MOSCOW: Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the global leader in providing outsized and super heavy transportation by air, recently played an essential part in the implementation of the large-scale Omani Oil and Gas project with a smooth and seamless delivery of two gigantic oil well rigs to the capital of Oman.
The complex delivery for two advanced automated well service rigs, weighing almost 120 tons, was accomplished in partnership with Pentagon Freight Services Canada Ltd., which engaged Volga-Dnepr for a timely and efficient logistics solution to meet the end-user’s stringent delivery time whilst overcoming many challenging aspects of loading and required detailed & complex computer modelling to ensure they were safely loaded for transportation.
The 6-leg flight, lasting 5 days, was organized from Canada’s Calgary to Oman’s capital, Muscat, aboard one of Volga-Dnepr’s modernized An-124-150 which has an extended payload carrying up to 150 tons including loading equipment.
Sophisticated state-of-the art drilling equipment, which was produced and manufactured within record time by Highwood Equipment Technologies, was loaded onto the An-124-150 with the use of specialized ramp extensions.
The advanced automated oil well rigs are to be used in partnership with Al Shawamikh Oil Services within the Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) assigned concession areas of Bahla and Adam in North Oman.
Adrian Pruden, Vice President of Pentagon Freight Services Canada praised Volga-Dnepr and their operations and flight crew for the smooth seamless operation. “Pentagon and Highwood Technologies were very pleased and fortunate to work alongside such industry experts to properly plan and execute such a time sensitive project. Another well executed job by Volga-Dnepr and we look forward to the next one!”
Ekaterina Andreeva, Commercial Director of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, highlights: “For more than three-decades, we have supported customers from the Oil and Gas sector, offering customized solutions and masterminding complex project shipments. Amid the pandemic, we have seen a significant reduction in this sector due to local restrictions and slowing down of production rates, and we are more than happy to work on another challenging project with our long-standing global partner, Pentagon Freight Services, as we have done throughout 20 years of our fruitful cooperation.”
For the first 6 months of 2021, Volga-Dnepr Airlines has transported over 900 tons of Oil and Gas equipment, cooperating with the leading experts in this area to get the sophisticated cargo on time to the production sites. Since 1990, Volga-Dnepr’s experts have been advancing Oil and Gas logistics, offering delivery options for upstream, midstream, and downstream loads.
FRANKFURT: Lufthansa Cargo has awarded another major contract as part of its infrastructure program at the Frankfurt hub with the modernization of the Road Feeder Services high-rack storage system.
Companies Vollert Anlagenbau and Körber recently won the procurement procedure and will carry out the modernization of the RFS stacker’s mechanical, control and IT systems in the future. Lufthansa Cargo is being supported in the planning of the project by Miebach Consulting.
“The modernization of the RFS stacker is another important component of the extensive infrastructure program for the logistics center at the Frankfurt site,” explains Harald Gloy, the cargo airline’s Chief Operations Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer. “In the future, our Road Feeder Services customers will benefit from shorter turnaround times and more efficient handling of transports by truck. With the help of a modern IT environment, we are ensuring the adaptability of the high-rack storage system with regard to upcoming technological developments.”
Hans-Jörg Vollert, CEO of Vollert Anlagenbau, noted, “We are very pleased to be involved in this important and sophisticated infrastructure project for Lufthansa Cargo. We bring our entire experience of almost 100 years in intralogistics concepts in the heavy-duty sector to the table.”
Dirk Hejnal, CEO Körber Business Area Supply Chain, emphasizes: “Körber’s extensive experience in the supply chain technology – in this case in the fields of retrofit, automation and software – allows us to provide Lufthansa Cargo with a tailored solution for this project. With this, the cargo airline can fulfill the high expectations of today and tomorrow and deliver better customer service.”
Lufthansa Cargo will further develop and renew the logistics center at its home hub in Frankfurt on a modular basis as part of its “LCCevolution” infrastructure program. In parallel, several preparatory measures for the construction of the new central high-rack storage system at the Lufthansa Cargo Center are currently underway, in addition to the new construction of the art warehouse.
The conversion measures in the areas of mechanics, control and IT systems of the RFS high-rack storage system, which is around 20 years old, will start in the second quarter of 2022. Two stacker cranes will be replaced by new technology.
The moving truck docks, which are necessary for loading and unloading trucks with ULDs, will also be modernized. Completion of the RFS stacker conversion is planned for early summer 2023. The complete modernization of the Lufthansa Cargo Center is supposed to be finished in 2029.
ISTANBUL: Turkish Cargo continues to show its growing strength and presence in the European market, Hungary in particular, where it was ranked first by the International Air Transport Association for carrying 1 out of every 4 cargo shipments for exports that the country processed in April.
Turkey’s national airfreight said IATA’s statistics highlights trust to the company’s commitment to safely and efficiently deliver all kinds of products across continents at cost-effective rates.
Serving 127 countries, Turkish Cargo also surpassed many of its strong competitors and ranked 2nd in Switzerland cargo exports with 1668 tons carried in May 2021, according to IATA statistics.
“As the world’s fastest growing air cargo brand, we continue to add value to the European market with our contributions to the worldwide supply chain. We aim to reach every part of the world by increasing our success day by day,” said Turkish Cargo’s Chief Cargo Officer Turhan Özen.
“We are committed to maintain our critical role when it comes to increasing the competitive power of global trade not only with the transportation we carry out, but also by opening areas, contributing to the development of sectors, and creating a large logistics ecosystem. With these achievements, we are progressing rapidly in our goal of becoming one of the top 3 air cargo brands in the world by 2023,” he added.
Connecting continents, Turkish Cargo, with its cargo flight network consisting of 96 direct cargo destinations, has the world’s largest direct cargo flight network, excluding express carriers.
It continues to carry out global business processes with the fleet of 371 aircraft including 25 dedicated freighters. Achieving sustainable growth with its infrastructure, operational capabilities, fleet and expert teams in the field, Turkish Cargo aims to be one of the top 3 air cargo brands in the world.
DUBAI, UAE: dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has partnered with Kale Logistics Solutions to develop a next-generation e-commerce platform for the cargo community in the UAE.
The partnership will see the two companies take dnata’s existing platform, CALOGI to a new level to provide best-in-class, one-stop services, including appointment and customs services management, to customers through advanced digital solutions.
dnata launched CALOGI as a game-changer e-commerce platform in 2008 in Dubai. It offers a comprehensive, highly integrated, cost-effective trading platform to air cargo supply chain stakeholders, including general sales agents, airlines, forwarders, third-party logistics providers and ground handlers. Built mainly for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), CALOGI enables the cargo community to seamlessly trade in a paper-free environment.
dnata’s next-generation community platform will deliver additional benefits for the cargo community. It will connect partners with their customers and authorities on one platform, sharing information in real time among all users. Customers will be able to integrate the platform into existing workflows through APIs (application programming interface) and take advantage of all innovative functions while interfacing with their own system. The platform will also help customers simplify existing processes quickly and efficiently, without investing in multiple systems.
“We constantly invest in digital solutions to improve customer experience and deliver world-class value for our partners. Our new e-commerce platform will help our supply chain partners and customers in Dubai optimise their operations and reduce costs through improved processes and enhanced visibility into their businesses. It also paves the way for a more sustainable business model, promoting paperless and cashless trade through collaboration and automation. We look forward to working with Kale on this exciting project,” said Bernd Leo Struck, dnata’s Senior Vice President for UAE Cargo and DWC Airline Services.
Amar More, CEO of Kale Logistics Solutions, said: “We are very proud to collaborate with dnata in creating the next generation community e-commerce platform in Dubai. dnata and Dubai set a very high benchmark for the logistics industry, and we are happy to contribute to the growth of cargo in the region. We are confident that with our proven platform and with dnata’s partnership and experience, the Dubai cargo community will benefit immensely through the platform.”
Over the past few years, dnata has significantly invested in cutting-edge technologies to deliver best-in-class services for customers. As part of its digital transformation, the company has revisited all of its processes and support functions to standardise and simplify services and provide the highest possible level of accuracy and transparency to customers at all stations.
Most recently, dnata has launched a smart, just-in-time freight handling platform across its Dubai operations. A cloud-based platform, Appointment and Dock Management (ADM) ensures improved planning, efficient processing and end-to-end transparency of the entire cargo journey, delivering significant benefits for all freight forwarders. The platform, which seamlessly integrates into CALOGI, will reduce the average freight handling time at dnata’s cargo terminals by more than 60 percent to an average of 30 minutes.
As one of the world’s leading cargo service providers, dnata handles 700,000 metric tons of cargo per year at the two Dubai airport airports, Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC).
BAKU, Azerbaijan: Silk Way West Airlines has been awarded Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification, a critical step in strengthening and expanding Azerbaijan’s national airfreight carrier’s offering to the global pharmaceutical sector.
Being GDP certified, Silk Way West Airlines says it now intends to extend its product line in transportation of medical goods and pharmaceutical logistics services.
Its GDP certification attesting its capacity in reliably handling time-and-temperature sensitive cargo was awarded by Global Cold Chain Consultants, a trusted external party with a strong track record in the pharmaceutical industry
Silk Way West Airlines’ internal procedures have been upgraded in accordance with GDP principles, and the company’s entire staff has been appropriately trained. Moreover, the carrier conducted a thermal mapping of its fleet and the extensive temperature-controlled storage facilities at its main hub in Baku to ensure the integrity of these processes. As a result, staff, equipment, and facilities are all aligned to deliver superior performance.
“Obtaining the GDP certification proves the readiness of Silk Way West Airlines in taking a leading role in global distribution of medical supplies,” said Wolfgang Meier, CEO and President of Silk Way West Airlines, emphasizing the importance of this achievement in entering the pharmaceutical logistics market.
According to Aydin Huseynov, Silk Way West Airlines’ Vice President for Global Cargo Logistics & Standards, GDP certification is an important step in upgrading the airline’s carriage capabilities for all pharmaceutical products, as well as ensuring that the required storage services are in place.
“We believe that these efforts focused on ensuring the highest standards in logistics will take the company to the next level in management of time- and temperature-sensitive goods,” he added.
Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is a standard based on principles adopted by the European Union and recommended by the World Health Organization. In line with these requirements, medicines are to be obtained from a licensed supply chain and stored, transported and handled under suitable conditions.
DUBAI, UAE: Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Turkish Technic have renewed tailored parts package agreement, extending the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider’s current contract by three years. The contract will enable Turkish Technic to reinforce its efficiency, reliability and access to a global network of parts and component services.
“Our renewed parts agreement with Boeing is a testament to our commitment to providing the best final product to our customers,” said Mikail Akbulut, President and CEO, Turkish Technic. “Without a doubt, the cooperation between Turkish Technic and Boeing is another milestone in meeting the demands of the market.”
Through this agreement, Turkish Technic will continue to streamline maintenance operations with price and availability benefits from the renewal agreement. This Tailored Parts Package three-year renewal expands the companies’ previous agreement with 9,000 part numbers. The parts include a range of Boeing and supplier parts sourced through both Boeing and partner entities.
“As our industry continues to manage challenges caused by the pandemic and subsequent recovery, our partners are committed to finding unique solutions that will provide the value to their organization and final product for their customer,” said Ted Colbert, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Global Services. “We greatly appreciate that Turkish Technic has continued to place their trust in Boeing’s large and cost competitive supply network, gaining predictability and flexibility with the custom agreement.”
Turkish Technic is one of the world’s leading aviation services providers, with comprehensive maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification and reconfiguration services performed by highly qualified workforce from around the world.
Turkish Technic supports aircraft operators and owners globally with encompassing component pooling, design, certification and production services. Commercial and government customers can access more than 13 million parts with Boeing, as well as 24/7 technical expertise and support on a broad range of spare parts issues.
As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact.
GENEVA: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says air cargo demand in March reached an all-time high even outperforming pre-COVID levels with demand up 4.4%, the highest recorded since 1990.
IATA said global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs), was up 4.4% compared to March 2019 and 0.4% compared to February 2021. This was a slower rate of growth than the previous month, which saw demand increase 9.2% compared to February 2019. A weaker performance by Asia-Pacific and African carriers compared to February contributed to softer growth in March.
Global capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), continued to recover in March, up 5.6% compared to the previous month. Despite this, capacity remains 11.7% below pre-COVID-19 levels (March 2019) due to the ongoing grounding of passenger aircraft.
Airlines continue to use dedicated freighters to plug the lack of available belly-capacity. International capacity from dedicated freighters rose 20.6% in March 2021 compared to the same month in 2019 and belly-cargo capacity of passenger aircraft dropped by 38.4%.
IATA said demand for exports grew broadly in March. Delivery times for manufactured goods are increasing which normally indicates increased demand for air cargo in efforts to reduce shipping time.
“Air cargo continues to be the bright spot for aviation. Demand reached an all-time high in March, up 4.4% compared to pre-COVID levels (March, 2019). And airlines are taking all measures to find the needed capacity. The crisis has shown that air cargo can meet fundamental challenges by adopting innovations quickly. That is how it is meeting growing demand even as much of the passenger fleet remains grounded. The sector needs to retain this momentum post-crisis to drive the sector’s long-term efficiency with digitalization,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
DUBAI: dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has partnered with Global Jet Technic (GJT) to provide best-in-class line maintenance support to airlines in Dubai.
The partnership will see dnata promote GJT’s quality and reliable services, offering its 150 customers a one-stop-shop of ground handling, cargo and technical services at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) airports.
“We are delighted to join forces with a reputable partner to expand our portfolio and provide a broader range of services to our airline customers in Dubai. dnata and GJT share a passion for service excellence, safety and innovation. Our expert teams will ensure smooth delivery of tailor-made, quality line maintenance services across all aircraft types. We look forward to a long-standing, successful partnership with GJT,” said Steve Allen, Executive Vice President of dnata.
Capt. Khamis Al Kaabi, Chairman of GJT, said: “We value this partnership with dnata, a world-renowned air services provider, very highly and together we are very confident of making a great impact in line maintenance services delivery to the esteemed customers operating to these airports. This strategic partnership will play a key role in tapping into potential business at Dubai International and Dubai World Central airports. I would like to especially thank HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, for his directives and blessings towards this partnership.”
GJT is a leading aircraft maintenance organisation. Approved by the UAE GCAA (General Civil Aviation Authority), the company currently operates line maintenance stations at Dubai International (DXB) and Sharjah Airport (SHJ) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with plans to launch operations at Dubai World Central (DWC) in the near future.
GJT’s highly trained engineers and technicians can provide full line maintenance support and are trained on contracted airlines’ operational procedures, delivering seamless services to customers.
dnata provides ground handling and cargo services at two airports, DXB and DWC, in the UAE. Over the past 12 months, the dnata team handled more than 77,000 flights and moved 570,000 tonnes of cargo in the country.
Besides its ground handling and cargo services, dnata also provides a comprehensive range of airport lounge, meet and greet and baggage delivery services through its airport hospitality brand, marhaba, ensuring a swift, smooth and safe journey for passengers through DXB.
ISTANBUL: After Frankfurt, Turkish Cargo has added Munich, Germany’s third largest city and one of its business and tech hubs.
Turkey’s leading global cargo carrier said direct freight flights to Munich began on 7 May 2021.
“Besides making a remarkable contribution to the need for global air cargo transportation, we are glad to add Munich, a substantial business center, to our flight network, and continue to offer a stable and reliable cooperation to the leading exporters of the market,” said Turkish Cargo Chief Cargo Officer Turhan Ozen.
“As one of the most important air cargo brands in the world, we are aware, and resolutely fulfill our critical role in the development of our country and in increasing the competitiveness of global trade. We perform this mission not only with the transportation we carry out, but also with producing, opening areas, contributing the development of sectors, and creating a large logistics ecosystem,” he added.
Munich is considered the technological metropolis of Germany and it hosts the market leaders in automotive, electronics, medical and biotechnological products.
Turkish Cargo said it aims to strengthen the air cargo bridge it has established between Europe and the Middle East with the reliable, fast and direct air transportation it offers to logistics service providers with Airbus A330F type wide body cargo aircraft on IST-MUC-IST cargo flights.
Connecting continents, Turkish Cargo has the world’s largest direct cargo flight network consisting of 96 destinations and 25 direct cargo routes, excluding express carriers. With 25 dedicated freighters, the cargo carrier which aims to become of one of the top 3 air cargo brands in the world also has access to Turkish Airlines’ 363 fleet of aircraft.
LUXEMBOURG: The year 2020 proved to be an exceptional year for the Cargolux Group, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the same time. Cargolux earned a net profit after tax of USD 768.7 million with an EBIT margin of 31.3%. Cargolux’ Balance Sheet was further strengthened by the result achieved.
2020 was marked by the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic that heavily impacted the aviation industry, including air cargo.
The outlook for the year was originally quite bleak with production halted in China, due to the outbreak of what ultimately resulted in the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation resulted in a significant shortfall in available air freight capacity due to the grounding of most, if not all, long haul passenger operations
We experienced unprecedented demand for the transport of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) supplies as well as for other products which came to rely on air transport to keep logistics lines intact.
Cargolux played a key role in delivering essential supplies throughout the COVID-19 crisis, alleviating the void left by grounded passenger aircraft and keeping supply chains moving. Cargolux continuously navigated changing restrictions worldwide to respond to market demand.
Cargolux is currently (in 2021) ranked fourth in IATA’s ranking of the world’s top 25 international scheduled cargo carriers.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of air cargo in the global supply chain. True to its flexible and agile processes, Cargolux strived to respond to the increased demand worldwide. The company adapted its network to optimize its services and operate according to global market needs. The airline’s dedicated 747 fleet proved to be a strong asset in an operationally challenging year. Demand for charter services also remained strong throughout the year.
Cargolux is proud of the fact that the airline honored all blocked space agreements, with our customers, that were concluded in 2019 when market conditions were significantly less favorable.
At the end of December 2020, the total fleet of 30 aircraft comprised sixteen Boeing 747-400 freighters (10 B747-400Fs and 6 B747-400ERFs) and fourteen Boeing 747-8 freighters. This uniform fleet enables Cargolux to respond to changing market conditions in a flexible and timely manner.
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
