AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) has renewed its cargo handling contract at Frankfurt/Main Airport with Frankfurt Cargo Services (FCS), a subsidiary of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS).
FCS, the largest independent cargo hander at the airport, has served AirBridgeCargo since 2008, and the new contract extension reflects the successful and growing partnership between the two companies. ABC currently operates up to 15 Boeing 747 freighter flights a week from Frankfurt to its hubs at Moscow’s Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports, seamlessly connecting customers to more than 30 prime cargo destinations in Europe, Asia and North America from Russia’s capital.
“Frankfurt is one of the most important airports in AirBridgeCargo’s intercontinental route network. Thanks to our reliable and close cooperation with Frankfurt Cargo Services, we offer our customers quick and easy access to key cargo markets globally, including for our specialist products. Solutions such as FCS’ mobile SuperBox refrigeration unit, for example, support our growing pharmaceutical volumes and means we can respond optimally to our customers’ requirements as well as trends in the market,” said Diana Schöneich, Senior Director European Region at AirBridgeCargo.
As a customer of FCS in Cargo City South at Frankfurt Airport, ABC benefits from a direct connection between the airside apron and the landside cargo handling operation, shortening cargo processing times. The knowledge and expertise of FCS’ handling team in Frankfurt also supports ABC’s service requirements for special consignments such as dangerous goods, heavy and outsize loads, and temperature-sensitive cargoes.
With volumes continuously increasing, FCS’ proven capability of handling temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products was one of the decisive factors in AirBridgeCargo’s decision to extend its longstanding partnership. With GDP (Good Distribution Practice) and IATA CEIV Pharma certifications, FCS’ Frankfurt cargo operation is fully compliant with the cargo handling requirements of both airlines and pharmaceutical companies.
“In our 13 years of partnership so far, AirBridgeCargo and FCS have both significantly expanded our cargo operations in Frankfurt, and we have worked closely together to overcome major challenges, including, of course, the coronavirus crisis and its impact on global supply chains. We wish to thank AirBridgeCargo for the airline’s continued loyalty to FCS and we look forward to a new phase of growth in our relationship,” added Claus Wagner, Managing Director of Frankfurt Cargo Services.
Sustainable transport by rail: the ICE, IC and EC trains transporting time:matters ic:kurier shipments within Germany already run on 100% green power. What’s new, however, is that the carbon emissions associated with the first and last mile transport of these shipments in Germany will also be offset from this month onwards. Since late 2019, time:matters has already offset all of the CO2 emissions relating to its airmates On Board Courier service. With this latest innovation, the company is now setting the next important milestone in its sustainability initiative.
The ic:kurier service allows shipments to be transported in a simple, fast, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly manner by rail both within Germany and also to and from Amsterdam, Basel, Paris and Vienna. In Germany alone, the network incorporates more than 100 stations and represents an eco-friendly alternative to direct delivery.
Customers can use the time:matters booking page to submit transport requests for ic:kurier shipments with just a few clicks and without time-consuming registration. These requests are quoted in real time and can be booked immediately. This service is targeted at industry customers in the life & health and other sectors, small and medium-sized enterprises, and private individuals alike.
“The environmentally-friendly CO2 compensation of all last and first mile transfers of ic:kurier shipments within Germany represents our next consistent step towards a sustainable, innovative transport portfolio. We are also working with our partners on further projects aimed at reducing our carbon footprint,” commented Lars Krosch, COO of time:matters. “There is increasing demand for environmentally responsible transport solutions among our customers as well. In addition to speed and reliability, sustainability has become an important requirement for supply chains.”
Rangel Logistics Solutions, a global logistics partner with a presence in South Africa, is investing €2.1M (±R37M) in the region to expand its South African operations and open an office in Zambia.
This additional investment reinforces Rangel’s commitment to the African market, which includes the acquisition of its own fleet, growth of the local team to create 100 jobs by 2023, expansion of the warehouse space in Johannesburg from 2500m² to 5500m², the opening of new facilities in Zambia and at the SA border with Namibia (Nakop) and Botswana (Zeerust) in 2022 and several geographies in South Africa, including Durban and Cape Town, by 2023.
“Our investment into South Africa has proven to be very positive for Rangel, surpassing our initial expectations in less than two years. This, coupled with South Africa’s strategic position on the African continent guaranteeing road connections throughout southern Africa, has led us to expand operations in order to meet the demands of our customers,” said Nuno Rangel, CEO of Rangel Logistics Solutions.
Addressing Rangel at its official opening, Manuel Carvalho, Ambassador of Portugal to South Africa, said: “In the middle of all the adversities in the past few years we celebrate a success story. That is something that needs to be acknowledged and celebrated. We have a saying in Portuguese, ‘When you have a storm, some people take shelter while others build windmills’.
Rangel is on the windmill building side, to harness the storm and make it blow in your favor. So congratulations to Rangel because it takes bravery to do that and to move forward with its footprint not only in South Africa but other countries on the African continent as well.”
Rangel entered the South African market in 2020 by investing in its Clearing Agent service and, after opening the Johannesburg facilities, it opened offices along the main borders of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana: Komatipoort, Musina and Globlersburg in 2021.
“Despite only being in South Africa for a short time, we have seen great organic growth through high demand from our customers for services in Africa. We have now decided to enter a new country, Zambia, where we are the first Portuguese logistics operator in the market.
“This will reinforce Rangel’s inland service on the continent as it creates connection points with the sea ports of South Africa, the main gateway in the region, and manages to offer cross-border transport with daily deliveries to all Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries,” adds Nuno Rangel.
CEVA Logistics is expanding its African operations and services with the acquisition of two fish loaders for use at the port in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The new loaders enable CEVA to offer a full end-to-end solution for frozen tuna exports from the West African country—exports that are set to exceed 150,000 tons by 2023.
Volga-Dnepr has transported essential cargo to Port-au-Prince in Haiti to support aid efforts since the earthquake that hit the island recently.
To help those affected by the earthquake, the Group organized two special charter flights using its An-124-100 and Il-76TD-90VD aircraft.
Cargo delivered to Haiti included tents, water purifiers, mobile kitchens and general cargo.
Pauli Immonen, deputy director of healthcare and humanitarian at Volga-Dnepr Group, commented: “Thanks to aligned and long-standing relations with freight forwarders, brokers, non-government organizations (NGOs), humanitarian agencies, airport authorities and other stakeholders we guarantee a fast and seamless response and organize life-saving air transport to almost any region or country of the world.”
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which struck Haiti in August, has killed hundreds of people.
Last month, Chapman Freeborn Australia partnered with Volga-Dnepr Group to charter an Antonov AN-124 aircraft, carrying four helicopters to Athens, to support Greece’s fight against wildfires.
The flight marked the first time that four Bell 214B helicopters had ever been transported on a Volga-Dnepr AN-124 in a single operation.
Chapman Freeborn said it cooperated with freighter operator Volga-Dnepr Airlines, helicopter firm McDermott Aviation, airport teams, handling agents, freight forwarders, and government authorities to “seamlessly” complete the project in a timely manner.
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