Issuu

GLOBAL A

MANAGEMENT

WORLD ACW Digital is sponsored by AIRPORTS.COM FREIGHTERS.COM

FREIGH

FRE

Tabloid page bled.indd 1

05/03/2020 15:40

The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,082

25 May 2020

Why BIFA is really scrumptious deliumptious

CARGO DEMAND DRIVES RETURN OF DELTA PAX

Page 8

INSIDE ON YER BIKE!

WHEN an appeal was made for people to help deliver essential medication for patients during the Covid-19 lockdown, Peli BioThermal’s ... PAGE 2

UNDER PRESSURE

CHALLENGED by a lack of capacity and rising prices, air cargo stakeholders are adapting to the new normal in a bid to keep supply ... PAGE 3 STOP SCAREMONGERING

IN response to claims that the freight forwarding sector is in the midst of extinction, international freight forwarder Chadd Blunt ... PAGE 5

EMAND for air cargo is driving the return of Delta’s passenger services from the United States to Germany and the UK for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic closed borders. Beginning May 21, 2020, flights to Frankfurt and London are operating three times weekly from Atlanta and Detroit, respectively. The flights are also available for customer travel. “Keeping global supply chains open is more important now than ever and these new services will enable suppliers to meet the needs of their customers,” said Shawn

Cole, vice president – Delta Cargo. “We’re receiving daily requests for shipments of medical supplies as well as goods that keep businesses in operation. By also opening these services to passengers, we can facilitate essential travel between the UK, Europe and the United States.” Cargo will be transported between Los Angeles and Frankfurt, via Atlanta, and between Chicago and London, via Detroit, increasing the shipping opportunities for cargo customers. The Frankfurt service will be operated using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 31 tons of cargo capacity, while a Boeing 767-300 will fly to Heathrow with

26 tonnes of cargo capacity. Delta is also launching scheduled cargo-only flights between New York-JFK and Mumbai, India, this month, subject to foreign government approval. And the airline continues to operate cargo-only service from Asia, which launched in April to transport much-needed medical equipment to the United States. Furthermore, the consolidation of operations at Frankfurt Airport means Delta’s flights are temporarily moving from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. At London Heathrow, Delta has moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2.

TAKING IT ON THE CHIN

Dan Morgan-Evans, group cargo director of Air Charter Service (ACS) is a man in the middle of a PPE-storm. Not that he is alone, he ... PAGE 6

aircargoweek.com

EBBA: Promising GEFCO organises latest first step towards charter flight from China drone integration to Slovakia

THE European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) along with Europe’s leading aviation associations have called on the European Commission to develop an inclusive and co-operative approach to ensure the safe integration of drones in the European airspace. The joint signatories of the ‘We are all ONE in the sky’ initiative sent an open letter to the EU’s commissioner for transport, Adina Vălean, on EASA’s proposal for a high-level regulatory framework for unmanned aviation operations and traffic management (U-Space). Commenting on the open letter, EBAA secretary-general Athar Husain Khan said: “EBAA has always supported an inclusive approach that takes into account the needs of all airspace users. The current proposal from EASA is a promising first step, but more work is required to find a solution that does not limit airspace availability”. The letter calls on the European Commission to develop further the latest regulation proposal to secure the support of the aviation industry; launch a new and more comprehensive consultation, involving key representatives from manned and unmanned aviation organisations; and ensure transparency and efficiency in the regulatory processes and related decision-making processes.

Global Efforts The signatories encourage and support the ambition of the EU to lead global efforts to develop a proportionate regulatory framework for U-Space. Ultimately it can also facilitate the safe integration of drones in Europe’s skies, ensuring commercial drone services can grow. The signatories believe that the upcoming U-Space Regulation represents an important first opportunity to achieve this goal worldwide. The lessons learnt from the implementation of the proposed regulation in Europe should be leveraged to inform ICAO’s Global UTM Framework and other regulatory efforts across the world. While some progress has been made since the first draft Opinion was published in October 2019, the revised draft Regulation still does not fully address the concerns that were raised by the stakeholders in their November letter. The signatories retain concerns on a number of issues, including the implications for the safety of all airspace users; the level of clarity on responsibilities of actors within the system; how to facilitate interoperability and the integration of operations; the potential implications of the proposed architecture of the system; and practical aspects as to how such a framework might be implemented.

EARLIER this month, a third special charter flight of medical equipment took off from China and landed in Bratislava, Slovakia, following two similar consignments on April 1 and March 31 organised by GEFCO Air & Sea for PENTA. This latest shipment to support the global COVID-19 effort included 200,000 respiratory masks, 100,000 COVID-19 tests, 800,000 face masks, 250,000 gloves, 20,200 protective glasses, 20,196 protective suits and 8,160 thermometers. Immediately after unloading the aircraft, GEFCO ensured complete material sorting and palletisation for further distribution in PENTA’s network of Dr Max pharmacies and Svet Zdravia hospitals. Commenting on the successful charter, Ladislav Balogh, GEFCO’s air and sea manager said: “Logistics flows have completely changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we have previously provided transportation for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, their share in our portfolio has sharply increased in recent weeks. “Nowadays we carry out a high percentage of shipments in urgent mode and this experience has made our team even

On yer bike!

WHEN an appeal was made for people to help deliver essential medication for patients during the Covid-19 lockdown, Peli BioThermal’s Paul Terry got on his bike. The keen cyclist, who is director of sales EMEA at Peli BioThermal, joined fellow riders at the Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club to help home deliver prescription drugs to housebound people. The two-wheeled delivery service proved to be a vital lifeline for vulnerable people. Terry’s personal effort is in addition to organising the loan of some of the company’s temperature-controlled products to help protect and safely transport temperature sensitive pharma products on board bikes being used for

DSV’s 100 million face-mask milestone

drug deliveries by volunteers from the cycling club. Terry said: “We were pleased to supply the cycling club with our Crēdo ProMed products to allow riders to use for temperature sensitive deliveries along with more regular prescriptions. “This is a great initiative by Banbury Star Cyclists’ Club. It was a privilege to be able to play a small part in helping others during the lockdown.”

Düsseldorf lands PPE BEST known as a leading passenger airport serving Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf has become transformed into a vital distribution point. Gerton Hulsman, managing eirector of cargo operations, reports that the handling teams are working hard to process these special shipments. “We are pleased to be able to play a part in distributing this much-needed PPE. Düsseldorf is well placed to serve a large area of Germany and also Netherlands and Belgium. “We have had a variety of aircraft to handle, including 185 tonnes on 22 flights for Condor with a B767 passenger

ACW 25 MAY 2020

more flexible than ever. Although we have experienced professionals available for these shipments 24/7, securing each air transport is a big challenge due to the very limited capacity available currently.”

aircraft, nine tonnes from Sky Up airlines with a B737/900 and 53 tonnes from Emirates Sky Cargo with a B777 freighter. “Over the next couple of weeks, we will receive additional flights which will include AN124 and B777 freighters. We have always had excellent freighter handling facilities at Düsseldorf but unloading from passenger aircraft is clearly a challenge, but we are delighted to be able to do this invaluable work. “We have all learned a lot from this pandemic and now look forward to happier times when air travel resumes to some degree and we can say goodbye to COVID 19.”

aircargoweek.com

EARLIER this month, DSV handled its one hundred millionth face-masks, an important milestone for its Belgian organisation that has put a lot of effort in “to satisfy our customers and as such tries to contribute to the overall wellbeing of all Belgian citizens,” said the company. Christophe Eulaerts, sales director of DSV BELUX, said: “When the COVID-19 crisis started, we noticed that a lot of our customers had issues to get orders confirmed and released by the Chinese authorities in order to connect on the booked flights, which often resulted in extra costs as deadlines were not kept. By offering our support on the co-ordination, we managed to align supply chains to actual flight schedules and have the most efficient result. “Our sales team is becoming an expert in every face-mask producing country and we always stick to our blueprint as it’s a proven concept for success. Off to the next milestone of 200,000,000!”

Etihad increases frequency of special flights

ETIHAD Airways is increasing the special flights it is operating to and from Abu Dhabi. Throughout May and June, the airline will increase frequencies on previously announced special flights and will add new services to Belgrade, Dublin, Geneva, Milan,

Paris Charles de Gaulle and Toronto. In addition to the recently launched link between Melbourne and London, Etihad will also add services to Sydney, allowing a direct transit connection to and from the UK capital via Abu Dhabi.

eronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) has signed a contract to provide Columbian-based AerCaribe with a B737-400SF freighter conversion, MSN 24130. All modification-touch labour will be performed by Commercial Jet at their Dothan, Alabama facility. This freighter conversion represents the second AEI freighter for AerCaribe.

Under pressure: air cargo stakeholders become flexible to deliver CHALLENGED by a lack of capacity and rising prices, air cargo stakeholders are adapting to the new normal in a bid to keep supply chains operational and economies running. This is according to industry stakeholders who were participating in a webinar on the state of Africa’s air cargo sector amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar, hosted by Messe Muenchen South Africa, the organisers of air cargo Africa Exhibition and Conference assessed the role and challenges of the air cargo sector as restrictions on movement play havoc with airports, airlines, freight forwarders and supply chains. With many countries on lockdown or restricting movement, cargo capacity has been slashed, creating a challenge for a sector seeking to fulfil its critical role in transporting essential medical supplies and keep import and export goods moving. Panellists in the webinar said stakeholders had to adapt to the new normal, as restrictions would likely continue for months to come. Fitsum Abadi, managing director of Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics said the airline had adapted quickly, pivoting to a cargo-only carrier and converting many of its passenger airlines to carry cargo. “I never expected to see cargo reclining on seats, but this is in fact what happened at first. We have now adapted by removing the seats of several passenger aircraft to repurpose them for freight, as well as optimising capacity, making Addis Ababa and Lome key regional hubs, and deploying narrow body aircraft to serve regional routes to meet demand,” he said.

the timeous distribution of medical supplies and humanitarian aid.” Air Cargo Africa, presented by Messe Muenchen South Africa, will be staged at the Sandton Convention Centre from February 9 – 11, 2021. Delivering new business opportunities, global perspectives and strong networking platforms, the air cargo Africa 2021 exhibition and conference will engage the global air cargo community to explore and strengthen networking corridors with the African Continent. air cargo Africa is part of Messe München’s transport and logistics global cluster of trade fairs that present optimal solutions in the sector. For more information, and to reserve exhibition space at air Cargo Africa 2021, go to https://aircargoafrica.aero.

Chartered flights Stakeholders reported an increase of chartered flights carrying repatriated citizens, medical supplies or humanitarian aid, which often arrived with little notice. Due to a lack of capacity, costs on scheduled cargo flights, was challenging for producers of perishables for export – such as flowers. Fabio Weiss, VP, head of air freight Middle East & Africa at DHL Global Forwarding MEA said stakeholders were working together to adapt to the changed environment. “Capacity has declined, but demand is still there,” said Weiss. “There has been an imbalance of volumes coming into Africa that allow exports going out, and we need to get the mix right for the necessary yields and revenues. The current situation is not sustainable for anyone in the long term. However, we have been working with airports, airlines and customers to find solutions that work for everyone.” “We are trying to adapt to the new normal as fast as possible,” said Max Conrady, senior vice president Cargo at Fraport AG. “We were used to stable, fixed flight plans, and the changes we are experiencing, with many chartered flights, have demanded flexibility from airports, cargo handlers and supply chains. The many operational issues to be solved have demanded a new type of agility. But we are adapting to the new kind of normal, establishing contingency groups within our community to address congestion,” he said. Nina Engelbrecht-Malherbe, senior specialist cargo at Airports Company South Africa, noted that airports served as a point of regional integration for people and products to connect to the globe. She said: “Airports play an important role in underpinning the economy, getting products to markets, and bringing in essential supplies. We need to be agile, work together with industry stakeholders, understand customers and demands, and link them to the routes they need. We need to work together to help get people back to work. We need to come together as a community to do the best we can; but it is also important that the authorities keep citizens safe without restricting growth and development.” “It is an unprecedented situation, which demands innovation and co-operation,” said Suzette Scheepers, CEO of Messe Muenchen South Africa. “Fortunately, as we have seen at air cargo Africa shows, this sector is one that can be agile and cooperative, so we are optimistic stakeholders will be able to work together to get imports and exports back on track and support

aircargoweek.com

ACW 25 MAY 2020

QATAR Airways Cargo recently supported UNICEF with airfreight to transport 36 tonnes of freight from China to Iran. The cargo which consisted of medical supplies and personal protective equipment such as face masks, N95 masks, gowns and coveralls was transported over several scheduled flights. UNICEF in Iran will deliver these items to the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education for distribution among Iran health personnel in hospitals. In total, UNICEF has provided 63 tonnes of PPE items, part of which have been distributed among health personnel in hospitals in different provinces including Gilan, Isfahan, Khouzestan, North Khorasan, Sistan and Balouchistan, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Qom, Tehran and Alborz.

Kerry Logistics forms new Sri Lanka JV

KERRY Logistics has signed a new joint venture, Kerry Logistics Lanka, formed with IAS Holdings in Sri Lanka to strengthen its international freight forwarding capabilities in South Asia. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Kerry Lanka sits at the strategic crossroads of East Asia, South and South East Asia, Africa and Europe. As part of Kerry Logistics’ South Asia operation, Kerry Lanka operates an office in Colombo, as well as a bonded facility and office for export purposes at the Bandaranaike International Airport. In 2019, 46% of the total export of Sri Lanka derived from the textiles and garments industry, amounting to $5.6 billion, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s external sector performance review. There are more than 300 apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka, which are

well connected to the super brands in Europe and the US. Patrick Cheah, executive director - global air of Kerry Logistics, said: “Located in Sri Lanka, the intersection of freight routes in South Asia, Kerry Lanka will become a significant hub for Kerry Logistics and give a strong boost to our global connectivity. Plans are also in place to aggressively focus on the upstream of the supply chain to support the fashion industry vertical. The forming of the joint venture also marks the deepening of our presence in the South Asian subcontinent, rounding out our full suite of services in the region.” In addition to Kerry Indev Logistics in India, Kerry Logistics has also established a subsidiary in Pakistan in 2018 to extend its footprint in the Indian subcontinent.

SAUDI Arabian Logistics (SAL) launches operations at the Model Cargo Village at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA). The launch was announced during a webinar. In a speech, SAL CEO Omar Hariri said although the Kingdom is facing great difficulties and challenges because of COVID-19, the development in the country has continued. This integrated logistics project provides general and specialised handling services for cold chain goods, perishables, medicine, cars and hazardous materials including express and air mail as well as e-commerce shipments.

The facility runs on an area of 42,000 sq m and includes a 20,000 sq m warehousing with an area of 6,600 sq m for exported goods, 6,500 sq m for e-commerce and 5,200 sq m for cold storage shipments. The capacity of the entire facility reaches 450 thousand tons a year. The handling operations are performed through 16 Loading dock. The facility has been equipped with state-ofthe-art technology.

SAL Operations launched at KKIA Riyadh

ACW 25 MAY 2020

aircargoweek.com

Volga-Dnepr delivers 48 sterilisation trucks to Dubai Stop scaremongering

The Volga-Dnepr Group has been operating multiple charter flights daily as the international community battles against the spread of COVID-19. The full fleets of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, Air Bridge Cargo and Atran have all been utilised to meet the demand for transporting vast volumes of air freight worldwide. Whilst the major-

ity of commodities flown have been PPE, the Volga-Dnepr charter team have also been delivering crucial oversized/heavy-lift equipment to support global health infrastructures. Humanitarian director for Volga-Dnepr Group, Stuart Smith, has highlighted how the response from the three airlines has been able to support its partners. He said: “Volga-Dnepr Group’s ability to provide customised solutions during this critical period is demonstrated by our incredible number of daily charters transporting medical and sanitary equipment. “All four aircraft types operated by the Volga-Dnepr Group have been flying around the clock to keep international supply chains open. Each aircraft type is able to uniquely provide different solutions depending on the needs of our customers in the air freight industry. “The six AN-124-100s operated on behalf of Maximus exemplify the range of services that Volga-Dnepr can provide, transporting airfreight of all sizes to all destinations; services that are proven by the recognition of our valued peers in the industry.”

OPERATORS can continue to use pilots and other crew members who have been unable to comply with certain training, recent experience, testing, and checking requirements due to the COVID19 outbreak in support of essential operations. Additionally, this Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) provides regulatory relief to certain persons and pilot schools unable to meet duration and renewal requirements due to the outbreak. This SFAR is effective until March 31, 2021, which is the longest duration of relief under this rule, provided to airman who hold inspection authorisations under part 65. The FAA advises, however, that this date does not reflect the duration for every provision in the SFAR. Each person exercising relief provided by this SFAR should understand the conditions and duration of such relief. The FAA recognises that there are aviation operations outside of air carrier and commercial operations conducted under part 119 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14

CFR) that are critical during the COVID-19 outbreak, including operations that support essential services and flights that support fighting the outbreak. These operations are likely to face disruption due to a decreased supply of qualified pilots. Since March 2020 and with each month thereafter, a new group of pilots becomes unavailable to perform critical operations because they cannot comply with certain training, recent experience, testing, or checking requirements. This SFAR will provide temporary relief to certain individuals whose qualifications would otherwise lapse, to ensure there are a sufficient number of qualified personnel available to conduct essential aviation activities during this period. The FAA finds that this temporary action is needed to enable individuals to continue to exercise their airman certificate privileges during the national emergency.

olga-Dnepr Airlines has operated six AN-124-100 charters, transporting 48 street sterilisation vehicles from China to the United Arab Emirates. The special flights delivered the trucks from Shanghai to Dubai for final destination Abu Dhabi, where the vehicles will be used for a “National Disinfection Programme” in preventative action against COVID-19. All flights were in co-operation with Volga-Dnepr Airline’s long-term partner and colleague in the heavy-lift market, Maximus Air. Each flight was loaded with eight trucks, utilising three aircraft within a 4-day period.

Multiple charter flights

FAA allows certificate holders to keep working

n response to claims that the freight forwarding sector is in the midst of extinction, international freight forwarder Chadd Blunt has urged professionals to put a stop to scaremongering and focus on helping the industry navigate the current Coronavirus crisis. Blunt, managing director of Birmingham-based Millennium Cargo, has criticised logistics experts for publishing ominous accounts reports which are not only fuelling increased negativity within the industry but are also inflicting further harm to the supply chain by causing importers and exporters to go underground. As with countless other industries, freight forwarding has become a causalty of the pandemic in recent months as COVID-19’s world tour tightens its grip on global industry, causing an unprecedented impact on supply chains across the world as a result of hiked air and sea freight costs, labour shortages due to countrywide lockdowns and global travel restrictions. Such significant disruptions to industry have factored into projections of a $2 trillion downturn in the global economy this year. With restrictions likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future, the transport and logistics sector still sits at the very forefront of the world’s pandemic response and remains integral in keeping the global supply chain moving – offering a glimmer of hope to forwarders. In the midst of the negative reports Blunt has suggested that freight forwarding still very much has a permanent place on the round table of logistics and has called upon importers and exporters looking to move goods to seek the advice of a professional before taking ominous reports at face value. He commented: “Every industry is having to adapt to the current situation, and freight forwarding is no different. Yet industry ‘experts’ are insistent on continuously painting a bleak picture of the future rather than attempting to work together to provide viable solutions to help navigate through the current crisis.

False information “Additionally, false information has also become the latest symptom of the Coronavirus crisis and unfortunately I have seen extensive reports pushing misinformation on the basis that it is physically impossible for goods to be moved due to the current restrictions in place, when this is significantly wide of the mark. “Of course, it’s no secret that the wide-

aircargoweek.com

spread and comprehensive measures to help halt COVID-19 have had a major impact on the exchange of goods throughout the world and we are all facing one of the most important crises in a generation. “Lockdowns, travel bans, falling demand, labour and limited warehousing capacity are all causing unprecedented issues to the supply chain and as such business as usual has swiftly become a thing of the past. “But, in spite of the hardship that we are all experiencing, global shipping is however still very much in operation and our peers continue to work tirelessly to keep goods moving and despite the reports there are still a wealth of opportunities out there. “Some forwarders within the industry are even reporting that road services between China and Europe are now offering similar transit times to air cargo operations, and as such is mitigating the disruption caused by the inflated costs and prolonged delays for air and sea services out of China.

Reshaping “So, rather than signal an end to the freight forwarding sector, it is more likely that the impact of COVID-19 will re-shape global supply chains and change the way goods are moved. In particular, single sourcing is set to become an outdated practice and as such, the diversification of a business’s supply chain will become the norm in order to mitigate the fallout from any future disruptions. “The traditional freight forwarder still makes up an integral part of the logistics machine. In fact, during crises the service we provide is paramount as our role in such times is to be pragmatic and to find solutions to difficult problems – whether they be locating air cargo in the midst of the current capacity crunch or attempting to navigate past the stagnant flow of goods from China to Europe. “Equally, the importance to logistics in the makeup of the global economy has never been more significant than it is now. As such, Coronavirus isn’t likely to spell the end of the traditional international freight forwarder but rather further highlight their importance in providing companies with a quicker and more cost-effective solution to the shipping process. “Inevitably the industry is going to have to adapt and a forwarder’s commitment to providing a value for money service is going to be paramount if they are to remain in business – but this is not isolated to our sector – it’s a trend that is likely to apply to most, if not every industry across the globe.”

ACW 25 MAY 2020

Taking it on the chin

ACW 25 MAY 2020

an Morgan-Evans, group cargo director of Air Charter Service (ACS) is a man in the middle of a PPE-storm. Not that he is alone, he is keen to stress. He told Air Cargo Week: “I pay full tribute to all those in the ACS team worldwide. My team is taking it on the chin.” The global aircraft charter provider based in Surbiton, London has 26 offices around the world in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, UK and USA. Morgan-Evans says the company has arranged more than 350 charters carrying PPE to more than 50 different countries since January. These have totalled in excess of 15,000 tonnes of cargo. He says: “We have transported all manner of PPE and medication, with 15,000 tonnes equivalent to around four billion face masks.” Clients for the shipment of medical material such as PPE have been many governments, NGOs and freight forwarders. This has required use of a variety of aircraft to move the cargo ranging from passenger configured B787-9 Dreamliners to AN-124s and the AN-225. “This has not been a normal charter market. We have been moving PPE since January and have future bookings still into June and July,” he adds. In its early years of its expansion, ACS opened an office location in Hong Kong in 2008, followed four years later by offices in mainland China at Beijing and Shanghai. This foresight had the advantage of putting ACS brokage staff in China just as COVID-19 arrived in 2020. The significance of these locations has been instrumental in liaising in China where 90% of the PPE is originating, with some airports facing delivery truck traffic jams of four days or more. Though PPE has become an unexpected traffic flow, ACS is still handling “ordinary traffic” says

aircargoweek.com

Morgan-Evans. “Despite the low oil price, we are still seeing charters from oil and gas clients who must still service equipment,” he says. Not surprisingly, given the fact that north of 90% of commercial aircraft are grounded because of the virus worldwide, Aircraft on Ground traffic has almost dried up completely. It is reasonable to accept that while ACS had never planned for a global pandemic that grounded up to 95% of commercial aviation and brought great economies to a shuddering halt, these are not the first difficult times the company has encountered. Morgan-Evans joined the company early in the naughties only to come face-to-face with the 2003 Iran earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, He recalls: “With the tsunami, I worked from December 26 to January 24 and I remember how hard that was. Our team have been working since February around the world and the entire team has been very busy.” In these times, he is keen to note that many staff have been working from home and are maintaining social distance when they have to be in an office location.

NEWS TRADEFINDER

Cargo in the blood

Freight Forwarders Hong Kong

Audrey Serdjebi, founder & CEO, Lemon Queen

Freight Forwarders USA

his week, I headed to Singapore to meet Ken. Virtually, I mean. In France, we no longer have to stay at home, but we do have to stay within 100km of home – so my travel and meetings still have to be virtual. This time, it’s Asia. Singapore. This young generation are altruists. It’s not the first time I’ve thought this. Relationships with other people are crucial. You hear people talking about digitalisation, robots and digital, but when the younger generation speak, their focus is often on people and their relationships with others. What if our industry’s transformation could take place through empathy and generosity of spirit? ‘Customer service’ isn’t a meaningless phrase for these young people. Could strong human values be a driver of change in our industry? I’m counting on it. And my e-meeting with Ken only confirmed my belief. When he talks about himself, he talks above all about his role, his customers, and the way he serves them. Ken, 31, is operations manager at Greenlane SC, an independent freight forwarder in Singapore that specialises in the transportation of time-critical freight for the aerospace industry. Ken is interested in the world around him: “I would say I am curious and willing to learn. I like to know about the ‘how’ of things and situations.” The interview’s already off to a good start. In his everyday work, he describes himself as “a problem solver for my customers”. Better and better. Ken’s entry into our industry was a gradual one. “It was a part-time job that gradually turned full-time.” And in today’s world, Ken strives each and every day to keep the cargo industry going. While the rules have changed in terms of how people work – “Social distancing is mandated now in many countries. We have split teams telecommuting on alternate days. One team will work in the office to handle the physical tasks, while the other team supports the company functions from home” – Ken is proud to ensure a constant link for his customers: “With close co-ordination between our teams, some of our customers aren’t even

aware that some of us are working from home while we’re handling their logistics”. It’s clear that what drives Ken is his customers’ satisfaction and real peace of mind. “While it is challenging to work during this period, we strive to maintain the high standards that our customers have come to expect of us. We are able to work around the flight cancellations and delays to advise our customers of alternative options. “These are truly challenging times for us. I feel excited that we need to band together to work for our collective survival as an industry. Trade associations, airlines and forwarding agents – we are all linked together.” It seems that the effects of this crisis will also bring about a new way of seeing freight and its day-to-day management. Ken confirms this: “Mutual co-operation and healthy competition will create new innovations to tide us through this crisis.” I don’t know about you, but personally, I love this way of talking about competitors and the idea that the sector can and should work together. Of course, this doesn’t mean being naive, but it’s crystal clear that Ken sees team spirit – motivated by the desire to meet customers’ needs – as a way of ensuring the survival of hundreds of people. And it’s clear that, for this talented operations manager, it’s not just a temporary attitude. Quite the opposite. “COVID-19 will be a watershed moment which will shape the industry. Travel restrictions are in place, flights are cancelled, airlines are shuttering. This will create a ripple effect for years.” While Ken is optimistic and fiercely believes in a better future for our industry: “I believe global trade will recover, and air cargo will still be the fastest option” – he knows that once again, resilience will be a key factor in creating that future: “The industry will need to come up with creative ways to compete”. And I firmly believe that our industry will need creativity infused with empathy and co-business. Greenlane has understood this need. Welcome to the future of our industry – today.

Industry Events

Charters Netherlands

Lemon Queen is an airfreight industry public relations and communications agency in Paris, France aircargoweek.com 07_25 May 2020.indd 1

ACW 25 May 2020

7 18/05/2020 15:52

HE WISHES HE KNEW MARY BERRY

Crumbs!

Young freight forwarders set to take off with virtual bake off

he British International Freight Association’s (BIFA) Young Forwarders Network (YFN) will be relaunched online with a virtual ‘Bake Off’, taking place on Wednesday May 27, starting at 15:00.

irector general, Robert Keen says: “Lockdown caused a halt to the networking activities of our Young Forwarder Network shortly after it had celebrated a very successful first year of operation in March. The question for BIFA, was how could we keep the momentum going?

have had many new challenges due to Covid-19, and more pressing priorities.

“

But the development of BIFA’s YFN continues to be of great importance, and via the use of video conferencing online, members of the regional groups

will be able to interact with one another.

“

Of course, this ‘Bake Off’ can’t be about taste, and will be about the ‘look’ of the baked item. Three judges have been appointed and participants will also be able to vote – the dreaded ‘Public Vote!’.”

e added: “The event will also give members of the local committees an opportunity to provide an update on future events and any member of the YFN can register to take part.

“

We know that young people see the value in the YFN, so worked with YFN committee members and developed a plan to keep the network going – but online through video conferencing.

IFA launched the YFN in March 2019 to create several regional networking groups, operated by young forwarders and intended to help early talent and young BIFA members develop their knowledge and professional skills, but in a more social environment.

“

The virtual ‘Bake Off’ will be the first of various online events that will be held including web-based quizzes, guest interviews, training masterclasses, Q&A sessions and so forth.”

ts success over the past 14 months has not gone unnoticed, with six regional groups established and over 20 networking events held, attended by hundreds of young individuals.

arl Hobbis, BIFA’s training development manager adds: “Initially, we were obviously mindful that businesses – including ourselves –

Scrumptious deliumptious ...

What cupcakes do BIFA’s not-so-young enjoy

hey may not be able to join in but Airway Bill was keen to learn what cupcake confectionery Robert Keen and Carl Hobbis actually enjoy. Keen’s favourite was straightforward: he likes any that is free. Clearly Hobbis has a much

more sophisticated palette. Raspberry and white chocolate is the flavour that floats his boat. As for Airway Bill, he is partial to any cupcake that is served with a decent cup of coffee, especially as brewed by Airway Billie.

aircargoweek.com