Hong Kong, China: Hactl has launched its new Cool Chain Complex (CCC), providing a seamless handling process for temperature-controlled shipments. The facility is the largest at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), and the first to include a dedicated climate-controlled facility for storing dangerous substances.
The new CCC enables import shipments to be unloaded from aircraft, broken down, and either stored or handed to waiting customers within an entirely temperature-controlled environment. Exports enjoy a similar seamless temperature-controlled transit from warehouse to aircraft. All additional processes, such as check-weighing and X-ray screening, also take place within the CCC’s controlled environment.
The CCC has been designed to minimize the total time and distance between aircraft and storage, with direct airside access and its own dedicated landside truck docks. Three temperature zones (15°C, 2-8°C, and -25 to -15°C) cater for every type of commodity, and all CCC zones have real-time temperature monitoring and full CCTV coverage.
In addition, the CCC features a dedicated area for dangerous substances, also with three separate temperature zones – the first facility of its kind in Hong Kong.
“This is a real game-changer in the handling of temperature-controlled shipments at Hong Kong’s airport. In addition to offering a seamless, constant-climate handling capability, the Cool Chain Complex means Hactl is the first air cargo handler in Hong Kong to offer a dedicated storage area for hazardous substances, with precise temperature control. This will allow dangerous pharmaceuticals and biological shipments to be stored under tightly regulated thermal conditions and security, achieving total safety and preserving product efficacy,” said Hactl Chief Executive Wilson Kwong, emphasizing that the company continues to invest in innovation to lift up service standards.
Cologne, Germany: The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the conclusions of a workshop jointly hosted at EASA’s headquarters to combat incidents of GNSS spoofing and jamming.
The workshop’s high-level conclusion was that interference with satellite-based services that provide information on the precise position of an aircraft can pose significant challenges to aviation safety. Mitigating these risks requires short-, medium- and long-term measures, beginning with the sharing of incident information and remedies.
“GNSS systems offer tremendous advantages to aviation in increasing the safety of operations in a busy shared airspace,” said EASA Acting Executive Director Luc Tytgat. “But we have seen a sharp rise in attacks on these systems, which poses a safety risk. EASA is tackling the risk specific to these new technologies. We immediately need to ensure that pilots and crews can identify the risks and know how to react and land safely. In the medium term, we will need to adapt the certification requirements of the navigation and landing systems. For the longer term, we need to ensure we are involved in the design of future satellite navigation systems. Countering this risk is a priority for the Agency.”
“Airlines are seeing a significant rise in incidents of GNSS interference. To counter this, we need coordinated collection and sharing of GNSS safety data; universal procedural GNSS incident guidance from aircraft manufacturers; a commitment from states to retain traditional navigation systems as backup in cases where GNSS are spoofed or jammed. In actioning these items, the support and resources of EASA and other governmental authorities are essential. And airlines will be critical partners. And whatever actions are taken, they must be the focal point of the solution as they are the front line facing the risk,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Measures agreed by the workshop to make Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services provided by GNSS more resilient, include:
-Reporting and sharing of GNSS interference event data. In Europe, this would occur through the European Occurrence Reporting scheme and EASA’s Data4Safety programme. As this is a global problem, it is important, for a better and complete understanding, to join all the information available from reports by connecting the databases such as IATA’s Flight Data Exchange (FDX), or EUROCONTROL’s EVAIR. This topic will be included in the discussions among all interested stakeholders, which will be launched following this workshop.
-Guidance from aircraft manufacturers. This will ensure that aircraft operators are well equipped to manage jamming and spoofing situations, in alignment with EASA’s Safety Information Bulletin (SIB 2022-02 R2).
-Alerting: EASA will inform the relevant stakeholders (airlines, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), manufacturing industry and airports) about attacks.
-Backup: Aviation must retain a Minimum Operational Network (MON) of traditional navigation aids to ensure that there is a conventional backup for GNSS navigation.
Background on ‘spoofing’ and ‘jamming’
In very recent years, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jamming and spoofing incidents have increasingly threatened the integrity of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services across Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Similar incidents have been reported in other locations globally. GNSS is a service based on satellite constellations such as the US Global Positioning System (GPS) and EU’s Galileo. ‘Jamming’ blocks a signal, whereas ‘spoofing’ sends false information to the receiver on board the aircraft.
These disruptions pose significant challenges to the broader spectrum of industries which rely on precise geolocation services, including aviation. Such attacks belong to the domain of Cybersecurity, safety threat for which EASA has developed a toolkit. The National Aviation Authorities (NAAs) in Europe had explicitly tasked EASA with taking measures to counter this risk.
Louisville, Kentucky, USA: Cargo security, shifting global regulations and its impact on trade, and emerging tech to benefit forwarding are to take center stage at AirCargo 2024 when it takes place in just over two weeks, from February 11-13.
Almost 800 delegates and 85 exhibitors from across the international air cargo community have signed up to attend what will be the largest AirCargo conference so far, this year taking place at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
Nearly 50 experts will take to the stage over the three-day event for a series of panel discussions and debates exploring topics from inclusivity and diversity to new technologies, security challenges, and the shifting regulatory landscape.
The exhibitor hall sold out weeks ago, where delegates will have the opportunity to visit companies such as Chapman Freeborn, Raft, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Southwest Airlines, Roanoke Trade Insurance, Cold Chain Technologies, and DHL Aviation.
Brandon Fried, Executive Director, Airforwarders Association, said: “With just two weeks left to go and almost 800 already signed up, this year’s conference is poised to set a record and exceed last year’s attendance, which makes us very excited. Our sessions will delve into critical issues that impact the daily operations of freight forwarders, trucking companies, airlines, and other stakeholders.
“I am particularly proud of the Women’s Networking Session, focusing on Perspectives on Imposter Syndrome, as we strive to foster inclusivity and diversity within our industry. With over 60 sponsors, including the likes of Freightwaves as our official media sponsor, along with Platinum sponsors Global K9 Protection Group, Allstates WorldCargo and Forward (Air), AirCargo has emerged as a premier networking event, bringing together key players and fostering collaborations that drive success for the global airfreight industry.”
AirCargo 2024 was established in 1997 and brings together airlines, airport authorities, freight forwarders, truckers, and expediting companies, along with the vendors who support them.
Captain Houston Mills, UPS President of Flight Operations & Safety, will take part in a fireside chat with Fried to discuss topics from sustainability to navigating trade agreements, regulations, and the importance of engaging in Government advocacy.
AfA represents the interests of companies and individuals operating within the US and engaged in airfreight, with members including domestic and foreign freight forwarders, air carriers, ground carriers, and affiliated businesses.
Alongside the AfA, the AirCargo 2024 conference is also sponsored by the Air and Expedited Motor Carriers Association (AEMCA) and Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA).
Oslo, Norway: Global air cargo volumes rose by a surprise but welcomed a 10% year-on-year increase in January as shippers’ concerns over hostilities in the Red Sea and an early Lunar New Year more than compensated for an anticipated post-Christmas drop in e-commerce traffic, according to the latest weekly market analysis by Xeneta.
With plenty of available air cargo capacity in what is traditionally a quieter month for demand, however, fuller cargo holds are yet to translate into higher rates. Globally, general air cargo spot rates in January declined -12% month-on-month to an average USD 2.27 per kg, consistent with the trend of the global dynamic load factor, which dropped three percentage points to 56% versus December. Xeneta’s dynamic load factor analysis measures air cargo capacity utilization by considering both cargo volume and weight perspectives of cargo flown and capacity available.
Overall, the year-on-year growth of the global air cargo market supply slowed down in January as much of the missing capacity was restored last year.
Compared to the previous year, January’s global average spot rate continued to show a double-digit year-over-year decline of -21%, although at a slower pace compared to the -38% decline seen in January 2023.
“We saw a relatively strong January from a volume perspective, but the market fundamentals have not changed. This is not consumers buying more, it is likely linked to Red Sea disruption as well as the upcoming Lunar New Year and some indicators that the general cargo market is busier than expected. We don’t see this reflected in rates but that’s not surprising in January because there’s not the same pressure on capacity,” said Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s Chief Airfreight Officer.
He added: “The situation in the Red Sea has brought nervousness to many supply chains and possibly encouraged some shippers to have a knee-jerk reaction, shifting to airfreight, bringing volumes forward, and securing capacity. However, the consensus seems to be that this will not produce a long-term positive effect on airfreight. Once the initial nerves and uncertainty subsides, stability will return once shippers simply accept that ocean freight may just take two weeks longer, causing the need for airfreight to then dwindle. I’m not hearing it is turning the airfreight market upside down like we saw, for example, during the ports strike on the US west coast.”
Whilst uncertainties due to economic anxiety and geopolitical tensions continue to linger, the air cargo market, van de Wouw said, might be more focused on what happens to ecommerce following the ‘crazy’ air freight volumes online sales generated in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The shrinking German economy, the slowdown of China’s economic growth, and the still-elevated interest rates due to high inflation could also mute global air cargo demand at least in the first half of 2024.
Although the Red Sea crisis won’t directly impact ecommerce volumes, it did contribute to some growth of air cargo demand into Europe in January as ocean shipping carriers rerouted vessels to avoid the threat of militia attacks, increasing transit time, driving up costs, and raising concerns over potential container shortages.
With shippers needing to move goods ahead of the Lunar New Year to optimize consumer demand in Europe and boost factory production in China, some of January’s higher air cargo volumes are likely due to some shippers, especially in the apparel industry and producers of manufacturing components, shifting from ocean transport to air.
Xeneta observed ‘extraordinary’ surges in air cargo volumes from China and Vietnam to Europe for three consecutive weeks in January, surpassing even their peak season highs. In response to this, the market also saw an increase in some air cargo spot rates. General cargo spot rates from Northeast Asia to Europe rebounded by +11% to USD 3.42 per kg in the week ending 28 January, after reaching their lowest point in the first week of January. Northeast Asia refers to mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
This contrasts with the trend of freight rates from Northeast Asia to the US, where general cargo spot rates continued their downward trend since mid-December, reaching USD 3.28 per kg in the week ending 28 January, down -7% compared to three weeks prior. This suggests that the demand growth on the Northeast Asia to Europe corridor is more of a spillover from ocean transport rather than actual growth in consumer spending.
While it may have boosted demand for capacity, the Lunar New Year did not manage to push general cargo spot rates from China to the US higher. These hovered around USD 3.43 per kg in January.
In comparison, general cargo spot rates from Europe to the US remained relatively stable in January at USD 1.77 per kg, with a slight increase of +4% from three weeks ago. This increase was primarily due to the reduction in cargo capacity, rather than a surge in demand.
“The market remains extremely difficult to predict. Let’s wait and see what happens in February when we might see air and ocean volumes as well as rates fall back if more stability returns to the market. But January was a strong slow month and, after a difficult year, the air cargo industry will not be complaining about starting the year on a positive note,” van de Wouw added.
OSLO, Norway – The air freight market has been on a rollercoaster ride of late – but 2024 could see a return to ‘classic seasonality’, according to the Oslo-based Xeneta, the leading ocean and air freight rate benchmarking and intelligence platform.
The recently released Xeneta Air Freight Outlook 2024 highlights muted consumer spending as a key factor for the year ahead. Demand for air freight in 2023 remains down by -8% compared to pre-pandemic and is only predicted to grow by 1-2% in 2024. At the same time, supply is expected to grow by 2-4% in 2024.
“2024 could be an opportunity for shippers to catch their breath after the volatility of the past few years. The rapid rate decline which started earlier this year has calmed down in recent months. It seems to be the market has a new baseline, from which I expect classic seasonality patterns to emerge,” said Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta Chief Airfreight Officer.
The industry saw the cost of transporting goods by air skyrocket during COVID-19 before plummeting back down again during 2023, albeit they are still 32% up on pre-pandemic levels.
“The key indicators are not great from a demand point of view. It’s muted and there’s a lot of uncertainty in the world. People and companies are a bit more conscious of how they are spending their money and we will likely not see demand pick up in any meaningful way in 2024. Yes, we will see a return of classic seasonality, but it will be muted seasonality,” said Van de Wouw.
Xeneta data reveals an increasing trend for longer-term contracts, but Van de Wouw believes this presents a potentially perilous situation for freight forwarders in 2024.
The Xeneta Outlook 2024 also highlights the continued recovery of capacity putting downward pressure on rates as a key theme for 2024, along with environmental sustainability and improving schedule reliability in ocean freight shipping.
Has the rollercoaster come to a halt or are there more twists and turns yet to come?
Van de Wouw said: “At Xeneta I have learned how incredibly important it is for the air freight industry to look towards the ocean. 97% of global containerized goods are transported by the ocean. Given the volumes involved, if the ocean industry messes things up, even to a small degree, then there is always money to be made in the air.
“Reliability in the ocean is improving, but it only takes one black swan event for the situation to change and rates to increase rapidly. No one has a crystal ball, but you only have to look at the drought in the Panama Canal, the threat of volcanic eruptions in Iceland and the conflict in the Middle East to understand how delicate and sensitive to world events the air freight industry is. If we do get a black swan event in 2024 then strap yourselves in for another ride on the rollercoaster.”
Alberta, Canada—WestJet Cargo’s dedicated product for safely transporting high-value goods, “Safe Air”—initially launched between Canada and the US, will soon rapidly expand across the airline’s entire network.
Launched in January 2023, “Safe Air” offers reliability and security, apart from all the necessary discretion expected by customers in shipping every kind of valuable cargo.
WestJet Cargo has extended its product portfolio and premiered a comprehensive solution for the transport of high-value cargo, be it banknotes, jewelry, precious metals and stones, or other highly valuable goods.
“Our commitment to excellence extends to every area of our business, from network to operations to anticipating and meeting the needs of our customers,” said Kirsten de Bruijn, Executive Vice-President, Cargo at WestJet. “The trust and market demand that our dedicated cargo operations have garnered in just half a year, has also led to increasing demand for a dedicated valuables product. We have therefore been hard at work establishing our very own WestJet to both operationally safeguard those high-value shipments entrusted to us, and commercially ensure that we always deliver on our promises.”
The product caters to a diverse range of sectors requiring secure and specialized handling of their valuable cargo, and was developed in close collaboration with freight forwarders focused on the secure cargo transportation of these high-value goods, from banking to luxury goods, high-end technology, pharmaceuticals, and confidential document transport.
“Our product has been meticulously designed with the utmost emphasis on security and efficiency. Every step of the valuable handling process has been painstakingly analyzed, potential risks identified and measures implemented to mitigate them,” Nawal Mir, Product Manager at WestJet Cargo, explains.
Those dedicated security measures put in place to prevent tampering, pilferage, and unauthorized access, include third-party oversight, direct supervision, secure storage protocols, and the use of specialized security containers. Each container bears a unique serial number and is sealed with high-quality, individually numbered metal seals. All valuable cargo is escorted by security agents and transported separately to and from the aircraft.
“All hands on deck, all eyes on the ball, and absolutely no loopholes allowed. We’ve created a true ‘Freight Knox’ service at four of our stations and will roll it out to other destinations as soon as we are certain they are ready and capable of delivery,” Nawal Mir emphasized.
The high-value service is initially available between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Calgary International Airport (YYC), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). All other stations will be launched in priority of customer demand from next year.
Dubai, UAE— Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline, wraps up 2023 as a major year of growth and investment ushering in a future with double capacity and further cementing its leading position in global air logistics.
“2023 was a pivotal year for Emirates SkyCargo. Despite ongoing fluctuations in air freight, long-term trends indicate that the industry is growing at a rate of 3 – 5% year-on-year. Emirates SkyCargo, however, continues to outperform the market growth, uplifting over 1,183,000 tonnes from January to mid-December, a solid 7% increase compared to last year. Looking to the future, we are well-positioned to steadily scale up operations in 2024, continuing our strategic growth to ensure we lead the industry in solutions that are fast, reliable, flexible, and efficient,” said Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo.
Reaching every corner of the globe
In line with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) Emirates SkyCargo is on a journey to grow Dubai’s position as the world’s largest logistics hub, expanding its fleet and network to better serve global customers. In Q1, Emirates SkyCargo leased two Boeing 747-400Fs, unlocking immediate additional cargo space in response to high customer demand. These aircraft join its fleet of 11 Boeing 777Fs and 251 passenger aircraft.
Further expansion is on the horizon, with four new Boeing 777-200Fs expected in 2024 and a fifth aircraft in 2025. This order is in addition to Airbus 310 wide-body passenger aircraft that Emirates has on the order book, which will see deliveries of new aircraft, and new cargo capacity, through to 2035.
Building on its competitive global connectivity, Emirates SkyCargo extended its reach in Canada and North America through strategic interline cooperation with Air Canada Cargo. Customers are now able to book shipments that will travel on Air Canada Cargo flights via e-SkyCargo, expanding Emirates SkyCargo’s reach to over 60 cities in Canada and more than 150 cities globally.
Ever-evolving product portfolio
In May, Emirates SkyCargo reinforced its multi-vertical product portfolio, with the launch of two new bespoke products under its Life Sciences and Healthcare vertical. Addressing specific transportation challenges in healthcare, Emirates Vital is a specialist product designed to transport clinical trials, cell and gene therapies, and human samples, while Emirates Medical Devices enables the transport of everything from pacemakers to MRIs, following GDP specifications. Since its launch, Emirates SkyCargo has uplifted almost 1,000 tonnes of highly sensitive cargo, using these two products alone.
Emirates Delivers expanded operations to Kuwait, providing door-to-door international delivery of items purchased from the UK and the US to savvy e-commerce shoppers. Recognizing the opportunity in the wider Middle East region which has previously been underserved when it comes to e-commerce shipments, Emirates Delivers is preparing to significantly scale in 2024, offering fast, reliable, and cost-effective delivery solutions.
Advancing digitalization strategy
Throughout 2023, Emirates SkyCargo helped shape the digital landscape for cargo operations. In addition to its own online booking platform on e-SkyCargo, the airline’s capacity is now available on two of the biggest digital marketplaces, CargoAi and WebCargo with plans to further expand its digital footprint in early 2024. In October, Emirates SkyCargo launched a landmark host-to-host connection with global freight forwarder, Kuehne+Nagel, providing direct access to its market-leading products and services on Kuehne+Nagel’s internal booking engine.
New brand umbrella
Reflecting Emirates SkyCargo’s wider contribution to global trade, the airline launched a new campaign showing how ‘The World Works Better with Emirates SkyCargo’. Disrupting the traditional USP-focused advertising of the cargo industry, The World Works Better has become the mantra by which Emirates SkyCargo operates, providing tangible impact to people and businesses all over the world.
Extending a lifeline to global communities
Committed to driving positive impact in the communities it serves around the world, Emirates SkyCargo is no stranger to humanitarian missions. Following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in February, Emirates SkyCargo, in collaboration with the International Humanitarian City (IHC) swiftly established an airbridge to Istanbul. Dedicating cargo space on its daily flight to Istanbul across a two-week period Emirates SkyCargo and IHC ensured a steady flow of emergency supplies to on-ground NGOs.
More conscious operations
Emirates SkyCargo continues to focus on meaningful sustainable and environmental initiatives that drive impact, both in its own operations and across the industry. From on-ground programmes that ensure 75% of all plastic sheeting in the airline’s Dubai-based facilities is recycled through to optimizing the way aircraft is loaded, more environmental and sustainably conscious operations will remain a priority for Emirates SkyCargo through to 2024 and beyond.
In August, the Emirates Group achieved the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Stage One and the IEnvA Illegal Wildlife Trade module certifications, an achievement that Emirates SkyCargo contributed to significantly. Already a global leader in the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking, the certification is an acknowledgement of the company-wide commitment to taking action.
As 2023 draws to a close, Emirates SkyCargo shows no signs of slowing down. Reflecting its confidence in the future of air logistics, and to serve its customers in a dynamic landscape, the company has laid out ambitious growth plans, including investments in digital capabilities, adding 20 new destinations to its freighter network, and doubling existing capacity over the next decade.
Bournemouth Airport, UK—Global integrated logistics company A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has chosen Bournemouth Airport (BOH) as its UK gateway for a trial of a new route from China.
Carrier Maersk Air Cargo has started the weekly service from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in Zhejiang province to Bournemouth using a 45-tonne capacity Boeing 767-300 freighter, working with BOH’s in-house air freight business Cargo First.
It is the latest coup for Bournemouth’s fast-growing cargo operation which continues to establish itself as an alternative gateway outside London.
For Copenhagen-based Maersk, the route is part of its growing air freighter network between mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. In March it launched a service from Hangzhou to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark, and from Hangzhou to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in the US in April.
The Bournemouth route will initially operate until the end of the year, helping to meet peak demand, with the potential to continue thereafter.
“It’s fantastic to see Maersk Air Cargo landing in the UK. This represents our integrator strategy and demonstrates our product offering and capabilities across all modes of transport. Whether it be time-critical, capacity challenges or product launches we have the capabilities to meet our customers’ demands,” said Gary Jeffreys, Managing Director of Maersk Area UK & Ireland.
Steve Gill, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport, said, “We’re delighted that Maersk has chosen Bournemouth for this new route as we grow our ambition to become the UK’s number-one entry and exit points for time-critical cargo. We now have 500 tonnes of weekly import capacity operating between China and Bournemouth as more customers take advantage of our location, lack of slot constraints and ‘One Team’ integrated approach across all airport and cargo handling operations.”
Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns the neighboring Cargo First Logistics Park at Bournemouth Airport, with over one million square feet of warehousing development potential.
Jeddah, KSA— With the growth of online shopping on a global scale and the need for efficient and innovative e-commerce logistics solutions paramount, Saudia Cargo, Cainiao, and Worldwide Flight Services (WFS, a Member of the SATS Group) have agreed to strengthen their collaboration to optimize their logistics operations.
A key component of their collaboration is the establishment of a dedicated area in the air cargo station of Cainiao Liege eHub in Belgium, the company’s European regional hub. WFS/SATS, in close collaboration with Cainiao, operates in the air cargo station.
This initiative responds directly to the escalating demand for high-quality logistics operations in the cross-border e-commerce sector, particularly in the Middle East and European markets. Earlier this year, Cainiao unveiled its international express shipping service, Global 5-Day Delivery, in collaboration with AliExpress, now available in the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and South Korea.
Saudia Cargo and Cainiao boast a robust collaboration, with a history that spans several years. The latest agreement reinforces this longstanding relationship by giving precedence to specific Saudia Cargo freighter flights originating from Hong Kong and bound for Riyadh and Liege. This strategic move is meticulously crafted to address the burgeoning logistics demands in these key regions, further amplifying the efficiency of e-commerce deliveries.
Additionally, the contract extension to WFS/SATS for handling over 50,000 tons annually on flights connecting Liege and Riyadh underscores Saudia Cargo’s commitment to operational excellence and reliable logistics services.
WFS/SATS’s investment in subleasing part of the Cainiao facility in Liege emphasizes its focus on innovation and efficiency, creating a dedicated area for speedy and real-time information processing. WFS/SATS’s embrace of innovative technology solutions, including AGVs, advanced PDAs, digital dashboards, and live tracking systems, support a new generation of cargo management systems using IoT technologies to drive efficient and sustainable e-commerce handling.
Teddy Zebitz, CEO of Saudia Cargo, remarked: “By building on our existing commitments, we are poised to redefine the industry landscape, offering innovative and customer-centric solutions. Our collaboration ensures a seamless flow of e-commerce materials from Hong Kong to Liege. With high-frequency flights on our Hong Kong, to Liege Via Riyadh route, we have a significant capacity exclusively dedicated to Cainiao. Utilizing a meticulous process involving pre-built ULDs, we facilitate an uninterrupted supply chain, supporting Cainiao in achieving their key performance indicators.”
“With a ‘human first’ approach, we’re committed to collaborating with customers and partners, offering tailored solutions. This collaboration significantly strengthens our e-commerce operations, positioning us as a trusted industry provider. We anticipate expanding our e-commerce network in Asia and Europe to meet evolving industry demands and customer logistics needs,” he added.
Eric Xu, Vice President of Cainiao Group, stated: “Cainiao is committed to transforming the logistics industry through continuous innovation to enable a seamless e-commerce experience and we are delighted to find close partners like Saudi Cargo and WFS/SATS on this path. Through continuously equipping our Liege eHub with cutting-edge technology solutions, we managed to boost the efficiency of logistics operations while improving customer experience through greater transparency and traceability.”
John Batten, Chief Executive Officer, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) WFS, a Member of the SATS Group, also commented: “With the growth projections for e-commerce, the industry response must be more dynamic and tailored, and this is what WFS/SATS aims to deliver in Liege working alongside Saudia Cargo and Cainiao. This three-party collaboration leverages operational excellence skills and requirements from the airline, cargo handler, and e-commerce logistics perspectives, and will exemplify our commitment to innovation, speed, and real-time information for the future of the e-commerce logistics ecosystem.”
Inaugurating on 01 March 2024, the strategic collaboration between Saudia Cargo, Cainiao, and WFS/SATS aims to make a transformative leap in global logistics and to set a new benchmark that propels cross-border logistics into a new era, driven by efficiency and innovation.
Geneva, Switzerland— The global cargo demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs*) increased by 3.8% compared to October 2022 but for international operations, the demand lagged slightly at 3.5%, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Capacity, measured in available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs), was up 13.1% compared to October 2022 (11.1% for international operations). This was largely related to the growth in belly capacity. International belly capacity, for example, rose 30.5% year-on-year on the strength of passenger markets.
Notable factors during the period:
“Demand for air cargo was up 3.8% in October. That marks three consecutive months of year-on-year growth, placing air cargo on course to end 2023 on a much stronger footing than it began the year. Recovering demand, slightly stronger yields and the uptick in trade are all good news. But with demand still 2.4% below pre-pandemic levels, and much uncertainty remaining over the trajectory of the global economy, optimism must be balanced with caution. Nonetheless, a continued strong peak year-end season will certainly help the sector to manage through whatever turns the global economy might take in 2024,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
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
