Global Sea Freight Director Appointed by Röhlig Logistics

 Simon Albrecht has been appointed Global Sea Freight Director by the German logistics company Röhlig Logistics, beginning July 1, 2023.

"Röhlig has a great reputation, and I'm looking forward to joining this global team and contributing significantly to the growth of the business. Driving network expansion by expanding our carrier portfolio and entering new markets will be one of my primary priorities. Another important objective will be to ensure that alternative fuel technologies are available so that low-carbon shipping options may be offered, according to Albrecht.

The 45-year-old has 25 years of expertise in the logistics industry and a Master's degree in digital business management. He held the position of Global Key Account Manager at Maersk Germany before to his new job at Röhlig Logistics.

He reports to Hylton Gray, the Global Executive Board member and CEO of Sea Freight, Air Freight, Contract Logistics & Sales.

"We are thrilled to have Simon Albrecht fill the critical position of Global Sea Freight Director," says Gray. He has a plethora of logistics experience that is supported by a long history in the field. We will keep advancing the strategic expansion of our maritime freight industry with his assistance.

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China boosts the number of goods train going to Europe

 China has doubled the efficiency of freight transportation by increasing the number of freight trains travelling to and from Europe.

From 1 July there will be two regular goods trains every week between the important transportation hub of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, and Duisburg, Germany.

In 2022, China unveiled a weekly, uniform freight train schedule to and from Europe.

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As a longshoring lockout or strike looms, BC ports face an uncertain future.

 

With 72 hours' notice, thousands of longshore workers in British Columbia and the BC Maritime Employers Association are now free to strike or lock out employees at any moment, with potentially serious repercussions.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, a federal agency that provides conflict resolution to employees in significant economic sectors, continues to assist the parties' negotiators in their meetings.

Indeed, ports around the coast of British Columbia are important industries.

The largest port in the country, the Port of Vancouver, is home to 29 terminals that serve 16 communities around Metro Vancouver. The port handles $1 of every $3 of Canada's trade with countries outside of North America, according to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the responsible federal organisation. 

The port serves as a gateway to 170 nations and supports 115,300 employment, $7 billion in earnings, and $11.9 billion in GDP for all of Canada.

The third-largest port in Canada after the Port of Montreal, the Port of Prince Rupert in northern British Columbia, would also be impacted.

The 49 private waterfront firms represented by the BC Maritime firms Association said in a statement that talks are still ongoing.

"The BCMEA remains committed to bargaining in good faith and pursuing a fair and balanced agreement that recognises the expertise of the waterfront workforce, while ensuring West Coast ports remain competitive, resilient, and accessible to all Canadians," the union stated.

Rob Ashton, president of the ILWU-Canada, was contacted by Black Press Media for comment, but he did not respond by the deadline.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents almost 7,200 dockworkers, received 99.24 percent of the vote on June 12 in favour of a strike, if required.

Negotiations started in early February, and the last deal expired on March 31. After protracted negotiations, a brief lockout, and threats of a full-blown strike, both parties had come to that agreement in May 2019.

Because of labour negotiations at 29 American ports from Washington State to California and Vancouver's ranking as North America's third-largest port in terms of cargo capacity, the union's vote to strike attracted international attention in the United States.

There has since been a tentative agreement reached, but 22,000 employees still need to approve it.

The economy is slowing down and there are concerns about the effectiveness of the local port as negotiations take place in British Columbia.

The Port of Vancouver was ranked second-to-last out of 348 container ports in an index created by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence based on vessel wait times. Near the Vancouver Island coast, delays have led to problems.

Source : Article from vancouverislandfreedaily

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New Facilities for Cargo Partner in China

With the acquisition of four additional facilities, logistics company cargo-partner has continued to grow its network in China. The business, which is in process to be acquired by forwarder Nippon Express, has enlarged its Chongqing office and opened a new office in Nanjing, a new warehouse in Guangzhou, and a new pharmaceutical facility in Shanghai. 

 For exporters and importers who want GDP-compliant shipping options for pharmaceuticals, the new Pharma Competence Centre now acts as a functional hub. In a press statement, cargo-partner stated that its local specialists could offer temperature-controlled trucking for the first and last miles in addition to temperature-controlled air and ocean freight services. 

In addition to warehouses in Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunshan, and Hong Kong, there is a new facility in Guangzhou. It will largely serve high-tech demand, but the company also intends to draw future volumes from e-commerce, industry, and consumer goods. The facility will also likely be expanded the following year. One of several cargo-partner offices in the Yangtze River Delta, the new customer service and sales office in Nanjing will provide airfreight, seafreight, land transport, contract logistics, and value-added services. 

 "Nanjing is a major logistics gateway in eastern China, situated at the confluence of several key logistics hubs, including Nanjing Lukou International Airport, Nanjing Port, as well as important railway hubs connected to the main railway networks," the company made clear. Regarding the relocation to larger facilities in Chongqing, the company noted that the city is an important logistics and transportation hub in central China, with airports that rank among the top 10 in throughput throughout the country. Additionally, the city has a sizable port, and the Chongqing-Duisburg railway connection is a key component of the expanding trans-Eurasian rail system. "China presents enormous opportunities for the cargo-partner group as a dynamic and rapidly changing market," stated Luca Ferrara, chief executive of cargo-partner. "

"We continue to expand our network in China with the opening of our new Pharma Centre in Shanghai, our new warehouse in Guangzhou, and our new office facilities in Chongqing and Nanjing. Our long-term objectives of increasing operational effectiveness, creating closer ties with our local partners and clients, and opening up fresh chances for growth are ideally aligned with our strategic choice to establish a strong presence throughout China."

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MOU between Silk Way West And Nippon Express

In order to better satisfy their clients and adapt more promptly to evolving supply chains, Japan's Nippon Express Holdings and Silk Way West Airlines, based in Azerbaijan, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). With weekly flights between Baku and Kansai International airport since 2018, Silk Way West Airlines has been serving the Japanese market. The deal will enhance that presence. The airline said the agreement with Nippon would enable it to "play an increasingly important role in the region's freight network, constantly increasing the quality of air cargo transportation services for both Japanese and foreign partners" when it started regular service to Tokyo's Narita gateway in 2021. Through access to cargo space on Silk Way West Airlines' broad network, which includes destinations across Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Asia, and the Americas, the alliance will also assist Nippon Express in growing its presence globally. The Azeri carrier flies 12 Boeing 747-8 freighters, two 747-400Fs, five brand-new 777Fs, two 777-8Fs, and two Airbus A350 freighters, in addition to the five that are currently on order. The conditions of this memorandum "align perfectly with the growth strategy we are pursuing to increase our footprint in Japan, and we are hopeful that it will be beneficial for both" Silk Way West Airlines President Wolfgang Meier said, stating that 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the formation of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

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By establishing a subsidiary in Brazil, Röhlig Logistics expands its global network.

On January 1, 2023, a new subsidiary of the owner-managed logistics company Röhlig Logistics was established in So Paulo, Brazil, therefore extending its global reach. Brazil, which has the largest economy in Latin America, has a lot of room for expansion. This is especially true for the world's most populated city, So Paulo, which has grown to become the nation's main economic powerhouse, according to Ulrike Baum, Chief Human Resource Officer and member of Röhlig Logistics' Global Executive Board. Despite operating in Brazil for more than 30 years, the logistics solutions provider has just joined the market there under its own name. Ulrike Baum explains: "Up until now, we were represented in Brazil by our dependable representative Figwal for alomst 3 decades". Rodrigo Simoes has been chosen by Röhlig to serve as the managing director for Brazil. The 42-year-old, who has almost 20 years of expertise in the logistics sector, most recently served as Senator International's Managing Director for Brazil and Colombia. Simoes declares, "I am eagerly anticipating this new challenge. Particularly with regard to the automotive and industrial industries, the Brazilian market presents a wealth of lucrative business options. With an agile operation to provide a prompt response to our clients' expectations, our focus will be on offering a broad range of high-quality services, including air freight, sea freight, road transportation, and customs clearing. Röhlig Logistics currently has 13 independently operated branches operating throughout Latin America as a result of the creation of the new subsidiary at this crucial strategic location.

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Vienna Airport is now regularly served by Qatar Airways Cargo

 

At Vienna Airport, Qatar Airways Cargo's first regularly scheduled cargo flight touched down. With immediate effect, the new cargo connection will operate once a week and represents a significant improvement for Vienna Airport as a location for air freight.

"Air cargo is a significant market for Vienna Airport, and we are consistently investing in a cutting-edge, high-performing infrastructure. Vienna Airport not only provides top-notch cargo services, but also vast expertise in this field. Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport, says, "We are glad that airlines recognise our competence and with Qatar Airways Cargo's decision to now offer a regular cargo aircraft connection to Vienna.

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BIFA campaign to entice hiring from other industry areas

 

A Freight Development Pathway programme has been started by the British International Freight Association (BIFA) to find, recruit, and train qualified people from outside the freight forwarding and logistics industry.

One of the top workforce solutions providers in the world, Manpower, collaborates with trade association BIFA.

The programme is a part of a larger effort to solve the well-documented recruitment challenges facing freight forwarding, according to Carl Hobbis, an executive director of BIFA who also oversees the trade association's training initiatives.

Career possibilities with BIFA member freight forwarding and logistics firms will be made available to candidates.

Participants in the Freight Development Pathway will get a three-week employability programme from BIFA's team of qualified trainers, as well as an introductory freight and customs training course.

The programme will be run by Manpower and will involve employability training to make each participant ready for interviews and potential jobs, weekly one-on-one meetings, and group sessions.

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Airlines refused to transport animals for testing purpose faces complaints..

Four major airlines namely United Airlines, British Airways, China Southern & Qatar Airways faced complaint by US medical research group over denial to carry animals for R&D purpose.

The National Association of Biomedical Research (NABR) filed complaint against 4 subject airlines with the US Department of Transport (DoT) . As per there complaint the refusal by airlines to carry animals is unlawful as they carry them for zoo, pets & other reasons.

This denial to carry animals is resulting in huge freight costs charged by other airlines due to there monopoly to carry animals. NABR also says that denial by airlines also delay R&D projects which results in delay in manufacturing life saving drugs.

Although airlines have given there own responses clarifying reason of denial but the matter is still under DoT lens.

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French forwarders slam fuel surcharges

French freight forwarders have called on airlines to end separate fuel surcharges, which they argue are no longer relevant.

TLF Overseas, the French freight forwarders organisation representing 95 per cent of general air cargo transactions, expressed its “incomprehension” of a situation that requires “more transparency and real positive economic signals from the carriers”.

The strongly worded statement comes after Middle East airline Emirates SkyCargo last week confirmed that it is moving towards an all-inclusive freight rate which effectively eliminates separate security and fuel surcharges.

TLF Overseas welcomed the Emirates move and encouraged other airlines “to follow suit”.

The Paris-based forwarders lobby, a member of forwarders groups CLECAT in Europe and international association FIATA, says that fuel surcharges were “primarily temporary,” but became “permanent and uncorrelated to the variation of the oil prices, apart from when they have been taking a bullish direction”.

It added: “Air carriers were indeed more likely over the past 13 years to increase their fuel surcharge as soon as the oil price rose rather than granting cuts when it decreased.”

Noting that the oil price has now fallen below $50 a barrel, - a 50% drop in the past five months and the lowest rate for a decade - TLF Overseas observes: “It is now clear that air carriers are not allowing their customers to benefit from the savings achieved.”

The forwarders association added: “Beginning in 2002, the airfreight supply chain experienced a significant increase in its operating costs due to the huge increase in fuel prices. Air carriers had at this time implemented a ‘temporary’ fuel surcharge whose objective was to pass the rising fuel costs onto freight customers.

“Airfreight forwarders and air cargo agents have always accepted the real impact of oil prices on the operating costs of the airlines, and the profession even took the responsibility to collect this surcharge, on behalf of the carriers, from their exporter/importer customers.”

TLF Overseas argues that it is “clear that the significant and steady decline of the oil price implies the questioning of this [fuel] surcharge, particularly in a difficult economic situation in Europe for a majority of freight companies and industrial players since 2008”.

It says that the current situation offers “a real opportunity for air carriers to simplify their rate structure. This would meet a major demand from shippers, as they recently expressed it in their White Paper on airfreight, published by the European Shippers Council.”

The French association agrees that air carriers must be profitable to ensure their economic sustainability.

“TLF Overseas does not dispute this economic basis but warns that this should be the result of the pricing policy of each air carrier involved in the market, and not the consequence of a continuous amount of surcharges and fees - the continuation in France of paper air waybill taxation at the time of e-freight and digitalization.”

TLF Overseas states that it is in favour of a dialogue with cargo airline representatives, and calls for “a realistic solution” in order to resolve the ten-year-old issue of fuel surcharges.

Source : http://www.aircargonews.net/news/single-view/news/french-forwarders-slam-fuel-surcharges.html

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Lufthansa Cargo strengthens its presence in West Africa

LUFTHANSA CARGO is integrating Lagos, Nigeria, into its network by launching twice-weekly MD-11 freighter flights from September, writes Thelma Etim, deputy editor.

The new services, which will take off from Frankfurt for the Nigerian city every Monday and Thursday, will also fly on to Johannesburg, South Africa.

The return leg will include a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya. “Another two weekly flights from Frankfurt to Johannesburg will also stop in Nairobi on the southbound leg,” says a company statement.

A total of 170 tonnes of capacity will be available to Africa customers. Lagos is an important destination for the oil and gas industry in particular. Urgently required spare parts and equipment for oil production facilities can now be transported even faster to Nigeria, and with greater flexibility, it adds.

“Adding Lagos to our freighter network considerably strengthens our involvement in West Africa”, emphasises Carsten Wirths, vice-president Europe and Africa at Lufthansa Cargo.

In Nigeria, the carrier also offers additional cargo capacity on board its A330 passenger flights to Port Harcourt and Abuja.

Lufthansa Cargo’s African network also serves Accra (Ghana), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and Luanda (Angola).

Source: http://www.aircargonews.net/news/single-view/news/lufthansa-cargo-strengthens-its-presence-in-west-africa.html

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FedEx strengthens its domestic ground and supply chain services in India.......

Mumbai, May 7, 2014 — FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) announces the successful integration of its acquired AFL and UFL businesses in India.  Since the acquisition in 2011, FedEx has focused on strengthening its domestic transportation and supply chain capabilities to meet the demands of Indian businesses. FedEx now offers end-to-end logistics solutions, including international and domestic air express services, domestic ground services, warehousing and supply chain management.

With the integration complete, FedEx has:

• Expanded its service coverage from 4,000 postal codes to over 19,000 in India
• Strengthened its ground transportation service: it now has a fleet of over 1,000 trucks connecting cities and towns across India, leading technology and competitive pricing
• Increased its office and hub space capacity from 300,000 to over a million square feet
• Added inventory management services via more than 900,000 square feet of warehousing space across the country

“In a little over a decade, India is expected to have as many as 18 mega-demand cities with a GDP surpassing $20 billion.[1]  The internet is also propelling small towns such as Guntur in Andhra Pradesh or Choryasi in Gujarat, into the league of top rural hubs for eCommerce in India.  This is why we have expanded our network to over 90% of India’s manufacturing GDP, thereby providing seamless access to Indian businesses with diverse logistics needs,” said David Canavan, vice president, Operations, FedEx Express India.
“Increasingly, the success of modern retail chains, hi-tech industries or booming eCommerce sites depends on the efficiencies and intelligence of their supply chain.  Innovative services such as cash on delivery, repair-and-return, pick and pack and returns management are critical.  Our successful integration places us in a formidable position to meet all of these logistics requirements.”
Now, customers using FedEx domestic ground services can also benefit from shipping applications that enable them to create waybills for single or multi-piece shipments. In addition, they can monitor incoming and outgoing packages, get status notifications and near real-time tracking. High volume businesses such as eCommerce are supported with robust web integration for faster processing.
Industries with complex supply chain requirements (particularly hi-tech, retail, medical equipment or consumer durables) will gain a competitive advantage by using FedEx domestic ground and supply chain services.

Source : http://news.van.fedex.com/fedex-strengthens-its-domestic-ground-and-supply-chain-services-india-following-successful-integrati

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Air cargo industry needs a structural redesign

The freighter plane may become a thing of the past if airlines failed to devise strategies to make their cargo operations more efficient, an aviation industry specialist has warned.

The industry needs a structural redesign, said Glyn Hughes, director of cargo industry management at International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Air cargo volumes have remained flat since 2010, he said during IATA’s annual general meeting.
IATA predicts cargo volumes will total about 52 million tons this year, effectively unchanged since 2010.

The $6.8 trillion worth of goods transported by air cargo every year represents 35 percent of international trade by value but only 0.5 percent of total volumes, Hughes pointed out.
He called for more drastic changes to shorten transport times and regain ground lost to the shipping industry.

Some carriers have already reduced the number of freighter planes they operate, he said.
Air freight built a reputation for getting bulky, expensive goods from A to B as quickly as possible. But as paperwork has increased, the average time it takes to shift a product from the manufacturer to the final importer stands at 6.5 days, compared with Lufthansa Cargo’s boast in the 1960s that the process took only three days.

High value goods such as electronics have also become smaller, meaning they take up less space and do not need dedicated freighters for transportation.

These trends are pushing companies such as AstraZeneca, Ericsson and Sony to transport more of their pharmaceuticals and electronics via sea at lower cost. In addition, growing demand for plane travel means more and more freight is being transported in the holds, or bellies, of passenger planes.
Airlines have so far reacted to the tough cargo market by cutting capacity and taking freighters out of service.

To remain competitive in the long term, airlines need to cut shipping times and position themselves as premium operators specializing in high value or perishable goods, such as flowers, or bulky over-sized goods, delegates said.

To boost competitiveness and revitalize trade growth, the industry is working toward a goal of reducing shipping times by 48 hours before 2020.
Of the 6.5 days on average it takes to get air freight from door to door, only a few hours are actually spent in the air, according to IATA.

It is therefore encouraging airlines to simplify procedures with freight forwarders and ground handlers, and to cut down the amount of paperwork it creates by moving to digital documents.
The association said that just 14.3 percent of contracts, known as airway bills, were in electronic form in 2013, short of its target of 22 percent for 2014.

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Hyderabad airport bags award for cargo operations

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has been adjudged the “Best Cargo Airport of The Year” at the recently concluded 40th annual convention of Air Cargo Agents Association of India held at Jaipur.

This is the second year in a row that RGIA has won the award for its cargo operations.

S.G.K. Kishore, Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are delighted to be recognised by a prestigious industry body such as ACAAI which represents India’s Air Cargo Industry."

The airport has emerged as India’s first airport based Free Trade Zone, offering services such as value processing, trading and distribution, duty deferment options and warehousing to optimise their logistics and distribution costs significantly and also enjoy the benefits of tax incentives as offered by the Government of India.

The facilities provided at the FTZ would help logistics companies to warehouse their commodities for both short and long term without impact on import duty.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/hyderabad-airport-bags-award-for-cargo-operations/article5338627.ece

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Air freight to grow at slower pace over next 20 years

Air freight traffic has grown at 5.3 per cent annually since 1980. Today goods worth $6.4 trillion travel by air — that’s 35 per cent of all world trade by value.

The growth rate is expected to be 4.9 per cent for the next 20 years. This means by the year 2023 traffic will double, according to V.K. Mathews, Executive Chairman of IBS Software, based in Technopark here.

Minimal profit

However, the profit margins are going to be nominal, Mathews said while speaking at the IBS Air Cargo Forum held at Istanbul in Turkey recently.

IBS Software is a leading provider of solutions to the travel, transport and logistics sectors.

Held every six months, the IBS Air Cargo Forum brings together leading cargo airlines where experts debate how advancements in technology can be leveraged to optimise cost of operations and improve yields.

Airlines have no control over their biggest cost element, fuel prices, Mathews said. Capacity utilisation was less than 50 per cent, leading to yield erosion.

“These statistics need to be kept in mind as we devise strategies on how we conduct business going forward,” he said.

Supply chain

“We need to move on and make the best of a demanding situation. For 90 per cent of the time in the supply chain, the cargo is just waiting to be moved. This is where efficiencies need to come in.”

A digitised shipper-to-consignee process has to become the standard to not only shorten the delivery time but also reduce unit cost, Mathews added.

The two-day conclave in Istanbul saw the unveiling of the iCargo portal by IBS Software, which would enable greater adoption of E-freight.

The first phase of the portal is expected to be complete by November and the second phase by the next financial year.

At least 70 experts representing airlines such as South African Airways, Qantas, Hawaiian Airlines, Lufthansa, All Nippon Airways, Nippon Cargo Airlines and Turkish Cargo, attended the event.

Istanbul as hub

They discussed key issues shaping the global air cargo industry and shared insights on strategies to address some of the critical challenges facing them.

Gary Hoyle of South African Airways was appointed the new Chairman of the IBS Cargo Forum.

Meanwhile, Temel Kotil, Chief Executive Officer, Turkish Airlines, said in his address Istanbul was ideally positioned to be the global connection point for air travel within 10 years.

While Europe’s traditional airports were struggling to add travellers as weak economies hurt demand, Istanbul was racing ahead with double-digit growth, thanks largely to the success of Turkish Airlines.

Kotil said Turkish Airlines was one of the fastest growing airlines in the world and well-placed to have 120 million passengers and 450 aircrafts by the year 2023.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/air-freight-to-grow-at-slower-pace-over-next-20-years/article5141007.ece

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Cargolux Airlines International Increases its Flights Number to Muscat International Airport

Muscat, Sep 17 (ONA)--- Cargolux Company, one of the major air cargo carriers in Europe decided to increase its weekly flights to Muscat international Airport by two flights a week with effect from next October.

The company said that Oman Airport Management Company , represented by Commercial Operations Public Administration said in a statement today that Cargolux's decision to increase its weekly flights to Muscat International Airport comes at a time the shipping activity via Muscat International Airport has witnessed remarkable growth ( 8%). The total unloaded cargo during 12 months and up to last August amounted to 116,338 tons compared to 108,152 tons at the corresponding period last year.

The company will operate two flights weekly on Wednesday and Saturday from Luxemburg using B747-400 and B747-800 freighters. 

Cargolux started operating flights to Muscat international Airport on 22nd June 2013, with one flight weekly to meet the growth in the economic and investment activities witnessed by the Sultanate. The move comes in response to the growth of the shipping activity via Muscat International Airport and the remarkable growth in the number of passengers. 

Source: http://www.omannews.gov.om/ona/english/newsDetails_inc.jsp?newsID=176908

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TNT Express boosts Oman fleet

TNT Express, one of the world’s largest express delivery companies, has announced the addition of a new 7-ton Mistubishi /Fuso trailer truck to its domestic fleet. 

 

Oman is a part of TNT Express widespread Middle East Road Network (MERN) delivering to countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, the network offers the best day-definite transit times in the express market. 

 

James Edgeworth, the TNT Express Middle East sales and marketing director, said: “The investment is part of our commitment to offering excellent road express services across Oman.” 

 

TNT Express in Oman offers a broad choice of Express services, from air to road freight as part ofd its tailor-made solutions to customer requirements, remarked Sivdasan Payangool, the country manager for TNT Express in Oman.

 

"The new Mistubishi /Fuso has comprehensive safety and security features, and offers improved fuel-efficiency," he added.

 

TNT Express is represented in Oman by GAC & Company Oman, a long-established company specialised in the express and freight business.

Source: http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IND_242666.html

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DHL launches downtown mobile service

DHL-Sinotrans, the leading air express company in China, launched mobile stations indowntown Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen to provide companies with convenient pick-upfacilities.

The move will help optimize shipment routes for express items and extend cut-off times forcustomers, according to Wu Dongming,managing directorofDHL-Sinotrans International AirCourier Ltd andexecutive vice-president ofDHL Express Asia Pacific.

The mobile stations will also help tackle logistic issues in urban centers.

The DHL-Sinotrans, established in 1986 as a joint venture between DHL and China NationalForeign Trade Transportation (Group) Corp, has deployed eight vehicles in the three cities,extending the pick-up time by up to 60 minutes.

In Beijing, DHL-Sinotrans extends pick-up cut-off time for customers in areas around Guomaoand Zhongguancun. In Shanghai, the service is in place within the CBD area.

The vehicles use a 3G wireless signal to access the DHL’s operations network.

Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-09/16/content_16973931.htm

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Air Libya forms partnership for cargo flights

Chapman Freeborn and Air Libya have formed a partnership to fly cargo in Libya using an Antonov An-26 freighter, which will be based at Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport on a long-term lease agreement.

The venture will introduce internal scheduled services to connect Tripoli and Benghazi with Libya’s more remote airfields—including regular operations to the oil fields in the south of the country.

The An-26—which offers a 5.5 ton payload—will be available for ad hoc cargo charter requirements within Libya as well as international flights to and from the European Union and North Africa.

“The venture will provide much needed logistics solutions in a country where few international aviation companies are currently willing to invest in establishing services,” Chapman Freeborn said in a statement. “It will also provide a viable alternative to sea freight routes to and from Europe which have been subject to high rates.”

Source : http://atwonline.com/finance-amp-data/air-libya-forms-partnership-cargo-flights

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AP set to become major sea, air logistics hub

Andhra Pradesh commanded a lion’s share of over 46 per cent in the total basket of new port projects being implemented across Indian maritime States.


The port sector in Andhra Pradesh is set to receive a significant boost with the decks cleared for setting up of a second major port in the State.

The proposal to set up the port, with an initial capacity of six berths in Prakasam district, has been already placed before the Union Cabinet — the initial investment will be of Rs 8,000 crore.

While the State Government will hold about 11 per cent stake in the project, the rest will be picked by the other PSUs such as NMDC and steel companies, who are the major users of the port facilities.

Once commissioned, the State will have two major ports, the other being the country’s premier Visakhapatnam port, and 14 non-major ports.

Having occupied the top slot amongst all major ports in terms of throughput for six consecutive years, it slipped to the second position, after Kandla, in the last two years.

However, the port, which currently handles about 70 million tonnes of cargo annually, is expanding its capacity, after which it could regain the lost position.

RS 3,500-CR EXPANSION

The Rs 3,500-crore expansion, which includes setting up three coal berths, a fertiliser berth, a liquid cargo berth and a general cargo berth, are all scheduled for completion within a year.

It is being implemented through the (public-private partnership) PPP route, with private sector port players such as Essar, involved in the capacity building exercise.

The three non-major ports in the State, Gangavaram, Kakinada and Krishnapatnam ports, together handle about 40 million tonnes.

The State Government has prepared a master plan that envisages increasing the capacity of its non-major ports to handle 175 million tonnes in 2020.

Immediate on the anvil are two ports at Machilipatnam and Nizampatnam, with 20 million tonnes and 15 million tonnes capacity respectively.

Gangavaram port is expanding its capacity from 15 million tonnes to 45 million tonnes by adding three multi-purpose berths and a coal handling terminal, which may be commissioned by next year.

Already the port has made waves in the industry due to the natural draft that it has, allowing bigger ships to anchor.

A recently study by trade body Assocham has pointed out that Andhra Pradesh commanded a lion’s share of over 46 per cent in the total basket of new port projects being implemented across Indian maritime States.

The State is currently implementing three projects worth Rs 20,000 crore in the ports sector under the PPP model as on April 2013, according to a study.

However, the study revealed that Andhra Pradesh comes fourth in terms of completion of port-related projects in the Eleventh Plan period — it completed three projects worth Rs 1,425 crore, with a share of 5.8 per cent in the completed projects pie.

Indeed, Andhra Pradesh is well on its way to becoming a major logistics hub not only in the realm of sea transportation but also air cargo.

AIR CARGO HUB

The Rajiv Gandhi International airport, located at the centre of the country’s production hub with a strong regional connectivity, is gaining ground as India’s first full-fledged air cargo hub.

With more than 20 important domestic and other South Asian cities located less then two hours of flying time away and South-East Asian cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and Westa Asia cities four hours away, the airport is gearing up to cash in on this natural advantage.

Hyderabad airport currently handles over one lakh tonnes a year, which can be modularly scaled up to 1.5 lakh tonnes.

Lufthansa has already nominated the airport as its pharma hub and Cathay Pacific recently added Hyderabad with a twice-a-week Boeing 747 freighter service. Also Thai Airways and Blue Dart are offering main-deck through their Boeing 747-400F MD-11F and Boeing 757F freighters.

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In addition, about 18 scheduled airlines, including 13 international, have cargo bases here, offering belly spaces, ranging from 2-3 tonnes in a 737 type aircraft and 20-25 tonnes in the larger 747 type aircraft.

The airport has a 33,000-tonne capacity dedicated temperature-controlled pharma zone, a 20-acre Free Trade Zone with warehousing and distribution and the integrated terminal operated by GMR and Menzies Aviation of the UK.

New initiatives include cool container links for pharma products, general and temperature-controlled warehouses within the cargo village, promotion of road feeder services and 24x7 customs clearance of cargoes.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/ap-set-to-become-major-sea-air-logistics-hub/article5071494.ece

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