Air Partner said its cargo team has successfully delivered time-critical ship spares from West Palm Beach, US, to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.
The Air Partner Cargo team, based at the group’s US headquarter offices in Fort Lauderdale, responded to a charter request to carry 13 tons (12,940 kgs) of ship parts to St. Croix, “proposing an efficient and direct air charter solution that met the tight delivery schedule while accommodating a significant cargo size and complying with airport requirements”.
Air Partner said the Cargo team recommended the L100-30 Hercules as the optimal aircraft for transporting the cargo to its destination. As this rear-loading plane is capable of being offloaded with a forklift, it was suitable for use at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport (STX) since the airport is not presently equipped with a cargo high loader for oversized freight aircraft deliveries.
Air Partner’s cargo specialists procured and dispatched the aircraft based on the client’s needs, and took the essential measures to load the ship spares onto the plane promptly upon arrival at the airport, well in advance of departure, said the company.
Ensuring proper and timely logistical requirements of the marine parts helped safeguard the cargo’s security while guaranteeing an on-time departure by the following morning.
“Reliably moving cargo of all sizes around the globe is the standard for Air Partner, so in a time-critical situation like this, we can efficiently present and execute a solution that accounts for detailed planning, expert logistics, and seamless cooperation through our global network,” said Pierre Van Der Stichele, vice president of Air Partner’s global freight division.
“Having a complete end-to-end solution supported by a dedicated team provides a sense of assurance that delivery will be met when it matters most.”
“When operations get disrupted, it impacts business and consumers, so it’s essential for cruise operators to take action quickly to avoid negatively impacting hundreds or even thousands of passengers and crew,” said Andrew Holmes, vice president of Cargo US at Air Partner.
“Given our extensive experience, we were able to offer a cargo aircraft charter solution that provided the quickest and most reliable method to transport the parts on time, helping to solve a critical issue during the peak season.”
Schiphol Airport is responding to incidents of theft with the implementation of stricter security requirements from the start of 2024.
The airport will implement the Secure Import system that will see ground handlers advise forwarders when a shipment is ready for collection.
Forwarders will then instruct a company to pick up the shipment through the system.
The Secure Import system checks that these are the correct parties for this particular shipment and informs the ground handler who will be collecting it and when this will happen.
Yesterday, the concerned parties signed a “best effort declaration” in which they voiced their support for the development of the Secure Import system.
The airport said that the development comes as logistics companies and their employees are experiencing increasing problems due to criminal activities in the transport of cargo to and from Schiphol.
Maarten van As, managing director, Air Cargo Netherlands (ACN), said: “In response to several incidents of theft at Schiphol, together with our partner [security systems fimr] SmartLOXS and security managers at Schiphol, we have developed a ten-step plan to counter theft in the air cargo chain.
“The ACN pass plays an important role in this. The development and implementation of Secure Import is the final step in the plan and will ensure that Schiphol Airport is a forerunner in the fight against cargo theft.”
Joost van Doesburg, head of cargo at Schiphol Airport, added: “The introduction of Secure Import is one of the projects within Smart Cargo Mainport Program (SCMP) and contributes to the course we are taking with the cargo community: steering on quality and predictability.
“With this new system we can now even better protect goods transported via Schiphol against theft and undermining, and remain an attractive main port favored by shippers and forwarders to transport their high-quality cargo.”
Last year all air cargo handling agents at Schiphol tightened the rules for access to their forecourt with all driver visits to dnata, KLM Cargo, Menzies Aviation, Swissport and Worldwide Flight Services’ forecourts requiring advanced electronic notification.
CharterSync brings air cargo charter expertise to CargoTech, neatly rounding off the group’s product palette whilst at the same time directing a strong digital focus towards an air cargo niche that is still largely manual.
In the four years since its founding by ex-cargo charter brokers and commercial pilots, Ed Gillett and Simon Watson, CharterSync has established itself as the leading digital innovator for charter operations. Earlier this year, at Air Cargo Europe 2023, CharterSync became the first air cargo charter company worldwide to offer a fully integrated digital end-to-end booking process and management system for freight forwarders. It is both CharterSync’s expertise in a business area not yet covered by CargoTech, as well as its same dedication to operational efficiency through digitalisation and high-end client service that drew CargoTech’s interest.
“CargoTech aims at providing the most relevant digital solution to every cargo business process. What we were missing until now, was an expert for air cargo charter operations to drive the much-needed digital transformation in this segment. Since launching in 2019, CharterSync has built an innovative, tech-informed, and fresh thinking global air cargo charter business from the ground up and gained a well-deserved reputation as an industry innovator at the forefront of the next generation of air charter,” says Cedric Millet, President of CargoTech. “It was clear from the first time we talked at the IATA World Cargo Symposium in London last year, and again at the Air Cargo Forum in Miami a few months later, that CargoTech and CharterSync were a perfect symbiosis to remove manual pain points from air cargo charter operations and deliver best-in-class digital transformation in their stead.”
CharterSync joining the CargoTech family opens up an entirely new product offering. Digitalisation within the air cargo charter segment has largely been unexplored to date. It lags behind scheduled air cargo capacity processes, and operations are still highly manual. The addition of CharterSync as the group’s fifth member, offers forwarders and airlines a unique opportunity to bring enhanced value and efficiency to their charter process without compromising on service levels. It further expands the CargoTech ecosystem to include experts across all segments, capable of elaborating on the big picture whilst at the same time tailoring solutions to individual customer requirements. Within CargoTech, CharterSync’s expertise creates a significant number of natural synergies with the other members that will now be explored. One immediate example is adapting Wiremind Cargo’s SkyPallet within CharterSync’s solution.
CharterSync was recently named as one of Britain’s fast-growing companies in The Sunday Times 100. “Our growth journey is proof that we are driving innovation throughout our platform and services, and we are delighted to be joining CargoTech. Being part of the CargoTech group inspires us to think bigger, reach higher, and remain committed to delivering exceptional value and transforming the air cargo charter industry,” Ed Gillett, Co-Founder of CharterSync, states. That value not only focuses on speed and efficiency, but also on a greener future for the industry. “Enabling our clients to fly sustainably has been at the forefront of our strategy since we launched in 2019. CargoTech and CharterSync share the same sustainability commitment and mindset. Joining the group allows us all to work collaboratively to reduce CO2 emissions and to play a crucial and powerful lobbying force for change,” he concludes.
All five members will meet together for the first time in October 2023, to further develop the CargoTech product roadmap.
Turkish Cargo, the air cargo brand of Turkish Airlines, ranked the 3rd among the leading air cargo carriers in the world, in the wake of a prospering performance in May.
The successful brand, which was ranked 5th on the same period of last year according to the monthly data published by the International Air Transport Association, became one of the top 3 air cargo carriers by overtaking the top brands in America, Europe and the Far East during May of 2023.
According to the FTK (Freight Tonne Kilometers), derived by multiplying the cargo tonnage, carried by air, with the kilometers covered, Turkish Cargo increased its cargo tonnage by 17% compared to previous month while raising its market share to 5.4% from 4.7% by increasing it 0.8 points as compared to April.
In respect of the achievement of Turkish Cargo, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, said; “We, as Turkish Cargo, are continuing to reinforce our leading position in the industry in line with our target to grow and improve continuously. We recognize these achievements as a commitment to our future targets and work harder to add further value to the air cargo industry.”
As one of the fastest growing air cargo brands in the world, Turkish Cargo continues to raise the bar for success higher day by day and combines its wide range of services and operational capabilities with the unique geographical advantages of its hub in Türkiye.
Martin Drew, the Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Cargo at Etihad Airways, will leave the company at the end of September.
Having first joined Etihad Airways in 2005 as Head of Freighters & Business Partnership, Drew was appointed to his current role in November 2020 at the aviation group’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
“Martin Drew, Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Cargo, will be leaving Etihad Airways,” an Etihad Spokesperson said.
“Martin was instrumental in leading our sales and cargo operations over the past few years having driven considerable revenue growth and fortified our partnerships with trade and corporate partners, freight forwarders and other key stakeholders around the world.”
“His leadership of Etihad Cargo was especially critical over the past few years when it was an essential lifeline through the pandemic.”
“We would like to thank Martin for his leadership and wish him all the best with his next venture.”
The steady upward trend at Munich Airport is reflected in the traffic figures for the first half of 2023: With 16.6 million passengers in the first six months, passenger numbers were more than 28% higher than in the same period of the previous year.
In the first half of 2023, Munich Airport’s passenger volume therefore amounted to roughly three-quarters of the record figure from 2019. The average seat load factor of aircraft at Munich Airport in the first half of the year has never been higher: The figure of nearly 80% is a new record.
The upward trend is also demonstrated by the increase in the number of aircraft movements, with more than 140.0000 registered in the first half of 2023. This was growth of 9% year on year. Bavaria’s premium hub now once again offers flights to 200 destinations in 60 countries around the world.
Freight business at the airport also benefited from the increasing air traffic in Munich, with the total freight volume growing by over 4% year on year to approximately 132,000 metric tons.
QAS Cargo is the first GHA in the Middle East and Africa to receive this certification.
Doha, Qatar – The cargo carrier’s premier ground handling partner, Qatar Aviation Services Cargo has achieved a milestone certification, certifying the cargo facility at the Doha hub as a Smart Facility. QAS Cargo is the first cargo ground handing agent in the Middle East and Africa region to attain the Smart Facility Operational Capacity Certification (SFOC). This achievement complements the recent IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV Fresh) certification in June 2023.
The audit that was conducted in April 2023 included assessing the cargo handling infrastructure, equipment and implementation of procedures at the Cargo Terminal Complex. The IATA audit team validated the operational procedures of QAS Cargo in compliance with a number of IATA Regulations – IATA Cargo Handling Manual, Dangerous Goods Regulations, Unit Load Device Regulations, Temperature Control Regulations, Live Animals Regulations and Perishable Cargo Regulations.
Mr. Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo said, “Our growth to becoming the world’s leading air cargo carrier today has been no easy achievement. Our teams have one goal in mind – customer experience. It is this goal combined with our Next Generation and VISION 2027 strategy through which we have implemented quality procedures in every area of our business. The certification of our hub in Doha reflects the high standards in place to ensure all types of cargo are handled seamlessly and securely, in compliance to all the IATA regulations.”
Mr. Deepak Balakrishnan, Vice President QAS Cargo said, “We are proud of our state-of-the-art handling facility, the services implemented, our robust and defined procedures as well as our teams who dedicatedly ensure that cargo is handled extremely well, no matter the type of cargo. IATA’s Smart Facility Operational Capacity Certification is testament to the hard work and dedication by both Qatar Airways Cargo and QAS Cargo teams.”
Mr. Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo said, “Customers of organisations attaining Smart Facility Operational Capacity Certification (SFOC) recognise it as a key differentiator, highlighting the additional efforts taken to improve cargo operations, safety, service quality and enhance the customer experience. We congratulate Qatar Aviation Services (QAS) on achieving SFOC certification. Cargo operations is the pivot of the air cargo supply chain, and with SFOC, QAS drive a safe, efficient and customer-focused operations.”
Both Qatar Airways Cargo and QAS Cargo are already certified for IATA CEIV Pharma, IATA CEIV Fresh, IATA CEIV Live Animals and IATA CEIV Lithium Battery certifications.
Pharma.Aero announces five new additions to its global community of Life Sciences end-to-end supply chain stakeholders: Saudia Cargo, SAL Saudi Logistics and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics sign up as members; VEXSL and QProducts & Services join as associate partners.
Pharma.Aero is a leading cross-industry collaboration platform of over 60 manufacturers, pharma-certified airports, airlines, freight forwarders, ground handlers and other service stakeholders worldwide.
Trevor Caswell, Chairman of Pharma.Aero, extends a warm greeting to the new members and associate partners representing diverse industry segments, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome such a diverse group of supply chain stakeholders to our global community. We look forward to collaborating and leveraging their expertise in addressing the industry’s challenges and enhancing end-to-end chain visibility for life science and MedTech products.”
Saudia Cargo is the cargo division of Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, and one of the world’s most dynamic cargo airlines. It operates a fleet of modern freighters with access to the belly capacity of SAUDIA, which flies to over 225 destinations worldwide.
Aymen Osilan, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, expresses Saudia Cargo’s vision as a member of Pharma.Aero: “Strategic partnerships are integral to the continuous improvements we make to our airfreight product & service offerings allowing us to consistently surpass the expectations of our customers. By partnering with Pharma Aero, Saudia Cargo will further broaden its pharmaceutical transportation network and connect with key player and latest innovations & developments in this area. Our commitment to providing safe and efficient transportation of pharma products is unwavering, and we are excited to work with industry leaders to provide a wide array of specialized pharmaceutical transportation solutions catering to the specific needs of our clients.”
SAL is a leading logistics and supply chain solutions provider in Saudi Arabia, providing innovative, efficient, and integrated services and solutions to its clients. SAL handles 95% of the country’s inbound and outbound air cargo, making it the national logistics champion within the Kingdom and a key driver in the sector’s transformation outlined in Vision 2030.
Wejdan Soruji, Manager New Product Development of SAL, sees the partnership as a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration. “We are excited to be a member of Pharma.Aero network as this is a great platform to share our experience in pharma ground handling with industry leaders”, said Soruji. “This is surely a step towards achieving our vision of becoming the logistics champion for a globally connected Saudi Arabia.”
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics is a prominent international logistics provider with a rich history dating back to 1871. Leveraging their expertise in global transportation solutions, Hellmann has established a specialized healthcare airfreight network to meet the unique needs of the healthcare industry. They excel in temperature-controlled logistics and offer efficient operational processes, regulatory compliance, and advanced digital solutions.
Mark van Os de Man, the Global Airfreight Product Director for Healthcare at Hellmann, recognizes the significance of collaboration within the healthcare supply chain for achieving continuous improvement: “We believe that becoming a part of industry interest groups such as Pharma.Aero offers a valuable platform to engage with all stakeholders and facilitate positive changes in the healthcare and life science industry. Hellmann aims to leverage their expertise, track record, and forward-thinking approach to become a significant contributor to the Pharma.Aero community.”
QProducts and Services is an industry leader and innovator in passive thermal protection with over 25 years of experience in protecting temperature sensitive goods.
Kevin Lynch, General Manager, Sales & Marketing, QProducts and Services, expresses company’s excitement about partnering with Pharma.Aero. “We at QProducts & Services are proud to join the Pharma.Aero community! We are excited to collaborate with fellow member and associate partners to address temperature, sustainability & visibility challenges faced by the Pharmaceutical, Life Science & MedTech industry. Our recent expansion into APAC and EU creates more opportunities to leverage our nearly three decades of cold chain experience by contributing meaningful insights to support the Pharma.Aero mission”, added Lynch.
VEXSL (Veteran Express Secure Logistics) is a Canadian based, veteran-owned and operated business providing secure shipping services with end-to-end blockchain-based supply chain visibility, climate control, and secure chain of custody.
Cole Fouillard, CEO of VEXSL, emphasizes the company’s enthusiasm for this partnership. “We at VEXSL are excited to join Pharma.Aero in the pursuit of aligning with some of the top pharmaceutical logistics companies in the world. As a growing company, we welcome the opportunity to learn, adopt and apply the cutting-edge technologies, procedures and strategies through the collaboration of fellow associate members, partners and board members of Pharma.Aero. Our mission is to provide a safe and secure shipping solution for our customers that assures the care and custody of the products shipped while purposefully employing military veterans and first responders in the process. We couldn’t think of a more willing organization, with such a purpose driven mission than Pharma.Aero and we look forward to the future of pharma logistics.”
Qatar Airways Cargo’s Next Generation* Fresh product offers the ultimate in perishable logistics solutions and has now been accorded IATA CEIV Fresh certification.
Doha, Qatar – Each vibrant array of flowers or colourful variety of fruits and vegetables displayed in shops and supermarkets around the world, is the product of an intricate interplay of well-coordinated logistics processes, high-tech cooling equipment, state-of-the-art temperature-controlled facilities, and experienced, trained staff. Qatar Airways Cargo, which annually carries in excess of 285,000 tonnes of perishable goods on its global network, has streamlined its Next Generation Fresh process for all kinds of perishable shipments ranging from fruits or vegetables to seafood or flowers. Three sub-categories, Fresh Care, Fresh Passive, and Fresh Advanced, ensure that the fragile cargo is carefully and professionally handled according to industry-specific standards, with the utmost attention given to product-relevant temperatures, handling, transportation, storage and hygiene. An in-depth IATA CEIV certification process has validated Qatar Airways Cargo’s perishables expertise and resulted in IATA CEIV Fresh accreditation.
“Since launching our Fresh service in 2014, we have continuously enhanced every single process step, establishing handling standards that go well beyond those internationally prescribed for perishables. Our Next Generation perishable handling processes, as well as our facilities and training methods, have been audited and confirmed by IATA, and we are now delighted to add IATA CEIV Fresh certification to our existing IATA CEIV Pharma, IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries and IATA CEIV Live credentials,” says Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways. “While Qatar Airways Cargo’s internal regulations and quality targets are far stricter than those on industry level, external IATA CEIV audits are a great source for further improvement initiatives. We are already working on adding new tiers, Fresh Care, Fresh Passive and Fresh Advanced to our service offering, with an ongoing focus on greater sustainability and digitalisation.” In addition to its state-of-the-art Climate Control Centre at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways Cargo has placed particular emphasis on the most vulnerable segment of the perishables supply chain, deploying temperature-controlled trucks and securing quick ramp transfers within 90 minutes to minimise ramp exposure. Improving protection along the cool chain reduces the risk of food wastage and ensures that products arrive in good, saleable condition with an optimum shelf-life.
“Our Next Generation Fresh product offers an effective end-to-end solution for the unique requirements of different kinds of perishable shipments such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish/seafood, meat, hatching eggs, and several other commodities. The impact these goods have on people’s lifestyle, on nutrition and production industries and the overall food supply chain, make it imperative to provide a strong, reliable product of the highest quality,” says Miguel Rodríguez, Head of Cargo Products at Qatar Airways. “Next Generation means delivering best-in-class performance, and offering customers tailored solutions that can be booked and tracked quickly and easily.”
With the launch of its redesigned website last year, Qatar Airways Cargo now provides full transparency on the Fresh handling capabilities of each station. Lane risk assessments are available via Validaide, and perishable cargo shipments can be booked online through Qatar Airways Cargo’s Digital Lounge. Improvements have also been made to internal training processes: the ‘Perishable Cargo Regulations’ training module which all Qatar Airways Cargo personnel involved in handling perishable shipments must complete, has been digitalized to further improve its reach and effectiveness. Qatar Airways Cargo is an active member of the IATA Live Animals and Perishables Board (LAPB), the IATA Perishable Cargo Working Group (PCWG), the Cool Chain Association (CCA), and Validaide, sharing its experience and ideas in expert working groups, to advance consistent and uniformly high standards in perishable air cargo transport across the industry.
*With the launch of Next Generation, Qatar Airways Cargo is defining the future air cargo industry in terms of digital enhancements, new products, a new website, a new business approach in perfect alignment with today’s requirements and, above all, a complete corporate mindset shift.
Frank Bauer will be the new Chief Financial Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer of Lufthansa Cargo AG. This was decided by the company’s Supervisory Board. He will take up his new position on August 1, 2023.
Dr. Michael Niggemann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG, said, “I am delighted that Frank Bauer, an experienced finance and HR expert with great expertise in the logistics sector, will complement and strengthen the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo. He has proven his management skills in various leadership positions in the Lufthansa Group. The Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board, which is now complete again, will master future challenges under the leadership of Chairman Ashwin Bhat and, together with the company’s employees, further expand Lufthansa Cargo’s global leadership position.”
Frank Bauer began his career at Lufthansa in 2007. Three years later he joined the airline Jade Cargo in China. In 2012, he returned to Deutsche Lufthansa AG and took on numerous management positions in the years that followed. For example, he headed the Lufthansa Group’s Internal Audit department. Subsequently, as a member of the Executive Board of Eurowings, he was responsible for Finance and Human Resources. Most recently, he headed the Controlling and Risk Management of the Group.
Dr. Christian Leifeld will take over responsibility for Controlling and Risk Management at the Lufthansa Group as Frank Bauer’s successor on August 1, 2023. He began his career at McKinsey in 2003. After founding the start-up InterNations (now part of New Work SE) and serving as CFO there, he moved to the E.ON Group in 2009, where he held numerous management positions. Christian Leifeld was responsible for Group Controlling from 2017 and subsequently for Group Controlling, Accounting & Risk, before serving as Country CFO for E.ON in the Czech Republic from 2020 to 2023.
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
