Thumbs up for Emirates' all-in freight rates

Shippers and forwarders have welcomed Emirates SkyCargo’s move to introduce an all-inclusive freight rate that does away with separate pricing components based on weight/volume plus fuel and security surcharges. “It is the best start to 2015 that I could imagine,” said Joost van Doesburg, airfreight policy manager with the European Shippers’...

Continue

Demand for global air freight likely to rise by 4.5 pc in 2015

Demand for global air freight grew 4.2 per cent in November last year as compared to same period in 2013 and is expected to rise by 4.5 per cent this year, driven by growth in cross-border trade, International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. The most significant growth was recorded by carriers in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions at 5.9 per cent and 12.9 per cent respectively. Carriers in these regions captured the vast majority of the global increase (93 per cent). "More...

Continue

US port chaos boosts ex-Asia Pacific air cargo revenues

Inbound US west coast container port congestion provided a November boost for transpacific air cargo revenues out of Asia to North America, although ex-US revenues fell. WorldACD’s latest monthly market data found that the transpacific was the best of the large markets in November. The Netherlands-based research house posed the question: “Did the problems in the...

Continue

Sodexi opens Paris airport warehouse

Aéroports de Paris and Sodexi have opened a 7,600 sq m express freight warehouse at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport. The warehouse, with a €22m investment, will be used to manage and process flows of air freight and mail for express specialist Sodexi, which is 65 per cent  owned by Air France-KLM and 35 per cent by Geopost. Construction...

Continue

AF-KLM adds combi flights to Dubai

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo will this month add three B747 Combi frequencies from Amsterdam Airport-Schiphol (AMS) to and from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Starting 10 January,  the European carrier says that the upgrade offers “increased flexibility to carry main deck commodities to our hubs, Dubai International...

Continue

Kerry Logistics boosts network

Asia-based Kerry Logistics has bought a controlling stake in Dubai’s Able Logistics Group and a majority stake in the sea and air arms of Canada’s Total Logistics Partner (TLP). Able Logistics is an international freight forwarder with offices across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and China. Total Logistics Partner Ocean Consolidators and Total Logistics Partner Air Express are two freight forwarding companies focused on the Asia-Canada trade. The acquisition has added Montreal and Toronto to...

Continue

Cologne cargo up 2% in 2014

Cologne Bonn Airport saw record air cargo growth in 2014, handling 753,000 tonnes, a two per cent increase on 2013. The German airport handled 9.5m passengers in 2014 – a “significant rise” over prior year. “2014 has exceeded our expectations. We have developed better than the German passenger market, partially with growth rates above five per cent,” says Michael...

Continue

Indian air cargo export surge hit by US$ yield decline

India’s booming air cargo market has registered a 13.5 per cent surge in outgoing volumes since 2011, although coupled with a “dismal yield” fall of 20 per cent in US$, says research house WorldACD. The Netherlands-based consultancy, which uses primary data from the airlines themselves, said that India’s yield change looked a lot better...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue

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...

Continue