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Siginon Aviation ramps up operations in JKIA after multi-million dollar investments SIGINON Aviation, a ground handler based in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi and Eldoret International Airport in Kenya, is to revamp its ramp handling services with a multi-million-dollar investment on new ramp equipment. The ramp equipment comprises 20-tonne main deck high loaders, 7-tonne lower deck high loaders, pallet transporters, ground power units, pushback, passenger super steps, tow tractors and conveyor belts. Jared Oswago, acting general manager adds: “Our goal is to provide customers with a ramp service that provides safe, secure and excellent turnaround services. Our assurance to our customers is to continuously set high service standards and sustainable growth.” Siginon Aviation, which is IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operators (ISAGO) certified, is currently serving contracts with various regional and international freighters. “The new ramp equipment has led to an enhancement on the operations team with engagement of additional job roles created to effectively match the tasks and ensure effective service delivery,” he said.
ACW 27 APRIL 2020
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I belong to Glasgow, dear old Glasgow town
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lasgow Prestwick Airport welcomed a freighter from China, carrying vital personal protective equipment (PPE) destined for healthcare workers in Scotland on April 18, 2020. The airport was selected to handle the crucial flights thanks to its superior freight handling facilities. AirBridgeCargo, one of the world’s leading all-cargo airlines, operated this flight in conjunction with freight forwarders JAG-UFS Group. Glasgow Prestwick Airport has vast experience handling specialist, largescale, high-volume and quick turnaround airfreight and Saturday’s flight was offloaded and on its way to healthcare workers within a few hours of the aircraft touching down. Stewart Adams, chief executive at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, said: “While the Coronavirus pandemic has meant the vast majority of commercial aircraft has been grounded, we’re continuing to operate our specialist freight-handling services in order to play an important part in supporting Scotland’s key workers during this difficult time. “The PPE which we are receiving from China will be processed quickly so that this vital delivery can make its way to those who need it most, as soon as possible.”
Davies Turner offers airfreight pricing option for railfreight service DAVIES Turner has added an airfreight pricing mechanism for its direct, fixed-day, weekly Express China Rail service from Xi’an to the UK, such is the growing interest in the service from importers and shippers that have traditionally used airfreight. Tony Cole, head of supply chain services at the UK’s leading independent freight and logistics company says: “Since we launched the service in 2016, we have used the standard overland freight industry pricing technique, which is USD per cubic metre. “To make pricing more comprehensible for the airfreight sector, we are now additionally quoting per kilo rates, which is the language that airfreight importers are more used to dealing with. It makes a comparison between the relative costs
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of the intermodal rail service and airfreight more immediately obvious. “At the current rate of just $0.24 per kilo or 2,000 cu cm (with a minimum cost of $120), it is no surprise that our direct Express China Rail service is becoming of great interest to the airfreight sector, which is facing sky high airfreight rates out of China, with costs of $10 to $15 per kilo now being seen. “Importers that traditionally move freight by air only need to factor in the slightly longer leadtimes for delivery by rail, to see what a massive cost saving they can benefit from by using our direct rail alternative. Importers that are able to remodel their supply chains to use the railfreight option may do so on a permanent basis.” Davies Turner says that to date the railfreight service from China to Europe has been around 70% cheaper than airfreight. However that price differential has rocketed as airfreight rates reach record levels.