Transportation Logistics Trouble Wind Energy Industry

There are now more than 45,000 wind turbines in operation in the U.S., and the installed capacity continues to grow quickly. The wind energy industry is, however, experiencing logistical issues that impact the bottom line and wind energy deployment.Although policy uncertainty continues to plague the renewable energy industry, overcoming transportation issues...

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Indian govt extends 24x7 Customs clearance at more ports

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), under Department of Revenue, India’s Ministry of Finance, has issued a circular announcing extension of 24x7 Customs clearance facility at 13 more airports in respect of all export goods and at 14 more sea ports in respect of specified import and export goods.   “Board has decided that with effect from 31.12.2014 the facility of 24x7 Customs clearance for specified imports viz goods covered by ‘facilitated’ Bills of Entry and specified...

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China approves three new foreign courier firms

China has permitted three new overseas courier firms to offer domestic delivery services, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday, as part of government pledges to further open up the fast-growing market. The State Post Bureau has approved Yamato (China) Transport Co Ltd, the China unit of Yamato Holdings Co Ltd, OCS Overseas Courier Service (Shanghai) Co Ltd and Kerry Logistics Co Ltd, Xinhua said. The government said in September it would ease restrictions on foreign couriers seeking to...

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Canada bans lithium metal cargo on airliners

Canada is to ban transporting lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger flights. Earlier this year, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a ban on the shipment of lithium metal batteries as cargo aboard passenger aircraft after growing concern that if ignited, they can cause any nearby batteries to overheat and catch fire. While most passenger airlines in Canada have already voluntarily banned lithium metal batteries as cargo, the ban comes into effect on January...

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Pharma defection to ocean is ‘wake-up call’ to airfreight

Airlines are targeting premium products to claw back lost revenue from the recession. Foremost of those is the cool chain for fresh produce and pharmaceuticals. But, according to Steef Van Amersfoort, chairman of the air transport at the Dutch Shippers Council and veteran pharmaceutical-logistics executive, there is a massive difference between what pharma shippers...

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Ambak joins Emirates SkyCargo

Henrik Ambak has joined Emirates SkyCargo as senior vice president, cargo operations worldwide. Ambak, a Danish national, joins the freight division of Emirates with 27 years of experience in the air cargo industry, having worked for companies such as Novia, CSLux and Cargolux Airlines. He started his career as a freight forwarder, and then moved into ground and...

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Exelsius launches pharma programme

Exelsius has launched a pharmaceutical qualification programme (PQP) for companies involved in the handling and transportation of pharmaceutical & life science products. The UK-based international cold chain management consultancy says that its programme allows airports, freight forwarders and logistics service providers to become certified...

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IAG Cargo gains pharma certificate

IAG Cargo has received GDP (Good Distribution Practice) certification for pharmaceutical transport. The carrier, bringing together the cargo divisions of British Airways and Iberia, says that it is the first airline to be awarded GDP certification by a national government health agency in meeting the premier standard for pharma transport. IAG Cargo received the...

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Cathay signs up DoKaSch pharma containers

Cathay Pacific Cargo has signed a master agreement to rent DoKaSch Temperature Solutions' RKN and RAP Opticooler active containers. The containers, to be rolled out across the Hong Kong-based airline’s network in the first quarter of 2015, are aimed at the shipment of temperature-sensitive goods and pharmaceutical products,. “Cathay Pacific Cargo is pleased to be the first Asian carrier offering our customers an alternative solution for their temperature-sensitive air cargo shipments,”...

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Cargo pallets go on a diet

Air France-KLM is introducing new aluminum pallets that are 17kg lighter than standard pallets but just as strong. The new 83kg pallets will gradually replace all the current standard stock - each weighing 100kg - in the airline’s fleet. Said a spokesperson: “Air France-KLM is fully committed to reducing the company’s CO2 footprint, and weight reduction...

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Air cargo rates gain on US port congestion

  Air freight rates continued to climb through November on the back of strong peak season demand and conversions from ocean freight as a result of US supply chain bottlenecks. Drewry’s East-West Air Freight Price Index rose a further 5.3 points in November to reach an all-time peak of 120.8 points, exceeding the record high of 117.4 achieved...

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Cathay Cargo boosted by Beaujolais

Cathay Pacific and Dragonair cargo and mail traffic has continued to show strong year-on-year growth according to the carrier’s latest results with the carrier getting a big boost with shipments of Beaujolais wine to the Far East. The two airlines carried 165,102 tonnes of cargo and mail in November 2014, up 12% from the same period last year.There was good news too...

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Self-driving car the future of logistics industry

The logistics industry will probably be one of the first testing grounds for automated vehicles, according to a study from package delivery giant DHL. Shipping companies will likely adopt the technology faster than other sectors, since moving cargo in non-public areas like storage facilities and warehouses provides a safer venue to test such devices, according to a study published this week by DHL, the freight and express arm of Deutsche Post AG. Eventually vehicles might bring packages...

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Dubai drives October's cargo surge

A Dubai cargo surge helped global air freight traffic maintain an upward trend in volumes with a year-over-year growth rate of five per cent for October, reports Airports Council International (ACI). Overall worldwide accumulated volumes for the last twelve months rose by 4.6 per cent. International freight volumes jumped up by 5.6 per cent, whereas...

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Qantas management reshuffle

  A top level management reshuffle at Australian carrier Qantas has seen Gareth Evans appointed chief executive of Qantas International and Freight. Evans, currently chief financial officer for the Qantas Group, has been a senior executive at Qantas for 15 years and brings experience from previous roles that spanned network, pricing, scheduling and operations....

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