Kirby Building Systems & Structures India inaugurated its new Centre of Engineering Excellence in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Spanning over 40,000 square feet of workspace, the new engineering centre is a modern, collaborative office that in line with our immediate growth plans & future expansions in India and other regions. More than 400 structural designers and detailers will operate from this hub, using a wide array of cutting-edge design and drafting softwares, including MBS, STAAD.Pro, Bocad, ETABS, Tekla, AutoCAD, 3ds Max, Smartest and more. This Centre of Excellence not only reinforces Kirby’s pioneer & market leadership in India for over last 25 years but also builds upon its legacy of over nearly five decades of global expertise in the steel construction industry. It is a significant step in Kirby’s continued focus on innovation, engineering excellence and delivering customer-centric, sustainable solutions using different design codes through this engineering centre. This facility, with a seating capacity of over 550 professionals, will function as Corporate Office with sales & marketing and engineering functions. The inauguration ceremony was graced by Mahmoud Samara, CEO – Alghanim Industries, along with Dirk Kahl, CFO, Jesper Berg, CHRO and D. Raju, Head – Kirby International and P. V. Mohan, CEO – Kirby India. They were joined by other senior leadership members and engineering team from Kirby India. As part of the visit, the Alghanim leadership team interacted with Kirby India’s senior functional heads, discussing the company’s growth strategy, leadership position in the Indian market, and ways to address emerging challenges in this highly competitive landscape. The visit also included a tour of Kirby’s Hyderabad and Halol manufacturing facilities, where they were briefed on Kaizen initiatives.  

Global air cargo volumes jumped over 5 per cent year-on-year in July as more shippers opted for the speed of airfreight to help circumvent U.S. tariffs, according to the latest market analysis by Xeneta. Market sentiment, however, remains subdued as tariff talks in Washington remain in flux, with a new deadline now set for 7 August for a broad range of trading partners. The lack of clarity continues to cast a shadow over global trade flows, particularly in the airfreight sector. Contrary to the usual seasonal lull, July saw a notable upturn in global air cargo demand following a modest over one per cent gain in June. This unexpected boost, bucking seasonal patterns, appears driven in part by tariff-related frontloading, mode shift and persistent uncertainty, prompting businesses to expedite shipments. With cargo capacity in July increasing by a lower level of over 3 per cent year-on-year, the more robust over 5 per cent rise in volume helped lift the dynamic load factor, which has now returned to levels comparable with a year earlier (58 per cent) and recovering the minus 2 per cent point decline recorded just a month ago. Dynamic load factor is Xeneta’s measurement of capacity utilisation based on volume and weight of cargo flown alongside available capacity.

Chennai airport has reportedly seen a 19 per cent growth in international freight handling in the quarter ended June 2025. As per the reports, it is the highest growth among all the major airports. This fiscal, Chennai has overtaken BIAL airport largely due to increase in export volume of Apple phones and import of electronic components. Earlier, BIAL was ahead of Chennai. The Chennai airport in the first quarter handled 82,844 tonnes of international freight as against 69,629 tonnes in the corresponding quarter last year. In comparison, Bengaluru handled 80,075 tonnes in June 2025 quarter compared to 79,014 tonnes in the year-ago period, according to Airports Authority of India data.

CargoAi and Wisor.AI have partnered to integrate its Quote & Book API from the CargoCONNECT suite. This strategic integration enables Wisor users to instantly access live airline pricing and booking capabilities directly from within Wisor’s intelligent freight management platform. By embedding CargoAi’s Quote & Book API, Wisor.AI enhances its AI-driven transport planning capabilities, empowering freight forwarders to streamline procurement and accelerate air cargo operations. Key benefits include real-time access to over 105 airlines, over 680 schedules, and 2.5M dynamic rates, instant booking capabilities, eliminating manual quote requests and FlyWindow support for bookings with non-API connected airlines. This integration gives Wisor users fast, centralised access to airfreight booking, enabling smarter decisions and better service delivery across the supply chain.

Vipin Vohra, Chairman, Continental Carriers said, “BCAS’s relaxation of re-screening norms for transit cargo will significantly cut costs, reduce delays and speed up transfers, especially for international transshipments. By aligning with global standards, it enhances India’s appeal as a transshipment hub, boosts competitiveness, supports express and e-commerce logistics and enables Indian carriers to scale up operations, driving higher cargo volumes through Indian airports.”

Vandana Singh, Chairwoman Aviation and Cargo, FAII said, “Easing cargo re-screening at transfer airports is a pragmatic step towards improving transit efficiency. While it will help reduce delays and optimise resources, its success will depend on robust implementation and adherence to security protocols. A balanced approach can strengthen India’s air cargo competitiveness while maintaining the highest safety standards”

Balagopal Balachandran, National Head Air Freight, FEI Cargo said, “The directive, issued as Addendum–II to AVSEC Circular No. 6/2024, introduces a unified framework for handling transfer shipments, across international to international, international to domestic, domestic to international and domestic to domestic routes. The transit cargo will be secured using Transfer Cargo Security Hold Areas (TCSHAs), which are secured zones within an airport’s restricted area approved by the Director General of BCAS. This reform reduces dwell time, lowers handling costs,  minimises  shipment delays and prevent unauthorised interference. Airlines will enjoy a faster aircraft turnaround, forwarders/GHA gain seamless hub connectivity and shippers get greater speed to market. The changes are expected to boost India’s transshipment volumes by approx  8–10 per cent annually. In Global logistics, minutes mean millions and India is now racing ahead to claim a bigger slice of Regional cargo flows.”  

Kamal Jain, Director, Cargomen Logistics said, “Relaxed cargo re-screening rules in India are set to transform the air cargo industry by eliminating redundant X-ray checks at transfer airports. Under new BCAS guidelines, secure shipments sealed and held in Transfer Cargo Security Hold Areas can bypass re-examination, cutting ground delays and handling times. This streamlining reduces operational costs, boosts cargo throughput and enhances reliability, positioning India as a competitive air freight hub alongside Dubai and Singapore. Faster processing will accelerate express logistics, fuel e-commerce growth and help Indian airlines capture more high-value transshipment cargo, all while maintaining strict security through advanced surveillance, secure zones and real-time tracking. This balance of efficiency and safety marks a major leap forward for India’s cargo ecosystem. Though there are risk in bypassing the double check but it will be mitigated through rigorous checking at origin.”

C K Govil, President, ACAAI said, “Why should cargo that has already been security cleared in Australia be re-screened in India when transiting to Europe or America? Nowhere else in the world is such double screening mandated. It adds unnecessary costs, causes delays, risks missed connections and burdens the industry with public charges. If India aspires to become a global logistics hub and meet the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision, such outdated practices must be eliminated. Cargo that has passed global security protocols must move seamlessly through Indian airports.”

To boost air cargo in Central Asia which  has emerged as one of the fastest-growing air cargo regions in the world, the second edition of Central Asia Air Cargo Summit is being held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 22-23 September 2025. With over 40 airlines, cargo operators, tech innovators and policy leaders joining, the Summit will bring the region’s momentum into sharp focus — and help shape the next phase of its development. The event is organised by ATO COMM, an events management company based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Uzbekistan has more than doubled its air cargo volume from 2020 (40,000 t) to 2024 (85,000 t), with projections of 120,000 t capacity by late 2025 thanks to the expansion of Tashkent International Airport’s new cargo complex. Kazakhstan, the region’s largest market by volume, handled 92,600 tn in 2023 and continues to attract transit cargo due to rerouted flows from Russian airspace and excellent geographic position. Kyrgyzstan saw explosive growth: air cargo increased nearly 40-fold between 2022 and 2024, driven by transit demand and re-export flows. My Freighter and Centrum Air(Uzbekistan-based) added over 20 widebody freighters and passenger aircraft since 2022, expanding reach to 20+ international destinations.  Uzbekistan Airways modernised its cargo fleet, transporting 59,276 t of goods in 2024 — a 22% YoY increase. New private airlines like Air Samarkand, Alpha Sky, and Altair Airlines are helping diversify the market, signalling growing liberalisation and competition.