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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,099

21 September 2020

What a gas! Delivering low-carbon aviation

THE END OF AN ERA

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INSIDE IATA: RESCUE PLAN FOR UK AVIATION

IATA has warned of devastating impacts if a rescue plan for the UK aviation industry is not implemented immediately. Without immediate ... PAGE 2

CONGRATULATIONS AFKLMP!

Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo has been awarded “Cargo Airline of the Year” by ACW and the World Air Cargo Awards for the second consecutive ... PAGE 3

DACHSER EXPANDS CAPACITY

olloré Logistics and Antonov Airlines teamed up once again to safely transport Airbus Defence and Space’s new ANASIS-II satellite to its SpaceX launch pad in Florida’s Cape Canaveral. The feat marked the end of an era, as this is set to be the last Airbus Defence and Space satellite to be launched. The valuable cargo flew from the Airbus DS facility in Toulouse, France to the Cape Canaveral Kennedy Space Centre, USA in one of Antonov’s seven 124-100 aircraft. Once at the destination the satellite was safely passed

DACHSER’S Rheine logistics centre is creating more space for storage and value-added services. Construction is underway close to the company’s ... on to the SpaceX teams for the next stage. The operation gave Bolloré and Antonov Airlines the opportunity to trial a new lightweight, low profile loading equipment specially designed and manufactured by Antonov Company to transport large satellite containers in the future. Once loaded, the container used to deliver ANASIS-II measured 11 metres in length and weighed a whopping 18 tonnes. Including launch equipment, it was part of an overall payload of 36 tonnes. “The successful and smooth performance of this flight was the result of

well-coordinated teamwork between all parties involved,” Andriy Blagovisniy, Antonov Airlines’ Commercial Director commented. “We thank our valued partner Bolloré Logistics for trusting Antonov Airlines with such responsible air transportation, which continues our long-term cooperation.” Yorann Marc, Aerospace Project Department Manager for Bolloré Logistics in Toulouse, which organised the shipment on behalf of Airbus Defence and Space, thanked the teams at Bolloré. He added, “Once again Antonov Airlines demonstrated its high technical level and we are always

confident in their capacity to move safely our most sensitive cargo in due time. Bolloré Logistics is proud to have reliable partners like Antonov Airlines for common successful highly specific transportations.” Built by Airbus Defence and Space, Army/Navy/Air Force Satellite Information System 2 or ANASIS-II for short, is South Korea’s first dedicated military communications satellite and was launched by SpaceX on Monday July 20th 2020. SpaceX is an aerospace manufacturer and space transportation service founded in 2002 by Elon Musk.

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POST COVID ASIA

AS the world starts to return to a more recognisable state after the heavy lockdowns and restrictions imposed to cushion the blow of COVID-19, the ... PAGE 6

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DHL connects 3 continents

DHL has stepped up to meet demand in the technology, manufacturing and life science sectors as it launches a charter service from Asia Pacific to Europe and the USA. Managed by StarBroker, DHL Global Forwarding’s in-house charter team, the twice-weekly charter originates from Chongqing, China and flies to Amsterdam, Netherlands to Chicago, United States and then on to Incheon, South Korea before returning to China. “While some passenger airlines have resumed operations, the situation in the air

freight market remains volatile – especially as belly capacity is still tight,” Thomas Mack, Global Head of Air Freight DHL Global Forwarding has commented. “As the leader in the air freight market, DHL Global Forwarding’s top priority is to provide our customers with sufficient and reliable air freight capacity. Not only are the resilient, agile and reliable supply chains of highest importance for an economic recovery, but also in preparation for the availability of vaccines and other essential medical supplies during the pandemic.”

“Over the years, DHL has built up its expertise from globally certified facilities and staff to technologies that track shipments in real-time in addition to ensuring the integrity of such products throughout their journey. Getting the much-needed air capacity is the last piece in the value chain puzzle, so to speak, that ensures temperature sensitive products such as life-saving vaccines reach the communities-in-need,” added Mack. The charter route caters to the demands of the top medical importers and exporters of which China, the Netherlands and the United States were among the top ten in 2019. South Korea has seen its export of healthcare products rise year-on-year by 26.7% in the first half of 2020, with pharmaceutical goods in particular increasing by 52.5%. Similarly, China has exported 28.5% more medical devices in the first five months of the year as compared to a year ago. In April 2020 DHL flew more than 1.3million COIVD-19 test kits from South Korea to Brazil, Ecuador, India, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The freight forwarder also launched a dedicated 100 tonne weekly freight service for organisations and governments shipping health and medical-related items and other goods from China to Middle East and Africa. With the introduction of the new charter service DHL will continue to be a key player in medical freight services.

IATA: rescue plan for UK aviation is needed urgently

ATA has warned of devastating impacts if a rescue plan for the UK aviation industry is not implemented immediately. Without immediate action the Association predicts the UK will face an ‘imminent unemployment catastrophe,’ which threatens to put more than 820,000 people out of work across the entire UK economy and could result in the UK falling behind international partners and losing its coveted position as the 3rd biggest global aviation market. IATA has suggested that government policies, such as the imposition of last minute quarantine measures, have exacerbated the damage from the COVID-19 shutdown.

“The stop-start-stop closing of the UK to the world is not a successful survival tactic for COVID19,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “Without a rescue plan, 820,000 jobs will be vaporized by quarantine and they may never come back. The answer is a COVID-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy.” IATA has proposed a four-point plan to help to lift the quarantine measures and produce a shortterm boost in demand, which includes: 1. A testing regime, to unlock travel from highrisk countries:

2. A review of the infection threshold for quarantine that is fully transparent and aligned with international partners: 3. A suspension of Air Passenger Duty to kickstart demand: 4. Extending the furlough scheme for the air transport sector until border restrictions are lifted and the industry has a chance to recover. In the past week the British government has continued the stop-start approach as travellers from Portugal and Greece were told to quarantine on arrival in the UK. If IATA’s measures are not considered or implemented and this continues until the end of the year, IATA predicts the UK may lose a further 87,000 jobs and £4.6 billion in GDP.

Emirates hit a milestone WITH touchdown in Shanghai on 15th September, Emirates crossed a historic milestone. The airline celebrates 18 years of cargo flights to China. Since 2002, Emirates has built a reliable reputation in country, and throughout the pandemic continued to support the uplift of thousands of tonnes of essential commodities. “This is a very special milestone for us,” Michael Qu, Emirates Cargo Manager, China commented. “Shanghai has been one of our main gateways over nearly the last two decades. Just between 2012 and 2019, we helped connect close to half a million tonnes of goods as exports and imports between Shanghai and the rest of the network. “During the pandemic, our teams in Dubai and China have worked around the clock to move essential

ACW 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

commodities and we would also like to thank our partners and the authorities in China for their support. With our current extensive network of more than 120 destinations across six continents, including 56 cities from the Belt and Road initiative, we are able to provide a dependable and efficient trade link.”

‘A monumental

step forward’

BOEING, Etihad Airways and World Energy concluded their testing on the 2020 ecoDemonstrator programme last week with a cross-country flight using a 50/50 blend of sustainable and traditional jet fuel, which is the maximum sustainable fuel blend for commercial aviation. Etihad’s 787-10 Dreamliner flew from Seattle to Boeing’s manufacturing site in South Carolina last week, with pilots, air traffic controllers and airlines operation centres communicating simultaneously to optimise routing.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Aviation Group Chief Operating Officer has described the flight as a ‘monumental step forward’ for the industry as it proves the viability of producing 50/50 blend sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a high volume. “This is a prime example of industry collaboration towards sustainable aviation and innovation,” Al Bulooki commented. “Etihad’s collaboration with Boeing in the ecoDemonstrator programme has been a unique opportunity to lead the aviation industry’s drive for a sustainable future.” The programme is a promising glimpse in to the future. The fuel, which reduces carbon emissions by more than 75% over its life cycle, will help accelerate other technologies that can reduce emissions and noise and enhance the safety and health of passengers and crew. “Sustainable aviation fuels are proven and work in airplanes flying today and those that will fly tomorrow, but there’s a very limited supply,” said Sheila Remes, vice president of strategy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “World Energy is making commercial-scale volumes of sustainable fuel at competitive prices, leveraging government low-carbon incentives to accelerate production and use in an industry that relies on liquid fuels.” “We congratulate Boeing and Etihad for their industry leadership in helping push the technical and sustainability boundaries of SAF,” said Bryan Sherbacow, chief commercial officer at World Energy. “This 50/50 blend demonstrates the maximum achievable greenhouse gas reduction commercially available today for aviation fuel.” Following Etihad and Boeing’s achievement, the pressure is mounting for the rest of the aviation industry to follow suit for a more sustainable future.

Volga-Dnepr step up for the pharma industry

OLGA-DNEPR GROUP has been facilitating global flows of healthcare products through its Cargo Supermarket concept. The concept combines both scheduled and charter services to increase efficiency of cargo flights. Like much of the aviation industry Volga-Dnepr greatly assisted the pharmaceutical industry throughout the pandemic. This August AirBridgeCargo and its dedicated team of pharma experts organised the delivery of 100 CSafe RKN containers with vaccines on board. Most of the shipments presupposed one-way leasing with CSafe and were airfreighted from Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Shanghai, China for DSV, including a record-number lift off

with 41 RKN containers per flight. The Group was also able to answer the call for assistance in another part of the world too, when freight forwarder Quantum Logistics, Brazil reached out to the Volga-Dnepr charter team for a

Qatar Airways to launch four weekly flights to Accra

QATAR AIRWAYS has announced it will operate four weekly flights to Accra, Ghana via Lagos from 29th September, becoming the fourth new destination launched by the carrier since the start of the pandemic. The airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner will operate the Accra service. “We first announced our intention to launch flights to Accra in January 2020 and while the pandemic has slightly delayed these plans, it has not stopped us from fulfilling our commitment to passengers in Ghana and around the world,” Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive commented. “We look forward to working closely with our partners in Ghana to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”

Honious named as GEODIS Americas President and CEO MIKE HONIOUS will be promoted from COO to President and CEO of GEODIS Americas, effective 3rd October. He will be responsible for freight forwarding, transportation management, business development, strategic management office, legal, accounting & finance, human resources, engineering & technology, ProVenture, shared service centre and IT. “After 15 years with the company, I’m excited to build on the tremendous work of Randy Tucker and honoured to serve as President & CEO of GEODIS in Americas,” Honious commented. “While these are uncertain times, we’re energized about the future. We have assembled a top-tier leadership team, and we have aggressive growth plans with our sights set on becoming a top three logistics provider in the industry.” GEODIS CEO, Marie-Christine Lombard added: “Mike has the ideal blend of deep industry experience and strong leadership abilities. Under Mike’s leadership, I am confident GEODIS in Americas will continue to thrive as one of our key regions and see great success into 2021 and beyond.”

solution to ship pharmaceutical-related equipment from Brazil to Puerto Rico. Due to Volga-Dnepr’s daily global operations, the charter team were able to facilitate Quantum’s request by

optimising on the regional availability of one of the fleet’s twelve AN-124 aircraft, which was due to arrive at Brasilia airport with inbound cargo that week. Once the time for the charter arrived, the inbound flight to Brazil was off-

loaded, and the aircraft was then repositioned to Viracopos Airport for loading, where it was proudly monitored by local aviation fans who marked the import and export charter flights as a sign of Brazil’s active air cargo industry despite current global conditions. “The demand just appeared, and it took only one day for Quantum to present the solution and sign the Charter Agreement, thanks to the Volga-Dnepr team who were able to provide a great customer experience,” commented Robison Gasperi, Managing Director of Quantum Logistics. “An exclusive fleet of 14 sider trailers was used in the operation, which shows the dimension of the aircraft’s cargo capacity — with space still left over”.

‘Lockdown lifestyle’ drives growth

MANCHESTER Airports Group has reported unprecedented growth in cargo operations at their East Midland Airport (EMA). In a statement the airport reported that the pandemic has ‘turbo-charged the shift to online shopping,’ which has created a significant demand for extra cargo flights. “The last few months have seen a seismic shift in the way we live our lives,” Aboudy Nasser, Group Aviation Director for MAG commented. “While much has been made of the changes to the way people travel, behind the scenes our airports have been lead-

ing the charge in helping the logistics sector adapt to rising demand for dedicated air cargo and changes in the way goods are transported.” EMA saw an increase of 21.2% and 18.5% in cargo volumes in July and August respectively. During June, July and August there has been an average of 60 additional cargo flights to and from East Midlands Airport and the US and, most notably, a 120% increase in the volume of goods travelling between EMA and JFK airport in New York. Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, believes the airport’s cargo operations, supply chains and the jobs it supports

will be a key part in the post-COVID recovery for the Midlands and UK. “ The airport is not only an important asset in its own right, but its impact is felt across the whole of the East Midlands, and beyond,” he explains. “Thousands of people are employed in businesses that support the airport’s operation and thousands more jobs are being created in neighbouring developments. As we all look forward to a post-COVID revival, the sectors that have continued to flourish during the pandemic are the ones around which a new economy will be built. The airport, and the logistics operations it facilitates, will be key to our region’s recovery.”

Congratulations AFKLMP! Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo has been awarded “Cargo Airline of the Year” by ACW and the World Air Cargo Awards for the second consecutive year. Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) has made every effort to maintain a global airfreight network and throughout the pandemic has helped keep vital supply chains moving. AFKLMP have adapted to the difficult climate, for example with the creation of KickCharter which resolved problems that arose with changing cargo capacity. The collaborative platform enables customers to jointly participate in charter solutions to destinations not currently served. Adriaan den Heijer, EVP of Air France-KLM Cargo, made the following statement: “In recent months, we have kept restoring destinations and flights to our network, substantially operating on a cargo-only basis. We have deployed our passenger aircraft for cargo charter purposes and have fully utilised our freighter fleet. AFKLMP Cargo currently offers a network spanning more than 95 long-haul destinations. We could not have done this without the commitment of our loyal customers, partners and our great teams.”

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GertJan Roelands, SVP of Sales & Distribution at AFKLMP Cargo added: “Our digital approach, which is part of our digital transformation program, is giving customers the tools they need in the current circumstances. Our online booking percentage rose to 60%, while website visits, especially via mobile devices, also increased significantly. In addition to our network and digital services, our teams made the difference, displaying great drive and constantly adapting to changing realities and customer needs,

offering expertise and experience to all markets on a daily basis. We are very proud of this achievement.” “We extend sincere thanks to our customers and industry colleagues for their trust, support and great partnership during this uncertain time. Based on customer feedback and close cooperation, we have continuously adapted our service proposition,” said Christophe Boucher, EVP of Air France Cargo. Congratulations AFKLMP, from everyone at Air Cargo Week!

ACW 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

DSV and LATAM Cargo have successfully completed the transport of 110 RKN C-Safe containers with medicines. The cargo originated from a customer in the pharmaceutical industry and was shipped from Amsterdam to Brasilia aboard three A350 aircraft flights. The success of the operation confirms the high performance achieved by LATAM Cargo and the partnership with DSV. This type of special transport requires monitoring throughout the flight and the containers need to be kept at 5ºC while the aircraft maintains its interior temperature between 15ºC and 25ºC. It is also worth remembering that in 2017 LATAM Cargo Group became the first airline in the Americas to receive the CEIV Pharma certification from IATA (International Air Transport Association) for its expertise and control in the transport of pharmaceuticals. With this transportation in partnership with DSV, the airline considers itself as one of the safest options for this product in the region.

DSV and LATAM Cargo completes the transport of 110 RKN C-Safe containers Dachser’s Rheine expands capacity

DACHSER’S Rheine logistics centre is creating more space for storage and value-added services. Construction is underway close to the company’s site on a new distribution centre, which will go into operation in October 2020. The key to the facility is a 20,800 sq m logistics terminal with 26 loading gates for trucks and up to 36,800 pallet spaces. Additionally, there is 1,200 sq m of office space. Dachser Rheine will use this modern new facility to consolidate existing warehouse locations in the surrounding area while ensuring additional capacity for future growth. This enables the logistics provider to optimise transport flows and operating conditions. The new distribution centre will be operated for customers in various sectors, including the manufacturing industry, healthcare, DIY and the textile trade. In addition to warehousing, picking and shipping goods, the employees will provide additional services such as display building, repackaging, special labelling, assembly work and returns handling, depending on customer requirements.

“In the warehousing segment, we’re seeing continued growth and increasing demand in the region,” says Markus Dodt, general manager of Dachser’s Rheine logistics centre. “A strong local economy, good availability of qualified workers and favourable transport connections make Rheine and the Münsterland region an ideal location for integrated logistics services.” Dachser has been present in Rheine since 1990 and currently employs 390 people there. Of these, 60 employees will be transferred to the new location, and a further 60 jobs will be created there in the medium term.

EMIRATES SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates airline, operated several additional cargo flights from Kerala this Onam season even as the state celebrated a low-profile Onam this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emirates SkyCargo operated several additional cargo flights from Kerala, carrying fruits, vegetables and flowers, giving expats a slice of their home as many of them were not able

to visit their homes during the festive season due to travel restrictions across the world. Between August 20 and 30, the cargo carrier operated nine dedicated cargo flights from Kochi and eight from Thiruvananthapuram to ensure a steady supply of these goods during the festival season to export destinations such as the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UK, France, Germany and Canada.

Emirates SkyCargo uplifts a taste of Onam for expats

ACW 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

Success for WFS in Madrid

orldwide Flight Services (WFS) has won two major contracts to handle AirBridgeCargo Airlines’ (ABC) and Air China Cargo’s new freighter operations at Madrid Airport. AirBridgeCargo has appointed WFS to provide ramp handling for its three Boeing 747F flights a week to Madrid, while Air China Cargo has chosen WFS for ramp and cargo handling services for the airline’s three B777 and B747 allcargo flights per week to the Spanish capital. WFS operates three cargo centres at Madrid Airport with over 10,500 sq m of surface space. These facilities include dedicated areas to handle all types of goods, from

general cargo, courier and express shipments to temperature-sensitive

Boeing’s 737 MAX remains primary concern

perishables and pharmaceuticals, AVI and valuable products. The WFS team

are trained to handle both passenger and freighter aircraft, supported by an

extensive fleet of new GSE equipment to ensure the safe and secure handling of all aircraft and cargoes. Humberto Castro, managing director of WFS in Spain, said: “Freighter operations are very important to support Spain’s import and export trade, especially at this time when there has been a significant loss of capacity onboard passenger flights due to COVID-19. “These new freighter services by two of the world’s leading airlines are an important boost for Spain’s freight forwarding community and we will use our expertise to ensure we deliver the best customer experience for both airlines. “This is more good news for WFS in Spain as we continue our recovery from the impact of Coronavirus.”

FOLLOWING the news that the Federal Aviation Administration is reportedly investigating potential defects in Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner production, Harry Boneham, associate aerospace and defense analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view on the situation. He says: “Despite this new reported investigation, the global re-certification of the 737 MAX must remain Boeing’s priority. According to Boeing, the 737 MAX accounts for approximately 80% of unfilled orders, while the 787 only accounts for approximately 10%. In the context of an uneven post-COVID-19 recovery in which demand for narrow-body aircraft is likely to recover more quickly, the need for Boeing to recertify its primary narrow-body product is glaring. “The current crisis has significantly disrupted the entire commercial aerospace industry and a recovery is not anticipated in the short term, with the prospect of a lost decade for air passenger growth increasingly likely. “Furthermore, even from Boeing’s wide-body offerings, there are alternative offerings that are likely to align more closely to the demands of the post-COVID-19 market. The 777X, despite the first deliveries having been delayed to 2022, is being billed as an advancement on the 787, and one of the most efficient products on the market. “This aligns with rising demand for carbon-responsibility in the commercial aerospace industry. Regulations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization’s CO2 emissions standards encourage airlines to integrate newer, more efficient models into their fleet. This renders the 777X a key product going forward.”

EMIRATES has resumed passenger services to Casablanca, Morocco from 18 September. The resumption of flights takes Emirates’ African network to 14 destinations, as the airline safely and gradually restores its network on the continent

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ACW 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

ASIA

Post-COVID:“There’s no putting this genie back in the bottle”

warding and logistics company U-Freight Group commented. “Companies and individuals that were reluctant to buy online have switched and have seen how easy and convenient it is. There is no putting this genie back in the bottle. That’s good for U-Freight as we were one of the first freight forwarders to offer cross-border e-commerce logistics and now have e-commerce fulfilment centres in several Asian markets; and work for most of the region’s e-commerce platforms.” This huge increase in demand paired with the reduced capacity of shippers leaving Asia had resulted in Asian freight rates increasing. Recent forecasts by The Air Freight Index Company suggest that shippers should expect to pay significantly more for airfreight from Asia in the coming months. “We see the reaction to supply and demand happening more swiftly,” said Robert Frei, The TAC business development director in a statement. “This obviously has also to do with most carriers and forwarders breaking their contracts during the crisis and the fact that procurement is now done on a shorter-term basis.” However, the changing environment of air cargo in the Asian region has left room for opportunity. “The biggest opportunities for the U-Freight Group in Asia will be in servicing the needs of companies and individuals involved in e-commerce logistics and fulfilment,” explained Simon Wong. “The company’s development of e-commerce logistics solutions is continually trying to address the key issues stemming from exponential growth in volumes

S the world starts to return to a more recognisable state after the heavy lockdowns and restrictions imposed to cushion the blow of COVID-19, the same question is on everyone’s lips: what will the world look like post-COVID? The importance of the airfreight industry was brought to a forefront during the height of the pandemic as vital and time sensitive cargo, like medical supplies and PPE were flown across the globe. However, due to the complete grounding of many airlines’ passenger fleets, belly cargo capacity was drastically slashed. Capacity from China is still around 19% less than it was last year. The aviation and forwarding industries have had to adapt to the challenging environment. “There has been a huge increase in e-commerce as a direct result of the pandemic,” Simon Wong, CEO of the freight for-

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of business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce shipments.” For U-Freight this includes investment in several of their warehouse facilities across Asia to enable them to work as e-commerce fulfilment centres. “UFL has been qualified by China Customs and CIQ (China Inspection and Quarantine) as a licensed Cross-border E-Commerce Enterprise and as a Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Service Provider for several years, which helps. It is a logistics partner of choice for the growing number of online channels and platforms which entrepreneurs are using to sell their own designs and products, including global eCommerce shipping platforms, and is heavily involved in the Fulfilment by Amazon programme in several countries,” Wong adds. Last year, U-Freight launched e+Solutions, a new product to assist small businesses with their e-commerce logistics needs. “All of these initiatives are helping U-Freight boost efficiency and capture more value, in order to capitalise on the opportunities that e-commerce is presenting,” said Wong. When a COVID vaccine is developed the airfreight industry will continue to provide the efficient services needed for distribution. “There are vaccines being developed in several countries. If we have a presence in those markets we would hope to get an opportunity to tender for any cross border moves once the vaccines are approved and ready to ship. We have been involved in pharmaceuticals logistics for a long time,” Wong told ACW. It seems that instead of cracking in the effort to revert back to how things were before, all sectors of the aviation and forwarding industries are proving their resilience and using the disruption to adapt and diversify which should help with the Asian markets post-COVID recovery.

ROAD FEEDER SERVICES

STREAMLINING AIRPORT TO AIRPORT TRUCKING THE arrival of COVID-19 and its catastrophic impact on the aviation sector has caused an almost total collapse of airlines and airports. The feeling within the industry is that cargo must now be recognised for its importance and that many of its traditional and somewhat old-fashioned methodology should be put aside in favour of new thinking and the intelligent use of technology. No part of the process is more important than airport road transfers of air cargo. The time taken to transport goods internationally by traditional airfreight is very uncompetitive compared to integrators and e-commerce operators. In the case of Europe, much time could be saved by streamlining the ground process. At the bigger airports, long lines of waiting vehicles are causing higher costs for the hauliers, increasing emissions and delays in delivering cargo. In order to improve and streamline this process, better liaison in exchanging of data between road feeders, handlers and airlines is essential. For road feeders, real-time data on shipment availability combined with a reliable slot allocation plan would accelerate and improve performance. Amongst technical solutions being trialled, the collaborative decision making (CDM) data sharing platform from CargoHub is proving popular with airlines, handlers and road feeder operators. ”The Trucking CDM platform can help our road feeder and handling business partners to minimize the (un)loading time and congestion. At the same time we benefit from the full visibility on our truck movements and handling status of our shipments. A successful role out of CDM will enable us to promise our customers on time arrival” comments Keesjan de Vries, cargo manager Europe of Malaysia Airlines, which joined the system in June. On time delivery for every airline is vital in this highly competitive business. “Waiting hours at handlers’ warehouses are mostly due to lack of communication and transparency. There are often no contractual relations between the road feeder and handling company

although both parties work on behalf of the airline” comments Stephan Pieters of Netherlands haulage giant Jan De Rijk. “System integration by data sharing through the trucking CDM platform allowing all parties to access real-time information is essential to eliminate congestion at airports. The only way forward is to work together as one community to support connectivity between stakeholders resulting in an increased speed of cargo transportation.” The need to adopt new ideas and technology for the air cargo industry is greatly enhanced by the participation of InHolland University of Applied Sciences which has conducted in depth research into the Trucking CDM platform. Giovanni Douven project manager and research fellow states: “the Trucking CDM platform is the starting point for future research into a comprehensive Cross Chain Control Center (4C) project for air cargo. “The complexity of connections between parties involved provides extensive research and education possibilities for us. The 4C project forms a ‘living laboratory’ or eco system to further examine and educate. We believe that all players in the air cargo industry should be connected in the cloud, where each player should share relevant data with other parties involved.”

ment system for handling agents, including a KPI dashboard for all participants. But we are taking things further. “As a consequence of the COVID-19 social distancing economy, further digitalization has been necessary, so we have expanded our mobile app suite to incorporate slot booking with all relevant data. Handling agents can accept and deliver shipments by using the app with a digital handshake protocol. This will support forwarders to push digital transformation and to improve their service to shippers by providing full supply chain visibility”.

Steering group A Schiphol-based steering group has been set up which includes ACN the Netherlands trade organisation, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, CargoHub, dnata, Fast Forward freight and InHolland plus Jan de Rijk, Menzies World Cargo, Swissport and Wallenborn. The link between education and air cargo practice is very valuable.” Raoul Paul, head of CargoHub feels “that the co-operation with InHolland is an important factor in this technical development for the industry.” The co-operation has accelerated the development of trucking CDM, and the first phase has resulted in an advanced door capacity manage-

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ACW 21 SEPTEMBER 2020

THE MAN WHO CAN REMEBER THE HINDENBURG

Two innovative British businesses bring together their experience to deliver low-carbon aviation

WHAT A GAS!

ybrid Air Vehicles Ltd and 2Excel Aviation H have formed a team to offer customers joint proposals for operating Airlander aircraft in a variety of roles.

of this new aircraft type into revenue service. Airlander 10’s adoption by its first customers will mark an important step on the journey to delivering zero-emissions Airlanders by 2030.

his partnership is built on a joint comWe are thrilled to be able to offer purchasers TAirlander mitment to innovation in aviation. HAV’s “ of Airlander 10 aircraft the opportunity to 10 is at the cutting edge of decarhave their operations planned and delivered bonising aviation and will fly with up to 90% fewer emissions from 2025. 2Excel brings a long history of designing and delivering complex aviation services to commercial and defence customers. 2Excel will work with HAV to develop efficient operations for Airlander’s early adopters in mobility, travel, logistics and surveillance and communications roles.

ogether, HAV and 2Excel will tailor operational plans to specific customer reTquirements, allowing aircraft to be supported

by 2Excel’s assured operational and support capabilities. This will ensure smooth adoption

by the experienced team at 2Excel,” comments HAV CEO Tom Grundy. “ “Their impeccable track record and experience with unique operations is a great advantage for our customers.”

We have observed the development of “great Hybrid Air Vehicles and the Airlander with interest,” said 2Excel Aviation’s com-

mercial director Scott Loughran. “The aircraft offers the potential for an exciting low carbon alternative to many aspects of aviation and we’re pleased to be able to contribute to the next stage of Airlander 10’s journey.”

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