The Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (NEC AAAE) announced this week that Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) received Balchen Post Awards for excellence in the performance of snow and ice control. ANC won first place in the large airport category and FAI earned an honorable mention in the medium airport category.
NEC AAAE, formed in 1957, promotes airport-related leadership, management and growth and is comprised of airport-related professionals including management, vendors, consultants, and suppliers.
FAI saw an accumulation of 91.9 inches of snow in the winter of 2021-2022. While the area experienced several heavy snow falls, the most challenging was a two-week weather event from Dec. 24 through Jan. 6. Fairbanks experienced several back-to-back weather patterns, i.e.; rapidly warming temperatures combined with heavy snowfall, followed by freezing rain, heavy snowfall, strong winds and temperatures dropping down to 40°F.
Rachel Webb, chief of operations at Fairbanks International Airport said, “Fairbanks Operations and Maintenance personnel work incredibly hard during a typical winter. The 21/22 season was like no other, requiring long hours, difficult decisions, and seemingly endless storms. I am proud to be part of such a dedicated and professional team.”
ANC received 89.3 inches of snow this winter, more than 13 inches above average.
“ANC and much of Alaska experienced severe ice storms in late December,” said Zaramie Lindseth, ANC airfield maintenance manager. “The events were significant enough to shatter historical records in terms of deicing products used to keep ANC open and operational. Our ANC team performed exceptionally well during this difficult winter and demonstrated why they are the best in the industry.”
Fairbanks typically has long periods of subzero temperatures, allowing time between weather events to remove snow and work on surface areas. This year’s winter season required many snow removal operators to work numerous days without a break. The commitment to the airport and the traveling public is likely one of the many reasons that this team was recognized for this prestigious award.
Jason Jacobs, FAI chief of maintenance said: “I am proud of the maintenance department and the entire FAI team who dedicate themselves to ensuring the airport remains safely open. This team has earned this recognition and they embody the department’s mission to Keep Alaska Moving.”
Fairbanks International Airport is the gateway to Alaska’s interior and Denali National Park. It’s one half of the Alaska International Airport System and serves more than a million passengers annually. Equipped to handle any size and type of aircraft, anytime, with state-of-the-art landing systems and terminal facilities. Accounts for 1 in 20 jobs for a total of 1,900 jobs in Fairbanks.
Anchorage is strategically located between the world’s two largest economies and is a 9.5-hour flight from 90% of the industrialized world. ANC is home to hubs for UPS and FedEx. ANC is the 4th busiest cargo airport in the world and 2nd in North America. It accounts for one in 10 jobs in Anchorage.
Qatar Airways Cargo has celebrated a record year for salmon shipments out of Norway.
The cargo carrier “transported more than 46,000 tons of Norwegian seafood in 2021,” said Rob Veltman, vice president cargo Europe at Qatar Airways.
This is “the highest result yet,” he noted, adding: “The airline transports more than 125 tons of seafood from Oslo every single day.”
The Oslo-Doha route is served by seven Qatar Airways passenger flights and six Boeing 777 freighter services each week.
95% of all perishable seafood (PES) on board Qatar Airways flights out of Scandinavia, is salmon. Iceland and Faroe Island (Denmark) also see some seafood traffic which includes live king crabs, trout, and other seafood, however the bulk of the salmon business originates in Norway.
Veltman added, “Salmon is a particularly delicate cargo commodity as it requires skilled, hygienic handling in temperature-controlled conditions and, above all, reliable, fast connections to its final destination.
“Qatar Airways Cargo not only offers a global network of over 150 stations, we also reacted quickly to support Norwegian seafood exporters when the pandemic led to a dramatic decrease in available belly capacity.
“By introducing passenger freighters to the Norwegian seafood market, including Harstad-Narvik Airport in Evenes and Bodø Airport in Northern Norway, Qatar Airways Cargo significantly increased its capacity to the Norwegian market in 2021 when it was needed the most.
“Our Operations team went above and beyond to meet the needs of our customers, resulting in record breaking uplift of more than 68,944 kg on a single lower deck 777 passenger flight.”
Qatar Airways Cargo offers close to 850 tons of cargo capacity each week from Norway, transporting Norwegian salmon via its Doha perishable center, to destinations across Asia: Seoul/South Korea (ICN), Bangkok/Thailand (BKK), Shanghai/China (PVG), Osaka/Japan (KIX), Narita/Japan (NRT), Hong Kong (HKG), Guangzhou/China (CAN,); and the Middle East: Dubai/UAE (DXB), Doha/Qatar (DOH), and Riyadh/Saudi Arabia (RUH).
Norway exported 1.3m tons of salmon in 2021.
Lufthansa Cargo has ordered three Boeing 777F freighters and seven new-generation 777-8F freighters to increase its airfreight capacity.
In addition, leases for two Boeing 777F freighters, which run through 2024, will be extended for seven years each through 2031.
The first of the 777F aircraft, which could be acquired on the used market at short notice, is expected as early as July 2022. Two more new B777Fs will follow at a later date.
Delivery of the seven new B777-8Fs is expected at a later date between 2027 and 2030.
Currently, Lufthansa Cargo’s freighter fleet consists of a total of 15 Boeing 777Fs, four of which are operated by AeroLogic. In addition, there is the capacity of two A321 freighters and the belly capacity of passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings Discover.
Dorothea von Boxberg, chairperson of the executive Board and chief executive officer of Lufthansa Cargo, said: “We are very pleased that we have been able to set an important course for our future and the growth of Lufthansa Cargo with the decision to order ten additional widebody freighters. We can offer our customers significantly more capacity in the short and long term, and also ensure that we operate the most modern and efficient freighters in their class. The investments in the next freighter generation, the Boeing 777-8F, will significantly reduce CO2 emissions. We are thus taking another important step on our way to CO2-neutral airfreight.”
The Boeing 777-8F has a range of 8,167 km (4410 nautical miles) and a maximum payload of 118 metric tons. Compared to the 777F, it has 17% more cargo volume. The aircraft features two efficient GE9x engines from General Electric Aviation for low fuel consumption, low operating costs and lower emissions.
Lufthansa’s cargo business reported record performance in the first quarter of 2022.
2021 revenues increased by 38% year on year to €3.8bn.
In March, Lufthansa Cargo launched a new short- and medium-haul European freighter network.
Miami International Airport’s (MIA) total freight volume in the first quarter of 2022 increased by 8% year on year to 687,675 tons.
552,371 tons of this came from international traffic. International freight at MIA has grown 5.4% in the year to date, while domestic freight is up 20.5%.
MIA’s strong first quarter comes on the heels of the airport’s best year ever in several trade categories. In 2021, MIA set a new annual record of 2.7m tons of total freight and 2m metric tons of international freight handled, to strengthen the global gateway’s position as the busiest airport in the US and ninth in the world for international freight.
The airport’s imports and exports also had a combined commercial value of $67.5bn last year, up 28% over 2020 for a record increase of $14.8bn. MIA’s 2021 air trade amounted to 95% of Florida’s total air trade value and 41% of the state’s total air and sea trade values combined.
The airport’s leading import in weight last year continued to be flowers, at 327,881 tons valued at nearly $1.6bn, which represents a 39% increase in weight and a 34% in value. Flower imports are currently in full bloom at MIA, with the Association of Floral Importers of Florida projecting a 10% year on year increase in flower shipments before Mother’s Day on May 8 and MIA handling 89% of all flower imports to the US by air.
MIA’s largest import category in value was gold, jewellery, and gems, at $4.4bn in 2021, which was up 9% year on year. The largest export commodity in weight from MIA was vehicle parts and tires, which doubled in size from 18,703 tons in 2020 to 37,607 tons last year, while the leading export in value was aviation/spacecraft parts at $6.5bn, for an increase of 2% over the previous year.
The Florida hub handled 2.7m tons of freight in 2021, “shattering” its previous record of 2.3m tons achieved in 2020.
Miami International Airport’s (MIA) total freight volume in the first quarter of 2022 increased by 8% year on year to 687,675 tons.
552,371 tons of this came from international traffic. International freight at MIA has grown 5.4% in the year to date, while domestic freight is up 20.5%.
MIA’s strong first quarter comes on the heels of the airport’s best year ever in several trade categories. In 2021, MIA set a new annual record of 2.7m tons of total freight and 2m metric tons of international freight handled, to strengthen the global gateway’s position as the busiest airport in the US and ninth in the world for international freight.
The airport’s imports and exports also had a combined commercial value of $67.5bn last year, up 28% over 2020 for a record increase of $14.8bn. MIA’s 2021 air trade amounted to 95% of Florida’s total air trade value and 41% of the state’s total air and sea trade values combined.
The airport’s leading import in weight last year continued to be flowers, at 327,881 tons valued at nearly $1.6bn, which represents a 39% increase in weight and a 34% in value. Flower imports are currently in full bloom at MIA, with the Association of Floral Importers of Florida projecting a 10% year on year increase in flower shipments before Mother’s Day on May 8 and MIA handling 89% of all flower imports to the US by air.
MIA’s largest import category in value was gold, jewellery, and gems, at $4.4bn in 2021, which was up 9% year on year. The largest export commodity in weight from MIA was vehicle parts and tires, which doubled in size from 18,703 tons in 2020 to 37,607 tons last year, while the leading export in value was aviation/spacecraft parts at $6.5bn, for an increase of 2% over the previous year.
The Florida hub handled 2.7m tons of freight in 2021, “shattering” its previous record of 2.3m tons achieved in 2020.
The Airforwarders Association (AfA) is driving an initiative to help find solutions for five critical issues contributing to airport congestion in the US.
Members of AfA’s Airport Congestion Committee (ACC) met last week to agree to focus on developing solutions in the areas of: technology and automation; service standards; airport facilities and infrastructure; staffing and hours of operation; and regulatory and paperwork challenges.
The five critical issues were identified following a survey of airport cargo stakeholders undertaken by AfA, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA).
ACC members will now work on producing a Recommendation Paper with which to approach private, public, and government entities in order to highlight challenges and suggest solutions for cargo congestion issues at airports.
“When we have completed the work, we will be inviting the air cargo industry to come together to implement the needed solutions for more efficient throughput and movement of inbound and outbound air cargo at airports,” said Donna Mullins, vice president of AfA member Kale Info Solutions and chair of the ACC.
“Our survey generated hundreds of responses from a broad cross-section of industry segments clearly articulating a number of problems that require remedial action.
“Our deliverable will not be a document that sits on a shelf, we will be presenting concerns as well as potential solutions to key industry leaders and appropriate members of Congress and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.
“The potential upside of our efforts is enormous with regard to our ability to obtain available public funds for a wide range of capital and technology improvements.”
The ACC, which has recently been joined by Airlines for America (A4A) and the Airline Service Providers Association (ASPA), is seeking to drive improvements including enhanced electronic communications linking all the stakeholders at an airport, as well as improved access and on-airport landside infrastructure to accommodate the operating demands of the trucking industry.
Modernized airport cargo facilities designed to facilitate throughput and accommodate the requirements of mechanized handling systems, and cross-training across all business segments to enhance communications and operating efficiency, are also identified as key areas for improvement.
“Congestion at our airports is such an important issue, and by working together as a Committee, we are able to draw upon each member’s unique knowledge and diverse experience, to be able to execute a robust plan and achieve our collective goals of improved throughput and modernization of outdated infrastructure with an emphasis on environmental sustainability,” said Shawn Richard, director, vice president Global Air Freight for AfA member SEKO Logistics and vice chair of the ACC.
Members of the 35-strong ACC, comprising companies from across the supply chain, including airports, airlines, ground handlers, forwarders, and trucking and tech companies, have been tasked with prioritizing and suggesting solutions using a list of evaluation criteria including costs, applicability and ease of implementation, urgency, and timelines.
“Truck congestion caused by cargo handling delays at major airport cargo facilities continues to cost our members significant financial resources and lost productivity,” said Brandon Fried, executive director, The Airforwarders Association.
“This initiative will help us identify causes while providing a foundational document to share with government officials in creating solutions to the challenge.”
Global aviation logistics specialist Menzies Aviation has appointed Marco di Mario as its new senior vice president of fuels.
Menzies said di Mario joins its fuels leadership team with a wealth of experience in aviation fuels, gained in over 20 years in the industry.
Most recently, di Mario was vice president operations & assets at aviation fuels service provider Skytanking. Prior to this, he held fuels-related roles at North Air, Shell and Maxcom Petroli.
He brings to the role operational and health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) expertise, as well as significant experience in starting up global fueling operations.
Menzies said di Mario will be based at the company’s London Gatwick office and be responsible for leading Menzies’ Europe Fuels team. He will work closely alongside Morven McCrindle, Menzies’ executive vice president for fuels, playing a central role in driving forward the growth of Menzies’ fuels footprint globally.
McCrindle said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Marco to Menzies, who will be an invaluable addition to our fuels leadership team. Marco is uniquely positioned to support with our global business development with his decades of experience in aviation fuels and start-up know-how. Our customers are also set to benefit from Marco’s exceptional operational expertise. I look forward to working closely with Marco as we embark on an ambitious growth strategy for our global fueling operations.”
Transformational IT executive Roopa Sudheendra has joined SEKO Logistics as Senior Vice President, Enterprise Architecture & Product Engineering to help spearhead the continuous improvement and optimization of its market-leading, customer centric technology solutions.
With 20+ years of experience as an IT leader focused on transformational leadership, Roopa has been integral to strategic IT initiatives that have led to business optimization, as well as impactful revenue increases and cost savings, leveraging Agile transformation, data strategy, technology modernization and thought leadership.
At SEKO, she will utilize her expertise in digital transformation and emerging technologies to deliver business efficiencies which enforce SEKO’s frictionless client experience and enable the deployment and evolution of configurable technology solutions around changing business needs, including new and diversified suppliers, sales channels and sales territories. Roopa is based at SEKO Logistics’ headquarters in Chicago and reports to Chief Technology Officer, Mike Powell.
He commented: “SEKO’s reputation for best-in-class technology, which drives efficiencies and growth for clients, is based on our culture of continuously thinking ‘what can we do smarter?’ to benefit our clients and support our record growth across all product channels and geographies. Roopa brings a new dimension and an outstanding track record to our technology team. She will challenge and inspire us and will play a critical role as we execute our technology roadmap.”
Roopa joins SEKO after three years with Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory. There, as Head of Product Engineering, she provided technology leadership and direction to cross functional product delivery teams, collaborating with C-Suite leadership to manage, strategize, and execute the portfolio roadmap by implementing Agile SAFe, design thinking, Cloud native development, Analytics & AI/ML strategy and Microservices. Her earlier roles included Director of Application Development at TransUnion in Chicago as well as technology development posts with Medivo Inc., Thomson Reuters and City of Chicago.
At SEKO, working within the technology team and collaborating with business, Roopa will establish nimble Enterprise Architecture practice to meet desired business outcomes and manage the complexities while driving SEKO’s data strategy to make data available to the right people at the right time to drive the best decisions. In support of SEKO’s technology vision, she will establish a global frictionless operating model in collaboration with product and business to enhance the product engineering team’s ability to execute on the company’s global forwarding and ecommerce portfolio.
“SEKO Logistics was a digital forwarder years before others jumped on what is now a popular ‘bandwagon’ and it has continued to stay ahead through continued differentiation in technology solutions that underpin its logistics services, especially in areas like ecommerce. Successful technology transformation and continuous improvement is not only based on continuous learning, but also inspired by a willingness to question the status quo. SEKO is powered by visionary leaders and passionate people with this ‘No Limit’ attitude. I am excited to join the team during this record growth period and look forward to bringing scale and efficiencies to the organization through product engineering rigor and innovation,” Roopa said.
From sophisticated Omni-Channel Solutions to high quality White Glove Services and traditional Freight Forwarding, SEKO’s technology solutions are built upon three key platforms – MySEKO, SEKO 360 Demand Chain Management (DCM) software, and SEKO 360 Warehouse Management System (WMS). Together, these industry-leading solutions ensure that SEKO’s services provide clients with exactly what they, their customers and suppliers need to effectively manage a smooth and seamless worldwide demand chain, offering one system end-to-end supply chain visibility.
Air cargo shipment tracking provider BlueBox Systems will join the Open Visibility Network (OVN) data sharing platform.
The Open Visibility Network connects shippers, logistics service providers, brokers and customers to share data and encourages data sharing among supply chain participants, allowing for increased visibility.
BlueBoxAir receives data from airlines and airports globally, enabling it to: receive minutely aircraft positions; track shipments’ estimated arrival times, chargeable weights, transhipment ports and other information; and generate shipment reports.
BlueBox Systems chief executive Martin Schulze said, “We are convinced that the digitization of the logistics industry will only gain momentum if innovators work together and offer customers the best technological combinations.
“The Open Visibility Network is a central component in this strategy, as it brings the best players to the table according to the same principles. We are proud to be part of this group with our solution BlueBoxAir.”
Airlines have been ramping up their digital booking offerings over the last few years in response to market volatility.
A survey carried out by booking portal Freightos found that 46% of air cargo carriers now enable instant rate searches for quotes on their websites compared with 10% in 2019.
Meanwhile, 33% offer e-booking with instant confirmation compared to 25% in 2019.
But there is still room for development, with 21% offering instant allotment booking and 4% allowing payments to be made online.
Freightos said that the most widespread digital stride among air carriers was the leveraging of third-party platforms to extend their online reach.
The research shows that 46% of leading air carriers provide instant rate search through third-party platforms and 42% also enable e-booking through these channels.
Shipment tracking is also widely available, with 42%providing this as an option.
Freightos said the adoption of third-party platforms was higher in air than ocean, where just 18% offer e-booking on portals.
“In the fragmented air market – compared to the consolidated ocean market and the growing leverage the pandemic has shifted to ocean carriers – airlines are eager for the low-touch access to new customers, new segments and new geographies that platforms represent, even at the cost of making price and service comparisons easier,” Freightos said.
“And the volatility of air cargo during the last two years served as a catalyst for this trend.”
The overall shift to digital booking was accelerated by the pandemic, the company said.
“The rush on PPE early in the pandemic, just as passenger travel plummeted, was an extreme example of the volatility in the air cargo industry over the last two years.
“The fast pace of air transport only quickened as labor shortages and ever-shifting quarantine requirements led to frequent operational changes.
“This environment accelerated the ongoing search many carriers had already been engaged in for improved internal efficiency and faster ways to communicate and transact with customers.
“Like in ocean freight, the pandemic accelerated the pre-existing trend toward digital connectivity.
“While carriers made gains in their website offerings and API connections, the biggest shift was in leveraging third-party platforms to extend their reach.”
Johnny Rubio, chief commercial officer of Silk Way West, said that online booking portals allowed carriers to introduce e-booking without a massive amount of investment in resource and capital and also makes its services more visible to a wider customer base.
IAG Cargo head of distribution Peter Roberts added: “Not only have our e-bookings increased, but the average weight per e-booking has too, suggesting that customer trust is growing.
“In addition to improving both customer satisfaction and our reach, the data unlocked through e-booking enables better business intelligence and a data-driven strategy.”
Technology has made the world smaller and faster.Real time communication with people from all over the world at different time zones through phones and gadgets
