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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,145

23 AUGUST 2021

THREE MEN, ONE GSSA VOICE

UNISYS BRINGS BETTER SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY U

nisys Corporation has made available software functionality that for the first time enables airlines to track the status and location of each piece of a shipment throughout their journey – allowing them and freight forwarders that use them to gain newfound visibility throughout the supply chain.

Piece Level Tracking Integrated with the Unisys Cargo Core application and available to airlines, the new Piece Level Tracking (PLT) functionality enables airlines to accelerate the operational efficiency of cargo shipments. While similar technology is available through shipping companies, the functionality has only been available via their own airplanes.

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INSIDE

FEDEX DELIVERS COVID-19 VACCINES

FEDEX Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, delivered a shipment ... PAGE 2

AVEM AERO REVENUE EXCEEDS

URGENT cargo carrier AVEM AERO total revenue grew by 90% from January-June 2021 compared to the same period in 2019, and ... PAGE 3

In addition, in cases where shipping companies use airlines to ship cargo, PLT has not previously been available. “With the growth of e-Commerce and the increased quantities of special cargo flown, online retailers and shoppers want to know where their individual cargo pieces are at all points of the supply chain – starting with the freight forwarder and continuing all the way through to when it is delivered to the consignee – as opposed to just the larger shipment of which the individual pieces are a part,” said Rodney Melton, senior director, industry and client management, Unisys. “This new capability is also critical to suppliers that need information at an individual piece level for more effective planning and storage, as well as for improved visibility so

that they can take the appropriate actions to ensure compliance with local customs and regulations. “This is especially critical for high-priority and/or perishable cargo such as pharmaceuticals, live animals and food.”

The key outcome Despite improvements in commercial shipping, a lack of supply chain visibility is one of the biggest challenges faced by cargo providers today. A December 2020 survey found that 92% of supply chain professionals say they can’t trust the data they have on products travelling through their supply chains. Respondents also reported significant annual losses in inventory from product spoilage due to the lack of

visibility, with pharmaceutical companies citing losses as much as $138 million a year. A separate study of North American and European retailers showed that just 16% of the companies surveyed are able to get real-time key performance indicators for their supply chain. In a recent session at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) annual conference, Gregory Pritchard, head of global logistics and JAPAC distribution at AbbVie, highlighted how real-time visibility can improve operational efficiency, explaining: “Immediate real-time understanding of the position of your shipments, and then being able to respond, creates a level of added assurance for your customers and enhances that service experience.”

EVE SIGNS MOU WITH KENYA AIRWAYS

EVE Urban Air Mobility Solutions (Eve) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kenya Airways through its fully ... PAGE 4

NEW KOOLBOTIC ROBOTS FOR KERRY

KERRY Logistics Network is utilising robotic arms to boost sorting efficiency and raise accuracy. Kerry Logistics Network has named ... PAGE 6

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NEWS

SUPPLEMENT SERIES TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH

FedEx delivers COVID-19 vaccines to South Korea

FEDEX Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, delivered a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines on August 15 to the government of the Republic of Korea on behalf of the US government. The FedEx team loaded and transported the time- and temperature-sensitive vaccine shipment from Memphis to Incheon International Airport and then on to the final destination in South Korea. FedEx used its healthcare solutions and expertise to protect the integrity and security of this shipment throughout the entire journey. “We are proud to play an important role in helping South Korea combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Using our extensive network to ship COVID-19 vaccines to communities where they are needed most is some of the most important work we are doing. FedEx is well-positioned to handle these shipments with our temperature-control solutions, near real-time monitoring capabilities, and a dedicated healthcare team to deliver

vaccine shipments securely and efficiently,” said Eun-mi Chae, managing director, operations, FedEx Express Korea. FedEx continues to collaborate with the Government of the Republic of Korea, healthcare customers, and the producers of critical medical aid items to provide support where it is needed most. FedEx has delivered COVID19 vaccines to nearly 50 countries around the world, including the distribution of more than 200 million doses throughout the United States. FedEx has a long history of supporting relief efforts across the globe during times of crisis. The company has committed some $4 million in cash and in-kind transportation support to help non-profits reach underserved communities with COVID-19 vaccines around the world. Since the beginning of 2020, the company has transported more than 13,800 humanitarian aid shipments globally toward COVID-19 relief efforts.

UKWA leads industry response to HM Treasury and MHCLG and UKGBC consultations PRODUCTION and editorial work is progressing well on the launch of a series of Air Cargo Week monthly supplements. The first will cover the Middle East, the pivotal region of international aviation hubs positioned between the major economies of the East and the West that forms the backbone of much global airfreight activity. Air Cargo Week editor James Graham says: “This is an exciting development for ACW. “All of the Air Cargo Week editorial team are working to produce a supplement worthy of its 20 years+ as a leading information source.”

THE UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) has convened its Real Estate Advisory Board, comprising leading commercial property developers and agents, to prepare a comprehensive response to two important consultations on behalf of the warehousing industry. The first consultation relates to proposed changes to Business Rates, including more frequent valuations (three-yearly rather than five-yearly), to make rates fairer. The second has been launched

by UK Green Business Council and seeks feedback from relevant sectors in the built environment on its Whole Life Carbon Net Zero Roadmap, which will be published in time for UK’s hosting of COP26 in November 2021. Commenting on the consultations, UKWA CEO Clare Bottle says: “Both these issues will affect the businesses of our members and as the voice of the industry, we felt it important to gather views from major influencers in order to prepare an informed, coherent response to each consultation.

Advice and input from the real estate sector as well as UKWA board members was extremely valuable and we are pleased to be able to contribute to the process.” She adds: “Sustainability is high on our agenda, and while transport accounts for 25% of carbon emission, 11% is from embodied carbon in the built environment. Therefore, as part of that built environment, it is important that the warehousing industry steps up to take our share of responsibility for achieving Net Zero by 2050.”

BIFA launches CDS training system

THE British International Freight Association (BIFA) is launching a new online training course to help prepare BIFA members and others to operate HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Customs Declaration Service (CDS). HMRC recently announced that CDS will replace CHIEF in a phased transition ending in April 2023. The training course will provide hands-on tuition, practical exercises and a technical resource, finishing with an assessment. BIFA director general, Robert Keen states: “BIFA has taken the initiative in regards to creating a relevant training course that will help our members understand and implement the different working methods involved with the new system.”

Main difference BIFA’s Customs Declaration Service – eLearning course is suitable for anyone completing Customs declarations and will cover the main differences between CHIEF and CDS to enable users to submit customs declarations for exports and imports via the new system

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

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no matter which software supplier is used. The course has been developed in conjunction with Agency Sector Management (UK) Ltd (ASM), a leading software provider to the UK Customs clearance and freight forwarding industries that also represents the interests of the freight forwarding community through advocacy activities.

Eight modules The course consists of eight modules, which offer an introduction to CDS; as well as the data elements required, and the UK Trade Tariff and customs procedure codes. Other modules cover commercial relationships, arrangements and valuation; methods of payment and authorisations; as well as documents, certifications and authorisations indicators. Simulation exercises and an assessment will enable all delegates to check their knowledge and understanding about future import and export declaration processes, putting into practice what they have learnt on each module.

Keen concludes: “This course will be available from September 2021. Whilst dual-running of both systems will continue, we know enough about the new CDS system to be confident in offering a training course to BIFA members and others that will provide cost effective and invaluable advice and information. It is designed to help them to prepare for when CDS will serve as the UK’s single customs platform at the end of March 2023.”

NEWS

AVEM AERO revenue exceeds pre-Covid-19 levels by 90% URGENT cargo carrier AVEM AERO total revenue grew by 90% from January-June 2021 compared to the same period in 2019, and by 229% compared to 2020, the company reported.

Nikolay Kurbanov, AVEM AERO’s managing director, commented: “For a small company such as AVEM AERO, it’s easier to grow than it is for big ones, especially in current market conditions. Also, last year we launched a new service — an Operations Control Centre service for airlines. We practiced an agile approach long before the abnormal 2020. Risk calculation and predictive planning expressed in adaptive changes, even in the number of aircrafts in our fleet, along with dedicated work on the ‘all-in’ pricing model, helped us to grow.” All-in pricing is a model whereby all extra charges, surcharges and exceptional handling charges are removed for the customer and paid by the carrier. In the case of urgent

flights, there are specific surcharges: demurrage, de-icing, diversion to alternate airports, airport night surcharges, handling extra fees, etc. AVEM AERO has been working on this model for more than a year. In 2021, the carrier achieved a 38% increase in the number of flights, compared to 2019. E s to n i a - h e a d quartered AVEM AERO was founded in 2018 by Nikolay Kurbanov. The carrier specialises

in “go now” aircraft charters and in risky goods and destinations. In

April 2021, AVEM AERO started to fly to war-ravaged Libya.

The sun shines on Gebrüder Weiss

GEBRÜDER Weiss has reached another milestone on its journey to climate-neutral logistics facilities. At the beginning of August in 2020, the logistics company commissioned a photovoltaic installation at the Graz location (Kalsdorf in Austria) capable of generating over 460 megawatt hours of elec-

tricity every year, enough to meet around half of the energy needs of the 27,000 sq m logistics centre. “The roof surfaces of our logistics centres are ideally suited for generating solar power, which is why we included energy-efficient and, by extension, climate-friendly, concepts when planning the new logistics terminal,” says Markus Nigsch, head of facility management at Gebrüder Weiss.

The logistics company already uses solar power at five other locations for lighting, air conditioning, and charging e-floor conveyors, thereby enabling it to meet 10% of the current energy needs of all of its logistics locations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Gebrüder Weiss plans to equip an additional four branches with solar installations by the end of 2021. Once installed, all its facilities will produce a total of 8.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity (GWh) and save around 1,050 tonnes of CO2 every year. Making the gradual switch to renewable energies is one of the core elements of the company’s sustainability strategy. The aim is to run the entirety of its logistics buildings with electricity from renewable energies by 2030. Gebrüder Weiss has been helping to improve the green credentials of the electricity mix in Germany since 2011 with its wind farm in northern Germany. The logistics organisation is also making use of various low-emission trucks powered by natural gas (LNG, CNG), electricity or hydrogen (fuel cell).

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NEWS

BBAM and EFW announce order volume for Airbus A320/A321P2F conversion BBAM Limited Partnership (BBAM), a world leader in aircraft leasing, and Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture of ST Engineering and Airbus, has inked an agreement for Airbus A320/A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) orders including options. The new orders by BBAM bring the total number of its A320/ A321P2F to no less than 20, with the conversions to be carried out by EFW by 2025. The agreement comes with the option to add new conversion slots every year starting in 2026. BBAM has ordered new A321P2F freighter conversions from EFW. “With this latest order, BBAM is now the largest aircraft lessor for the A320/A321P2F programme, and one of the top P2F customers of EFW,” said Andreas Sperl, chief executive

officer of EFW. “The order volume by BBAM translates into a full conversion line with a minimum of five slots per year, with many of the conversions to be carried out at the airframe facility of our parent company, ST Engineering, in the US. “When combined with top-notch conversion standards, our A321P2F solution offers unique benefits for air freight activities, including best-in-class economics, reduced noise, lower carbon footprint, real-time health monitoring and the highest level in reliability.” Steve Zissis, president and chief executive officer of BBAM, said: “Our commitment to the P2F programme demonstrates our confidence in the ability of EFW and ST Engineering to deliver long-term value enhancement for the

BBAM has ordered new A321P2F freighter conversions from EFW

A320s and A321s in our fleet. We have committed to the A320/A321P2F programme well into the future – beyond 2026 – because we see it as a greener and highly innovative solution for our airline customers, and an excellent way to drive value for our investors.” In January this year, BBAM announced the delivery of the world’s first Airbus A321P2F on lease to Titan Airways. The Airbus A320/A321P2F is a technological breakthrough given that it is the first in its size category to offer containerised loading in both the main deck (up to 14 full container

positions) and lower deck (up to 10 container positions). EFW’s A320/A321P2F solution, which comes with optimised weight distribution to enable random loading even on empty flights, as well as a payload-range capability of more than 28 tonnes, accords high flexibility for operators, in particular express carriers. Being the only OEM solution for the Airbus A320/A321P2F conversion in the market also ensures that EFW’s programme has greater lifecycle value and superiority in quality, reliability and ease of maintenance.

Eve signs MoU with Kenya Airways

EVE Urban Air Mobility Solutions (Eve) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kenya Airways through its fully owned subsidiary Fahari Aviation. This collaboration aims to develop operational models for the wide accessibility of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to support Fahari Aviation’s key markets. In addition, this partnership will establish the co-creation of a foundation of concepts and procedures to safely scale electric vertical aircraft (EVA) throughout the country in the coming years.

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Eve will support Fahari Aviation, the Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) division of Kenya Airways that promotes safe and secure UAS usage in the region, in establishing its UAM network and collaborate on the required Urban Air Traffic Management (UATM) procedures and UAM operating environment. This partnership will also allow Fahari Aviation to support Eve’s aircraft and product development process which will help guide the integration of UAM with Kenya Airways’ overall operations.

“We are thrilled to partner with Kenya Airways to provide new forms of air mobility throughout the region for both people and goods. The creation of disruptive and widely accessible Urban Air Mobility solutions will help democratise mobility by making it more accessible, affordable and giving communities more options. This partnership will foster longterm mobility strategies throughout the country and region,” said Andre Stein, president and chief executive officer of Eve.

NEWS

AIRPORT Authority Hong Kong (AA) has released traffic figures for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for July 2021. During the month, HKIA handled 11,850 flight movements, representing year-on-year increases of 20.0%. Cargo throughput saw a 12.4% increase to 419,000 tonnes compared to the same month last year. Transshipments recorded strong growth of 21%. Both imports and exports also experienced double-digit growth. Cargo to and from Southeast Asia experienced the most significant increase during the month. In July, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) successfully implemented 100% security screening for export air cargo, meeting the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) policy direction towards enhancing global air cargo security as scheduled. The AA has worked closely with CAD in the introduction of Regulated Air Cargo Screening Facility (RACSF) Scheme to increase air cargo security screening ability at off-airport locations, and collaborated with air cargo terminals and other stakeholders to facilitate industry preparations for complying with the new

CARGO THROUGHPUT AT HKIA CONTINUES TO RECORD DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN JULY

requirements. Cissy Chan, executive director, commercial of the AA, said: “Strong growth in exports of air cargo last month is a clear indication that the new screening measures have been implemented smoothly – strengthening the security of export air cargoes while maintain-

ing high operational efficiency at HKIA. We believe that the enhanced air cargo security reinforces HKIA’s status as the world’s leading cargo hub.” On a 12-month rolling basis, cargo throughput saw an increase of 4.6% to 4.8 million tonnes.

AirLog Pakistan appointed cargo GSA for Gulf Air Cargo in Pakistan AIRLOG Pakistan, a part of the Air Logistics Group, has been appointed as cargo GSA for Gulf Air Cargo (GF) in Pakistan, effective August 15. Gulf Air has a large fleet of aircraft and can carry a wide variety of products, ranging from perishables and oversized freight to dangerous goods and valuable cargo as well as live animals. GF operates direct flights from seven cities across Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore,

Islamabad, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Multan to Bahrain and beyond to Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. “We are very proud and excited to be selected by Gulf Air Cargo as their GSA for Pakistan, and look forward to working with the Gulf Air Cargo team to provide a full range of cargo services to the freight community across Pakistan,” comments Imran Peracha, MD AirLog Pakistan.

Emirates boosts its network

EMIRATES is responding to the spike in travel demand across its network to make it easier for customers to connect to Dubai and beyond through the scaling up of its operations. In line with the easing of restrictions, the airline will be restoring capacity across 29 cities on its network on over 270 flights as well as fine-tuning its schedules to boost frequencies and capacity. By October, the airline will increase its services to 73 weekly flights to the UK, including a six times a day London Heathrow operation; double daily A380 flights to Manchester, ten weekly services to Birmingham and daily services to Glasgow. Emirates currently flies to 12 cities in the US on over 70 weekly flights, and will be adding additional frequencies to Houston, Boston and San Francisco over the course of August. The airline will boost capacity on its four weekly services to New York JFK to its flagship A380 from August 13. Emirates has increased flights to Johannesburg from daily to 11 weekly flights, with the addition of four linked flights with Durban, and the airline also flies to and from Cape Town with three weekly services. Flights to/ from South Africa have also been scheduled to allow for convenient connections and additional access to Emirates’ four gateways in the UK, as well as Emirates’ extensive US network. The airline has also reinstated capacity on its flights to and from Lusaka (linked with Harare) and Entebbe with five weekly flights each.

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

NEWS

New Koolbotic robots for Kerry in HK ETIHAD CARGO’S TONNAGE +20% ON PRE-COVID VOLUMES

KERRY Logistics Network is utilising robotic arms to boost sorting efficiency and raise accuracy. The network has named the robots Koolbotic as part of the company’s efforts to increase automation in its operations to enhance productivity. Koolbotic is installed in the regional distribution centre that Kerry Logistics Network has been managing for one of the UK’s leading retailers in Hong Kong since 2011. Adopted to handle chilled-food products in a low-temperature environment and with a relatively short lead time to market, Koolbotic is able to work 20-hour shifts and raises sorting productivity by 20%. Koolbotic also supports warehouse staff as it can endure freezing conditions which would be detrimental to humans for a prolonged period, in doing so safeguards the health and safety of staff members. Automation is becoming an integral part of Kerry Logistics Network’s operation, especially

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

amid the pandemic when human contact is minimised in the sorting process. In view of the rapid growth of e-Commerce in recent years, Kerry Logistics Network will continue to explore the possibility of expanding the use of robotics for other sectors. Samuel Lau, deputy managing director – integrated logistics of Kerry Logistics Network, said: “At Kerry Logistics Network, we are firm believers of leveraging the benefits of technological advances to bolster our productivity as well as to improve the working conditions of our people. Koolbotic is added to our chilledfood product sorting process to support staff and increase ease of operation. We see this type of selective automation and collaborative robots as the future of our industry, as it combines the best of both worlds – the flexibility of humans and the endurance of machines. We anticipate installing more robots in our logistics centres to take our operations to the next level.”

ETIHAD Cargo has reclaimed 90% of its preCOVID-19 destinations and recorded a 20% increase in tonnage compared to the same period in 2019. The UAE carrier, which is looking to facilitate a global trade recovery and restore distribution confidence in international markets, currently services 72 network destinations across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Its active fleet of 65 aircraft operate 430 weekly rotations, in addition to charter flights which service demand across non-network destinations. “Etihad Cargo has maintained network operations throughout the pandemic and provided appropriate capacity to cater for demand on key routes, which has resulted in a significant increase in tonnage being carried across the global network,” explained Martin Drew, senior vice-president sales and cargo, Etihad Aviation Group. “The commitment to expanding operations and provision of additional support to customers where there have been capacity shortages has seen Etihad Cargo carrying more on fewer routes than pre-pandemic. During the coming months, capacity growth is expected to continue, supported by the reintroduction of Etihad Airways passenger flights.” In the past month, Etihad Airways introduced flights to Malaga, Mykonos, Santorini, Phuket and Vienna, providing additional belly-hold capacity between Europe and Asia. Charter operations and a cabin loading initiative – which saw the carrier modify five of its Boeing 777 aircraft by removing seats to

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provide additional capacity on key routes such as Dhaka and Ho Chi Minh City – have enabled the Abu Dhabi-based carrier to service increased Asian demand. “Record loads have recently been achieved on a number of Asian flights, including more than 58,000 kg from Dhaka and 52,000 kg from Ho Chi Minh,” added Drew. “These loads, with increased capacity enabled by cabin loading, were bound for Middle Eastern and European destinations via Etihad Cargo’s Abu Dhabi hub – a clear demonstration of the carrier’s determination to continue facilitating a global trade recovery.” Year-to-date, Etihad Cargo has operated over 200 charter flights to 30 destinations not serviced through its network, 20% of which were on behalf of the UAE government. Since January 2021, Etihad Cargo has operated charter services to countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mozambique, Senegal, and others across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Edwards appointed RAeS chief executive DAVID Edwards has been appointed as the chief executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) in place of Sir Brian Burridge who is stepping down. David Edwards will take over as chief executive on September 20. Until recently Edwards was chief executive of the Air Charter Association and led that organisation through a significant period of change and growth and represented the sector to government and regulators during the Brexit transition and COVID-19.

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NEWS

AG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG) has now transported over 10 million COVID vaccines, supporting global efforts in the fight against COVID19. This includes a 4 million dose shipment to Abuja, Nigeria in collaboration with UNICEF and its COVAX initiative and 300,000 doses to Jamaica, donated by the UK government. The Abuja shipment, completed on behalf of UNICEF, departed London Heathrow in July on two British Airways B777-200. The 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines bound for Jamaica also departed in July and were delivered in partnership with Crown Agents on a British Airways B777-200. This was in co-ordination with the UK Government’s scheme, announced at the G7 summit in June, to donate 100 million vaccines overseas, with at least 80 million pledged to COVAX and the remainder sent directly to countries, including Jamaica. The COVID-19 vaccine shipments have been transported using IAG Cargo’s specialist Constant Climate service, a product that has played a vital role in the distribution of vaccines and pharmaceuticals for many years. IAG Cargo benefits from an extensive global network of over 100 approved stations supported by constant climate specialists. Its hub at London

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

vaccines for all countries across the world.” Crown Agents CEO Fergus Drake said: “As of today, 29% of the world’s population has been vaccinated. Urgent help is needed to ensure 70% vaccine coverage in every country in 2022 as per the WHO’s recommendation. Crown Agents is proud to contribute towards this goal with its long-standing, global supply chain expertise.”

Pandemic When the pandemic first emerged last year, IAG Cargo drew on all its existing resources and expertise in pharmaceuticals to be in a state of readiness to transport any vaccines or pharma across the world at short notice, and has been able to deliver COVID19 vaccines to a vast number of countries including: Antigua, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Ireland, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Chile, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, the US, Turks and Caicos and Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city located on the northwest coast of Africa. IAG Cargo also transported medical aid to Delhi during a peak in its coronavirus cases, carrying items such as critical care equipment, Personal Protection Equipment and oxygen concentrators via two emergency charters.

IAG CARGO REACHES 10 MILLION VACCINE MILESTONE SUPPORTING UNICEF AND CROWN AGENTS

Heathrow is one of the only airside facilities to be GDP certified and WDA licensed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory agency (MHRA); and in 2019 the business opened a brand-new pharmaceutical centre in Madrid dedicated to processing temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products.

Pride Darren Peek, head of sales at IAG Cargo

said: “We’re proud that with our sister airlines, British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus, we continue to support countries across the world on the fight against COVID-19. “Last year we delivered over 20,000 tonnes of PPE and today we have delivered over 10 million COVID-19 vaccines working with UNICEF and partners like Crown Agents. We will continue to work with a range of partners in the global response to COVID-19, supporting the efforts to ensure equal access to

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A SNEAK PEEK

CNS PREVIEW

Oscar Nobre, senior manager, at McVeigh Global Meetings and Events for IATA events, looks forward to what visitors can expect from the 2021 CNS Partnership Conference

ow in its 30th year, the CNS Partnership Conference is taking place August 29-31, 2021 in Miami, Florida. As always, this year’s event will bring together the leaders and decision-makers of the air cargo industry to explore and influence the future. We know that in these unprecedented times, it is essential that our industry work together to move forward, stronger. The CNS Partnership Conference will be the perfect setting to get together, connect, and start paving the way to the recovery. And, in planning for this year’s event, we’ve kept two main things in mind: safety and flexibility for everyone involved. This year’s event will be a hybrid event allowing delegates both in-person and virtual to connect, meet, and gather important industry best practices to help them navigate this challenging environment. CNS is following CDC and WHO

Safety first at Unisys

guidelines and on-site safety protocols will include masks, sanitising stations and social distancing measures. Delegates are eager to get together in person; however, there will of course be some hesitancy in gathering in larger groups. And, the fist bump and elbow touch will replace the handshake at this year’s event. Safety protocols including mandatory mask wearing in meeting rooms and social distancing will be implemented and most social events will be outdoors, or well spread out. The en-

ergy around the event has been positive and this industry is looking forward to reconnecting. This year’s theme is all about “Delivering Hope in Times of Crisis,” and how our industry is well poised to do so. The sessions are timely and will feature a Keynote from Dr Udo Lange, president and CEO at FedEx Logistics, a warm welcome from Frederic Leger, president, CNS and Willie Walsh, director general, IATA. The full conference agenda is filled with sessions featuring new initiatives, innovative uses of technology, best practices that have emerged over the past year, and much more. Without a doubt, we are most excited to see this close-knit industry reconnect. Having our delegates finally meet in person and giving them the tools and space to do business in a safe social atmosphere is what this is all about.

How is Unisys preparing for the first in person event since the beginning of the pandemic? The last 17 months have been a strain on all of us. Unisys will continue to put safety as our number one priority. We want to do our part to contain COVID-19 and stop the spread. At the same time we are rather eager for this opportunity. You could sense it on the faces of all our team members during the planning process . We are truly looking forward to seeing everyone in the industry again. How will Unisys be involved in the event? What will be showcased? Unisys is excited to be a Gold sponsor at the CNS Partnership. We will have a speaking engagement during the opening cocktail event, a booth in the exhibition hall, and a meeting room where we will be conducting workshops. Piece Level Tracking will be showcased prominently. Unisys Cargo Solutions recently released an innovative capability to enable airlines, freight forwarders, and ground handlers the ability to track air freight shipments throughout the entirety of the supply chain. This provides our clients a distinct competitive advantage and opportunity to generate incremental revenue. The CNS Partnership will be the first time Piece Level Tracking will be demonstrated to the market. Delegates could stop by booth #21 to learn more and sign up for a workshop. What will be the main themes of this year’s CNS? E-Commerce. E-Commerce continues to be a top trend across the industry and COVID-19 has only accelerated investments. Consumers have demanded faster deliveries, additional tracking and visibility into their shipments. The ability to provide consumers end-to-end visibility, increase delivery speeds for international shipments, and facilitating custom checks are several of the prominent reasons we are excited about our piece level tracking solution. What does Unisys hope to gain from attending and sponsoring? Increased visibility, shift perception, demonstrate commitment and innovation in the air cargo industry. Aside from distancing and masks, how do you think this year’s event will be different from the others; do you think the industry’s mindset/goals have changed in the pandemic? Absolutely. CNS 2021 is the first outlet industry leaders can collaborate with peers, face-to-face, discussing lessons learned and best practices. Ingenuity was necessary and rewarded over the last year and a half. COVID-Darwinism, the adaptation airlines displayed during the pandemic has demonstrated the importance and value air cargo brings to airlines revenues and the global economy.

What are you most looking forward to at the event? Unisys is looking forward to face-to-face collaboration with our industry peers to uncover lessons learned, identify business objectives and key obstacles post-COVID-19 to progress collectively as an industry.

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

CNS PREVIEW

CONFERENCES ARE VITAL ronmental health and safety team to ensure the highest levels of safety for our participation.

Matt Regan, senior sales manager – aviation / ports & borders, Smiths Detection.

ow is Smiths Detection preparing for the first in person event since the beginning of the pandemic?

Smiths Detection provides essential equipment and services, and the majority of our work cannot be conducted remotely, we therefore had to adapt quickly at the onset of the pandemic so that our employees could safely return to our manufacturing facilities and customer sites. This has stood us in good stead for other in-person engagements such as events. Conferences play a vital role for meeting customers, networking and cross-industry knowledge sharing, so it is great that the events circuit is getting going again. In the US, events resumed a couple of months ago and the team has already attended several industry gatherings outside of the air cargo sector. Thorough preparation ahead of events is vital for keeping our employees safe. We are constantly monitoring the situation and work closely with our events partners and internal envi-

ow will SD be involved in the event? What will be showcased?

Smiths Detection works closely with shippers, forwarders, airlines and industry authorities to ensure that air cargo security standards are in place worldwide. CNS Miami will be one of the first opportunities since the beginning of the pandemic for the sector to gather to discuss the future development and safety standards of air cargo, which we want to support and promote. That’s why we are proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of the event. At Booth #19, we will be showcasing two of our main portable products which ensure the safety of air cargo forwarders’ operations while enhancing their capabilities and maximising uptime, which is vital for an industry that trades on speed. These products include the IONSCAN 600, which is a highly sensitive, portable explosives and narcotics trace detector. This product is currently under testing to be qualified on the TSA ACSTL. Attendees will also be able to see the BioFlash® biological identifier. This bio-sensor enabled system can confirm the presence or absence of various airborne pathogens, such as COVID-19, in under 15 minutes. For the air cargo market this can have a variety of applications, from creating a secure and safe environment for employees in working rooms to mail screening, by providing rapid, sensitive, and specific identification of biological warfare agents that may be present in mail or packages. Finally, we also plan to discuss the 145180 2is pro, which supports fast and effective air cargo screening and was recently qualified on the TSA’s ACSTL.

hat will be the main themes of this year’s CNS?

From a cargo screening perspective, the key focus will be on the new landscape of threats. Threats are constantly evolving and extend beyond explosives. For example, biological threats are becoming more prevalent, with pathogens such as Ricin and Anthrax. Against this backdrop, it is vital that R&D remains a priority despite the negative impacts of the pandemic on the sector, to ensure that new threats can be tackled and regulatory compliance is upheld. To achieve this and overcome challenges

that lie ahead it is vital that key industry stakeholders and regulators work closely together to generate and apply common standards and solutions.

hat does SD hope to gain from attending and sponsoring?

Industry associations did a fantastic job in keeping key stakeholders connected and engaged throughout the pandemic through a variety of virtual formats – from webinars to virtual booths. These events facilitated cross-industry conversation at a critical juncture, but there really is no replacement for faceto-face interaction. We are looking forward to properly reconnecting with customers, which is invaluable for understanding their priorities, plans and challenges. Through these in-person conversations we can more effectively gather feedback and determine how best we can support our customers in achieving their objectives. Aside from distancing and masks, how do you think this year’s event will be different from the others, do you think the industry’s mindset/goals have changed as a result of the pandemic? From our recent experience of other post-pandemic events in other industries, the overriding sentiment has been one of positivity, with people being grateful to reconnect in person after such a long time. Like most industries, the air cargo sector has gone through paradigm shifts during the pandemic. There are new challenges and opportunities for the sector which will have undoubtedly given new shape to strategies and goals. For example, the pandemic has highlighted the essential role of air cargo in global trade and the distribution of essential resources, which in turn has demonstrated the urgent need for digitalisation to create efficiencies and build robustness.

hat are you most looking forward to at the event?

We are looking forward to connecting with customers, and also showcasing technologies which have the potential to significantly boost operational efficiency of air cargo screening and increase safety. We want to give a big thanks to CNS Partnership who diligently assessed the situation and made responsible decisions so that this event can go ahead safely.

CNS PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE Golf Tournament & Welcome (29 Aug 2021) 07:30-08:30 - Golf registration & breakfast - Corsair Lawn 08:30-13:00 - CNS Partnership Golf Classic (Shotgun Start) Miller Course 13:00-14:00 - Golfers luncheon - Corsair Lawn 14:00-18:00 - Exhibitor set-up - Royal Ballroom 15:00-18:00 - Conference registration - Royal Foyer 18:00-20:00 - Welcome cocktail reception - Cascata Pool

Exhibition Hall & Innovation Stage (30 Aug 2021) 07:00-17:00 - Conference Registration Desk - Royal Foyer 07:00-17:00 - Exhibition open - Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 07:00-08:00 - Breakfast – light continental - Exhibit Hall 08:00-08:10 - Welcome address: Frederic Leger, president, CNS Majestic Ballroom 08:10-08:30 - Opening remarks by IATA director general Willie Walsh - Majestic Ballroom 08:30-09:00 - Keynote Sspeech - Dr Udo Lange, president and CEO at FedEx Logistics - Majestic Ballroom 09:00-09:30 - Air Cargo Economic Outlook - Dr Walter Kemmsies, managing director, economist and chief strategist for JLL’s US Ports, Airports and Global Infrastructure Group Majestic Ballroom

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

August 29-31, 2021 09:30-10:00 - Fireside Chat: Rising to the Challenges of a Crisis: An airline perspective - Jessica Tyler, president cargo and vice president operations innovation and delivery, American Airlines. Moderator: Peter Cerda, Regional Vice President Americas - IATA Majestic Ballroom 10:00-10:30 - Networking break - Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 10:30-11:20 - Panel session on COVID-19 - Panelists: Laura Sanders Lynden, VP operations at Lynden International Thomas Crabtree, regional director, Market Analysis – Air Cargo at Boeing - Moderator: Representative from IATA Majestic Ballroom 11:20-11:40 - Digitalisation of the cargo industry - David West, head of cargo, Americas at IBS Software - Majestic Ballroom 11:40-12:10 - 100% cargo screening effective July 1st: Are we there yet? John Beckius, executive director, Air Cargo Division, TSA - Majestic Ballroom 12:10-12:25 - E-Commerce: A shipper’s perspective. TBA 12:25-12:30 - Where Do We Want to Be in 2022?: Frederic Leger, president, CNS - Ballroom 12:30-13:30 - Networking Lunch - Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 13:30-14:00 - Special challenges for special cargo and the future of pharma beyond the crisis 13:30 – 17:00 - BizZone – Pre-set appointments at open tables

aircargoweek.com

- Majestic & Royal Foyer Areas 14:00-14:30 - Cargo Tracking Devices - Innovation Stage 14:30-15:00 - Coffee Break - Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 15:00-18:00 - Open for Networking

Exhibition Hall & Innovation Stage (31 Aug 2021) 08:00-15:00 - Conference Registration Desk - Royal Foyer 08:00-15:00 - Exhibition Open Exhibit Hall - Royal Ballroom 08:00-09:00 - Breakfast – Light continental -Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 09:00-09:30 - Cargo Rates: Implementing Net Rates - Innovation Stage 09:30-10:00 - Efficiency in Dangerous Goods Transportation: How DG AutoCheck is revolutionising the acceptance of DGs Innovation Stage 10:00-10:30 - Open Session - Innovation Stage 10:30-11:30 - Coffee Break Exhibit Hall -Royal Ballroom 11:30-13:00 - CNS Board - Round Table Discussions - Innovation Stage 13:00-14:00 - Networking Lunch - Exhibit Hall Royal Ballroom 14:00-15:00 - BizZone – Pre-set appointments at open tables -Majestic & Royal Foyer Areas 14:00-18:00 - Open for networking 19:00-20:00 - Cocktail reception - Majestic Foyer 20:00-22:00 - Networking dinner - Majestic Ballroom

CNS PREVIEW

Nico van der Linden, VP SkyTeam Cargo Alliance: “First global in-person cargo event since the pandemic started”

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CNS is the first global in-person cargo event since the pandemic started at the beginning of 2020, so SkyTeam Cargo is thrilled to have an opportunity to meet with our customer base again. Unfortunately, ongoing travel restrictions make it impossible for some of our members to attend, however they will be able to participate virtually. We’re hoping US government restrictions regarding travel for EU citizens will be lifted in time for the event, so the SkyTeam Cargo team can participate in person. CNS is an important event and SkyTeam Cargo is showing its support by being a platinum sponsor, something we are proud to be during these challenging times for the airline industry. “As a way of showing our thanks to our members’ customers, SkyTeam Cargo is hosting the golf tournament on the first day of the conference. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our members to get together with their customers in a relaxing and competitive environment. Also, it gives us an opportunity to meet up with customers and at a memorable and fun golf event. “It’s the 30th anniversary of CNS, so that’s something to celebrate. The industry is moving at a fast pace with e-Commerce growing exponentially, which combined with fast-changing government restrictions around travel, makes this a timely event for our industry to get together and discuss. “In sponsoring, we’ll be looking to highlight the importance of a global cargo alliance with 12 members that spans the world, offering a unified product portfolio that makes doing business easy. We’re also looking forward to seeing our members’ customers, so we can thank them for their support. “It’s no surprise that we’re most looking forward being able to physically meet and interact with people! While video conferencing and phone calls have been a good stopgap, they can never replace proper contact between individuals when it comes to discussing business. Let’s hope this year’s CNS is the beginning of getting back to “normal”.

“It’s the 30th anniversary of CNS, so that’s something to celebrate”

From a CNS GSA: Vasili Sushko, VP Sales, Transatlantic Airways ACW: How is Transatlantic involved in this year’s CNS event? Vasili Sushko: Transatlantic has just invested heavily in a brand new online cargo booking portal. This should allow us to offer a much more polished product to other air carriers. Therefore Transatlantic will be actively seeking additional carriers at CNS and marketing our services as our goal is to expand over the next two years as we have the resources to handle several more carriers. We hope this year’s CNS will be the beginning step in what we hope will be an active next few years of seeking additional carriers. ACW: How has Transatlantic benefitted from being one of the 12 CNS member GSAs? Sushko: Freight forwarders many times are surprised that we as a GSA are able to bill them via CNS on behalf of the carriers, so we are privileged to be able to offer this ser-

vice to both our carriers and freight forwarder partners. ACW: What do you hope to gain from attending and being involved with the CNS event? Sushko: As CNS is organised by IATA, we feel it is always beneficial to maintain good ties with IATA, as we rely on them heavily for marketing data and support when it comes to providing our customer carriers the latest statistics, as well as relying on them to help us resolve any issues we may have. ACW: Has Transatlantic got any exciting plans in the pipeline for the near future? Sushko: Absolutely, we hope to take on a least two more carriers by the end of next year as we feel we have expertise and the resources to compete with some of the top GSAs in the world, especially now with our state-of-the-art online booking portal which is going live before the end of the year.

ACW 23 AUGUST 2021

THREE MEN, ONE GSSA VOICE We asked Adrien Thominet, CEO, ECS Group, Robert Van de Weg, chief commercial officer, ECS Group and Cedric Millet, chief strategy and digital officer, ECS Group some pen etrating questions and they came up with these combined answers.

Adrien Thominet, CEO, ECS Group

primarily looking to maximise their cargo revenues. Having robust commercial planning processes and strategies in place is therefore key if you want to be recognised as a relevant GSA partner. To bring the revenue optimisation of our airline customers to the next level, we developed Apollo, our state-of-the art business intelligence and reporting system and deployed it among our sales force. Apollo has been designed to be the catalyst of our commercial strength. In the blink of an eye, our sales staff have a real-time visibility of the airline results, can immediately identify the gaps and determine the performance improvement actions. This digital solution is not only a repository of data. All companies have data and the question is not whether you have them, but how you use them. Thanks to Apollo, we successfully implemented a data-driven sales approach and performance improvement process. It has a clear positive impact on the optimisation of the revenue of our customer airlines, and this is probably one of the reasons behind ECS Group’s increased commercial successes. Secondly; streamlining and uniformising its internal processes became key for ECS Group as it grew bigger. With 153 offices spanning more than 50 countries, the leading GSSA could no longer afford to have differences in the way people worked. Since we are a Network GSSA, some of our airline customers use our services in several countries and expect us to have the same “way of working” and quality level everywhere we represent them. This was one of the goals of our transformation programme

ou have just finished the first phase of your digital transformation. How successful has this first phase been?

CS Group has changed drastically and started its transformation at the beginning of 2018 with three objectives: offer new, enhanced services to its airline customers, standardise the way its people work internally and be more efficient. To meet these goals, ECS Group embarked on a digital transformation whose first phase has been successfully completed. ECS Group’s digital transformation meant changing the way people worked, challenging mindsets and the daily work processes they were used to. This did represent the biggest challenge. There is no point developing best-in-class digital solutions if people do not know how or when to use them, or how they should become part of their daily routine. The key to success consisted of generating the buy-in among all staff. To support the transformation, ECS Group first implemented a training infrastructure, through the development of its e-learning platform ‘Discovery’. And because communication is key in any digital transformation, ECS Group also created a change management infrastructure, consisting of various communication channels and of a network of Change Ambassadors responsible to drive the changes locally and foster the adoption of new processes and tools. “I can now say that the first phase has been extremely successful, and that 80% of our staff have adopted the new way of working and the new digital solutions.”

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hat were the main points of Phase 1?

e started the first phase of our digital transformation in 2018 with three objectives: offer new and enhanced services to our airline customers, standardise the way we work internally and increase efficiency. We heavily invested in advanced technologies and created our Cargo Digital Factory, providing digital solutions to increase efficiency and visibility, widen the service offering to airline customers and better optimise their revenues. First of all, ECS Group’s customer airlines are

key for ECS, and fully in line with our digital strategy. A couple of months ago, we connected our TCM contracted airlines to the three main e-booking platforms. The capacity of these airlines is now visible and bookable via these platforms. We do not want to stop here, and now have the objective to digitalise as many processes as possible, not only the booking process. This is the reason why we decided to go one step further with one of the e-providers, CargoAi. We jhave just started the implementation of CargoAi in France and will progressively continue its roll-out in all our global subsidiaries There are several reasons for that: CargoAi is not only an e-booking platform but digitalises more processes than just the distribution and the booking processes. For example, forwarders can request ad-hoc rates and make their e-quote enquiries online, instead of sending emails or calling the airline or its GSA. CargoAi offers the visibility of all airline schedules, and not only of the airlines that are connected to them. It offers a more tailor-made approach and are connected to our entire suite of digital solutions. This helps in terms of efficiency, as we just continue to use our own systems seamlessly.

fter the pandemic, will we return to the business world of March 2020 or has that gone? If so, what will the new normal look like?

t will be a slow transition back to the normal ‘pre Covid’ over the next few years, subject to how the pandemic is controlled. Due to structural changes in working habits through teleworking, the business class traffic may be affected longer term means that outside the leisure travel periods belly capacity may be reduced to where ‘it could have been’ without COVID-19 (which was geared to a growth in belly capacity of around 5% per annum).

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ill GSSAs exist in 2031? If not, what can replace them?

Robert Van de Weg, CCO, ECS Group

hink the question is more whether airlines require sales force and sales tools to market the capacity and we believe the answer is definitely ‘yes’. The next question is whether airlines insource or outsource (parts) of these activities and it is up to us to proof we can deliver the best value in this regard. You cannot digitise all processes of the air cargo

Having efficiency and Innovation at heart, ECS Group heavily invested in digital solutions to support existing and new business processes and created its “Digital lab” managed by a team of experts with track records in the Airline Industry and technology fields. Besides Apollo, ECS’ Digital Factory created PathFinder, a Tracking System featuring best-in-class functionalities including real-time in-flight geo-location of shipments. Another innovation is Quantum, our latest digital solution supporting the ad-hoc pricing process. Making use of technologies implemented in other industries such as Robotic Process Automation was another priority to automate manual tasks so that the teams can direct their efforts towards higher added-value activities.

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hase 2 is about to start. Can you explain what Phase 2 is and how it follows Phase 1?

e recently started the second phase of our digital journey with a move towards e-distribution and e-booking. The objective is to digitalise as many processes as possible with the ambition to influence and help shaping the future of the industry. The move towards e-distribution and e-booking is

Cedric Millet, CSDO, ECS Group industry, and some key activities will still require human expertise and interaction. However, what can be digitised should not remain manual. GSSAs will still be there in 2031, for the activities that still require the expertise that cannot be digitised. aircargoweek.com