producers to avoid unnecessary risks. Air Europa will use DoKaSch’s Opticooler, a highly reliable temperature regulated packaging solution. It comes in two sizes: The RKN version holds one euro-pallet, while the RAP version offers space for up to five euro-pallets. The Opticooler allows keeping the desired temperature level between two and eight degrees at all time, no matter the surrounding temperatures. It is equipped with batteries and only requires a power socket for charging.
“The destinations offered by Air Europa are an important addition to our network. While pharmaceutical products can be loaded onto trucks after they have arrived via planes, the road network and distances in these regions were not optimal for this, it simply takes too long,” explains Andreas Seitz, Managing Director at DoKaSch Temperature Solutions. “For that reason, we looked for a partner who can offer steady direct connections to these destinations. Together with Air Europa, we can provide new important routes for life-saving pharmaceuticals.”
Jordi Piqué, general manager at Air Europa Cargo, said: “At Air Europa we strive to offer the best service and we do so with the very best fleet. The agreement reached with DoKaSch Temperature Solutions gives us full assurance of being able to offer optimum transport of pharmaceutical products and those products that require controlled temperatures”.
Gebrüder Weiss and the Chinese logistics company Global Freight System (GFS) have set up the joint venture ‘Gebrüder Weiss Express China’, specializing in parcel transports between China and Europe. Gebrüder Weiss holds 65 percent of the shares in the Shanghai-based joint venture. “The growing trend towards e-commerce means that the volume of parcel shipments between Asia and Europe is also steadily on the rise,” says Lothar Thoma, member of the Management Board at Gebrüder Weiss. “We are now pooling our expertise in Europe and Asia with the aim of addressing both Asian and European e-commerce companies.”
The creation of this joint venture is yet another way for Gebrüder Weiss to boost its activities on the New Silk Road. The company operates branches and offices at 19 major transport hubs in the Greater China region, and also runs its own offices in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. Gebrüder Weiss services on and along the Silk Road include air and sea freight, railway and multimodal transports, as well as special logistics solutions including warehouse logistics, local distribution – and now parcel transports as well.
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