Category Archives: Aviation

Ketan Kulkarni, CCO, Blue Dart says, The growth potential in the domestic cargo market drives demand for additional freighter fleets. Airlines can invest in dedicated cargo aircraft to meet the rising demand for air freight services, especially for time-sensitive and high-value shipments. Blue Dart is well-equipped to cater to the evolving demands of the air express industry and meet the growing demand.” He adds, “Consumer demand, especially within the rapidly growing e-commerce sector and evolving consumer habits, plays a pivotal role in the domestic cargo market. E-commerce relies heavily on effective logistics for swift and efficient deliveries. India’s digital transformation, marked by widespread internet access and a well-established digital payment infrastructure, facilitates e-commerce growth, leading to higher shipment volumes and opportunities for cargo service providers and airlines. Additionally, the thriving Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) sector significantly contributes to India’s economy. As these businesses expand, they generate increased cargo traffic for the transportation of raw materials and finished products.”

SF Airlines has expanded its fleet to have 85 freighters. The latest freighter added to the fleet is a Boeing 767-300, which is the eighth new aircraft that has been unveiled by SF Airlines this year. The Boeing 767-300aircraft is expected to be used in the air-express delivery market, catering to the upcoming Double 11 shopping spree and other logistics peaks. The other freighters included in the SF Airlines fleet are Boeing 747-400ERFs, 767-300BCFs, 757-200Fs, and 737-300/400Fs. The airline has been adding an average of six freighters to its fleet each year since its launch in 2009, and their network now expands across Asia, Europe, and North America. 

Lufthansa Cargo coats another freighter with its AeroSHARK technology that reduces aerodynamic drag on the fuselage and engine nacelles of the airplanes. This technology was developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF for their Boeing 777 freighters, and results in substantial fuel and emissions savings. Ashwin Bhat, Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa Cargo said: “The special coating significantly reduces the frictional resistance of the aircraft. Together with the lightweight cargo equipment we already use today, this technology will enable us to save 5,493 tons of kerosene per year. This is an important step on our way to becoming 100% CO2-neutral in the air by 2050.”

The increasing focus on using AI in the logistics sector is primarily being seen as a way to bring significant levels of efficiency in our day-to-day activities, says M. Afzal Malbarwala, Immediate Past President, ACAAI and Founder and Managing Director at Galaxy Freight. Ahead of ACAAI’s 47th convention in Malaysia, from Nov 23-26, Malbarwala says, “The challenges would be to identify an AI system which can integrate with our heritage systems, potentially merge with our actual customer deliverables, and protect our data sensitivity while delivering the solution we want as a final achievement. There is a fear among stakeholders that AI run machines can replace the human work force. Addressing such fears should take priority especially for heritage organisations who have long term loyal employees.” It is important to remember that AI’s ability to deliver the benefits is linked to our ability to provide continuous data streams which further allows the system to recognise and analyse data patterns before it can derive a methodology to do the same tasks at a much faster and efficient method.”

GEODIS has officially started pharma and healthcare operations at its new 5500 sq. mt. site in Schiphol This new location is next to the existing site and will expand GEODIS’ footprint in pharma & healthcare, which is already well-established at the logistics operator’s Venlo site with a significant presence in contract logistics for customers in both sectors. The new Schiphol-Rijk investment will focus on freight forwarding and be part of GEODIS’ worldwide cross docking network for ambient and cold chain products. The new location is TAPA-A rated for air freight and holds the appropriate CEIV Pharma certification1 for handling goods in the 15-25 °C and 2-8 °C ranges. “Opening an additional specialized warehouse at Schiphol-Rijk enables us to offer customers a turnkey solution for pharma & healthcare logistics,” says Mark van den Assem, Managing Director GEODIS Benelux. “Increasing the synergy between our Contract Logistics and Freight Forwarding lines of business is a crucial part of our growth strategy and will have significant benefits to the supply chain needs of our customers”.

ITA Airways has continued to develop its digital connectivity by linking its systems with the WiseTech cargo management platform. The tie-up means that the Italy-based airline will connect with WiseTech’s CargoWise via APIs and make its capacity available to the platform’s customers, which include 24 of the 25 largest forwarders. Forwarders that use CargoWise will have access to ITA Airways Cargo’s schedules, dynamic rates, capacity, and allotment bookings as well as the ability to change digital bookings. Emiliana Limosani, chief commercial officer ITA Airways, said: “ITA Airways’ growing presence on online cargo booking portals is a key pillar of our business development strategy. “This connection to the CargoWise ecosystem further enables this strategy. The air cargo market is extremely dynamic, and we need to be able to respond quickly and accurately to drive customer experiences with ITA Airways.”

C.K.Govil, President, ACAAI and CMD Activair Airfreight India, said, “Efficient air cargo operations, optimized logistics and an improved customer experience are what AI can bring to our industry. It has the power to ease bottlenecks at airports, make data transparent and well organised, and optimize storage in warehouses and planning for flights. AI can facilitate information collection, processing, and flow, thus reducing disruptions in the supply chain. Besides tracking shipments in real-time, AI can forecast delays based on previous data. This would help the industry players save time, money and prevent delay in last-mile delivery.  We have seen AI-enabled chatbots strengthening customer support in many industries. It will bring about a change in the way we manage customer queries and make air cargo booking and reservations simpler. He added “The talk of AI taking over jobs is as old as technology making humans redundant. That did not happen because we are smarter than technology and made it work for our benefit. We need people skilled at people using and employing AI to our advantage. The change is already happening; we can turn the tide in our favour by embracing it.”

Cathay Cargo joined hands with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) for the first time to offer ONE Record data protocols for intermodal sea-to-air shipments accepted at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) Logistics Park in Dongguan for export from Hong Kong. IATA’s ONE Record initiative implements end-to-end transparency for consignments and logging progress as they pass through multiple links in the supply chain. Tom Owen, Director, Cathay Cargo, said, “This pilot also showed ONE Record’s flexibility, and being able to accept cargo from an upstream cargo terminal and then log its transit by boat was a world first. It also shows ONE Record’s value in enabling services such as Ultra Track and other use cases that we are continuing to explore.

On the airports front, the government is in the process of developing a concept paper to promote hub airports in India. This initiative aims to position India as a hub for both passenger and cargo traffic, further enhancing its role in international trade and logistics, says Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL). He adds, “The airport is geographically well positioned in India to be a transshipment hub. Increased transhipment activities will enhance connectivity, which will improve the delivery times for Indian EXIM cargo as well. With the majority of key locations in India located within a two hours flying distance and the ability to connect to the Middle East and South East Asia within 5-6 hours, Hyderabad is well equipped to facilitate both intra-India (I2I) regional connectivity and international transshipment connections from destination to India ( D2I) and from India to destination (I2D). While there is a strong push for “Make in India” and “Make for the world”, South-East Asia, including China still forms a substantial manufacturing base for the world. Consequently, there is a robust flow of goods from ASEAN countries to the Middle East, Europe and the US. India’s geographical position places it in the middle of this route, providing opportunities to leverage this dynamic. Airlines can achieve scale economies by consolidating cargo from Eastern countries along with the finished goods from India and transporting them to the Middle East and West at more competitive rates. The sectors like textiles, electronics, pharma, perishables, aerospace & defence offer significant opportunities for growth. Such an approach will not only boost transhipment cargo, but also impact the export and import cargo positively, as freight rates may decrease due to …

Çelebi India announces partnership with Uganda Airlines to support ground handling services for the airlines at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. The inauguration took place with the direct flight from Entebbe to Mumbai on 7 October. Çelebi India leads the sustainability movement within the Indian ground handling industry, and aims to help the Indian aviation industry attain carbon neutrality. Tauseef Khan, CEO, Çelebi Ground Handling India, said, “We are delighted to bring our ground handling expertise to Uganda Airlines in Mumbai. We anticipate a long-term partnership as Uganda Airlines expands its footprint in India. Our commitment remains steadfast in providing seamless services and contributing to the growth of aviation in India.”