AIR CARGO AMERICAS PREVIEW
Perishables market in the Americas high on the agenda
T
he Air & Sea Cargo Americas conference and exhibition in Miami (US) from 4-6 November will focus on one of airfreight’s key markets, perishables, which will be the hot topic at the start of the second day on Thursday, 5 November, in the session Perishables Trade Trends. In today’s world seafood, fruit, vegetable and poultry from Latin America (LATAM) are exported to North America, Europe and Asia and beef, poultry and fruits are exported from North America to LATAM, Asia and Europe. Innovations in the handling, packaging and temperature control technology in the supply chain have opened new trade lanes for high value temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products, which are shipped via air. LAN Cargo vice president for cargo operations and continuous improvement, Julian Diaz Renyi, American Airlines Cargo cold chain strategy manager, Tom Grubb (pictured below), and the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) project lead for its Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) on Pharmaceutical Handling programme, Ronald Schaefer, will be among the panelists. The panel will give delegates insights and forecasts on present and possible future trade lanes of perishable goods, and discuss the development of infrastructure in the market. They will also talk about the equipment and processes needed for the efficient transport and safeguard of temperature-sensitive cargo during the transit from production site to the end consumer and what is being done to improve the efficiency of cold chain infrastructures and processes. Key air cargo industry players will then give presentations about specific challenges, opportunities and initiatives, which are set to affect air cargo in the future.
Airlines Cargo, Transcarga, Silkway Airlines, Brussels Airport Company, Centurion Air Cargo, FedEx, National Air Cargo, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
For more information about Air & Sea Cargo Americas visit www.aircargoweek.com - which will have updates and news from the trade show in Miami. See Air Cargo Week later in November for a review of the event.
Air cargo in the future
First up, is US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commissioner from the Department of Homeland Security, Gil Kerlikowske, who will discuss the latest schemes that CBP is carrying out and reveal the department’s plans. Following Kerlikowske will be the United Nation’s (UN) procurement division chief of logistics and transportation, Soomi Ro. She will explain the procurement opportunities for companies at the UN, which moves a substantial volume of cargo in support of UN peacekeeping operations around the globe including to destinations in LATAM and the Caribbean regions. Cuba will be the theme for the final presentation when BG Consultants managing partner and CEO, Dr. Teo Babun Jr, gives an update on trade opportunities in Cuba. The focus of his talk will be on what the reality is versus the dream of trading with Cuba, where relations with the US have thawed. Babun Jr will provide an analysis of the investment and commercial activities on offer in Cuba, how the political landscape is shaping up between the US and Cuba, a likely roadmap for the normalisation of relations between the two neighbouring countries, the difference in regulations between the two and also analyse the opportunities and risks in doing business in Cuba. The conference will draw to a close on Friday, 6 November, when the only session will be Developing Tomorrow’s Transportation and Logistics Leaders.
Need for quality personnel
Many industry commentators say there is a great need for qualified personnel in the various transportation and logistics fields as there is a lack of suitable candidates to take on roles in the coming years. This is despite the existence of many universities, colleges, technical institutions and training centres that provide for the industry. Panelists will join moderator, IATA’s assistant director of cargo facilitation and standards, Michael White, to address what is being done and needs to take place by both the public and private sectors to recruit, educate and train tomorrow’s transportation and logistics leaders. Among those joining White, will be Miami Dade College’s school of business associate dean, Thania Rios, and US CBP executive director for trade and policy programmes, Cynthia Whittenburg. An exhibition will also be held alongside the conference and this year exhibitors will include Turkish Cargo, Accenture, Copa Airlines, American
ACW 26 OCTObeR 2015
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