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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,100
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28 September 2020
Our Yasmin - Following her passion at ACW
MAGIC NUMBER
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INSIDE PELI BIOTHERMAL’S GROWING
TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED packaging company Peli BioThermal continues its commitment to sustainability by planting 25 trees ... PAGE 2
MARTIN DREW: NEW ERA AT ETIHAD
ETIHAD Aviation Group (EAG) has promoted Martin Drew to the role of managing director - Cargo and Logistics. Responsible for the entire ... PAGE 2 CARGOLUX ADDS SHENZHEN
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nited Cargo has responded to global needs as it celebrates its 5,000th cargo-only flight. In mid-March, United Airlines took steps to manage the serious impact of COVID-19 and began flying a portion of its Boeing 777 and 787 fleets as dedicated cargo-only flights to transport airfreight to and from US hubs and key international business locations across Europe and beyond. Although airlines are facing the most challenging environment the industry has ever experienced, United Airlines
CARGOLUX has launched a new frequency to Shenzhen, China. The weekly frequency is routed Luxembourg-Bangkok-Shenzhen ... is “very excited” to celebrate a major milestone. Since March 19 2020, the airline has operated over 5,000 cargo-only flights globally, transporting over 83,000 tonnes of cargo on these flights alone. More than a fifth of these flights have departed from the EMEAI region, with over 1,100 cargo-only flights, carrying over 22,000 tonnes, operating across the Atlantic from Amsterdam, Mumbai, Brussels, Delhi, Rome, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Milan, Tel Aviv and Zurich. United knew it had to utilise its network capabilities and personnel to
move vital shipments, such as medical kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), pharmaceuticals and medical equipment between its US hubs and key international destinations.
Co-operation worldwide In co-operation with freight forwarders and partners all over the world, United Cargo helped transport more than 53,000 tonnes of medical supplies to aid in the fight against COVID-19, using a combination of cargo-only flights as well as passenger flights.
“United has played a critical role in keeping global supply chains stable during the pandemic as we deliver urgently needed goods around the world,” said Jan Krems, president, United Cargo. “These past few months have created challenges that I have never seen in my 30-plus years of experience working within the air cargo and freight forwarding industry. I’m proud of our teams for staying focused on our mission to provide high-quality service and to keep our customers connected with the goods they need most.”
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GEODIS OFFERS A NEW B2C SERVICE
TO provide European consumers with reliable delivery at an affordable price from North America, GEODIS is launching a new, guaranteed ... PAGE 7
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Peli BioThermal’s growing commitment to sustainability TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED packaging company Peli BioThermal continues its commitment to sustainability by planting 25 trees for each person who participated in its 2020 Biopharma Cold Chain Logistics Sustainability Survey. Trees were planted at nine sites across the south west of Western Australia by One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focused on re-forestation. One Tree P l a n t e d worked with individuals and organisations to plant a total of 51,241 seedlings at Lake Toolibin, a Ramsar-listed wetland, and private properties registered with the Land for Wildlife programme. The trees will create a habitat for native and migratory birds and a wildlife corridor for Chuditch and Woylies. They will also improve habitat for the critically endangered western ringtail possum and help protect Lake Toolibin, the only freshwater lake system left in the Western Australian Wheatbelt, from
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secondary salinity. Planting began in June and ended in August. “Sustainability is at the core of our business as we work to ensure our products are recyclable and to offer reusable solutions to our customers,” said David Williams, president of Peli BioThermal. “Our work with One Tree Planted shows our growing commitment to making an impact outside our w alls– thro u gh philanthropic efforts.” In partnership with its parent company, Pelican Products, Peli BioThermal is growing its focus on sustainability by linking its sustainability strategy to global efforts, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organisation has identified goals that shape the future of Peli BioThermal’s sustainable development, including “putting safety and fairness first, valuing communities, enhancing recyclability and reusability of products, and promoting resource efficiency.”
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MARTIN DREW TO PILOT NEW ERA FOR ETIHAD CARGO ETIHAD Aviation Group (EAG) has promoted Martin Drew to the role of managing director Cargo and Logistics. Responsible for the entire Etihad Cargo business, as well as Etihad Secure Logistics, Drew will report directly to Etihad Aviation Group chief commercial officer, Robin Kamark. With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, Drew has been with Etihad for more than 15 years, working across various senior positions. “Martin has a vast amount of cargo and passenger management experience and brings strategic and tactical leadership skills to support the continued growth of our cargo business,” said Kamark. “Following the significant success of our cargo division over the past two years, I am confident Martin will oversee a new era of success for Etihad Cargo and Etihad Secure Logistics.”
Drew most recently headed Etihad Airways’ global sales organisation across Europe and Americas and previously served as vice president cargo at Jet Airways, after nine years with Etihad Cargo where he held various senior positions between 2005 and 2014. Drew will assume the role from November 1 2020 and will be based at Etihad’s global headquarters in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.
DHL Express has announced price increases that will take effect on January 1, 2021. The increase in the UK will be 4.9% on 2020. Prices are adjusted on an annual basis by DHL Express, taking into consideration inflation and currency dynamics such as administrative costs related to regulatory and security measures.
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Boeing: More 737-800BCF orders B Agreements to open additional conversion lines in Guangzhou, China, and Singapore to meet demand
oeing has announced a firm order from an unidentified customer for two 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF), as well as agreements to open additional conversion lines in Guangzhou, China, and Singapore to meet market demand. Based on the popular Next-Generation 737, the 737-800BCF offers operators newer technology, lower fuel consumption and higher reliability than other standard-body freighters. Primarily used to carry express cargo on domestic or short-haul routes, the airplane is capable of carrying up to 23.9 tonnes and flying up to 2,000 nautical miles (3,750 km). The 737-800BCF now
has 134 orders and commitments. “The freighter conversion programme is an excellent way to double the life of an airplane and provide operators with an economical way to replace less efficient freighters,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing for Boeing. “By working with our partners to add freighter conversion capacity, we look forward to meeting the strong demand in this market segment and helping our customers scale their operations.” The new 737-800BCF line at Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO) is scheduled to open in early 2021, marking the
MRO’s second conversion line for the market-leading 737-800BCF. To date, Boeing has delivered 36 737-800BCF to more than 10 operators across four continents.
“The addition of the new production line demonstrates our ability to quickly respond to market trends and requirements and is a testament to the skill and professionalism of the entire GAMECO-Boeing team,” said GAMECO general manager Norbert Marx. Boeing will also add a second conversion line for its widebody converted freighter, the 767-300BCF, at ST Engineering’s facility in Singapore. The second line is scheduled to open
later this year. “Our strong talent pool, operational flexibility and existing infrastructure allow us to adapt quickly to evolving market needs and render the necessary support to our partners and customers,” said Lim Serh Ghee, president (Aerospace) of ST Engineering. “We take pride in our partnership with Boeing and look forward to continuing to deliver timely and quality freighter conversions.” The 767-300BCF has virtually the same cargo capability as the 767-300F production freighter with up to 56.5 tonnes of payload and flying up to 3,350 nautical miles (6,190 km).
Leipzig/Halle beats negative German trend
FREIGHT volumes handled at Europe’s fifth-largest air cargo hub, Leipzig/Halle Airport, grew significantly again in August. Compared to the same month in the previous year, the volume of air freight rose by 12.7% to a figure of approximately 109,048 tonnes. This meant that the volume of cargo handled during the first eight months of the year increased by 6.8% to about 865,631 tonnes. Leipzig/Halle Airport is therefore continuing to develop in stark contrast to the negative trend elsewhere in Germany. The positive development in the current year is reflected in both scheduled freight services and charter cargo traffic. Shipments of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical goods have also contributed to this growth process. The airport has enjoyed CEIV Pharma certification since the beginning of 2020. The refrigerated warehouse at the airport is located in the World
Cargo Center. Direct access to the apron area guarantees short transport routes for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products and safe supply chains to and from aircraft and to trucks. Leipzig/ Halle is therefore in a position to handle urgent and temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments round the clock. They also included an aid flight for a UN organisation, which transported about 30 tonnes of vaccinations and pharmaceuticals from Leipzig/Halle to Turkmenistan in August. The airport has also served as a European hub for transporting medical equipment to curb the COVID-19 pandemic during the last few months. More than 50 freight charter flights, including some involving Antonov 225, Antonov 124, Boeing 777, 747F and 787-9 and Airbus A350 aircraft, have also been handled in addition to the regular cargo traffic.
QATAR Airways has resumed services to Amman, Entebbe, Hanoi, Seychelles, Windhoek and Yerevan and started new flights to Accra, trebling the size of the airline’s network.
IN issue 1,098, the Lemon Queen story about Niger was inadvertently credited to Audrey Serdjebi. It was, in fact, written by her colleague Tiphaine Guelou, PR manager. We apologise to both ladies for the mistake.
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SAS CARGO’S CEIV PHARMA REMOTE RE-CERTIFICATION
SAS Cargo has successfully completed the IATA CEIV (Center of Excellence for Independent Validators) Pharma re-certification and was one of the first in the industry to perform a full audit of all its pharma processes remotely. The IATA CEIV Pharma certification was developed to meet the needs of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies and sets the standard ensuring the highest service and quality standards through uniform processes and a compliant network for pharmaceutical shipments via airfreight. “The transport and handling of pharmaceuticals creates both challenges and opportunities for all cold chain industry participants, even in the best of times,’’ says Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice president, airport, passenger, cargo and security (APCS). “In the middle of a global pandemic, those challenges are greatly exacerbated, while the need for safe transport of potentially life-saving products is even more pressing.
We congratulate SAS Cargo on successfully completing their CEIV Pharma re-certification, offered by IATA in a stringent remote process to ensure continued gold-standard transport and handling of this critical cargo, even in these tough times.” The IATA appointed independent assessment focuses on the quality assurance processes, operational and technical innovation, risk management, and the preservation of all relevant shipment data along the entire logistics chain. The re-certification reaffirms SAS Cargo’s ability to safely handle high value, time-sensitive and temperature-controlled pharmaceutical cargo with speed, reliability, and efficiency. During COVID-19, airfreight has been a vital partner in delivering much-needed medicines, medical and protective equipment as well as in keeping global supply chains functioning for the most time- and temperature-sensitive goods. It has never been more crucial meet-
ing the specific needs of the life science and health care industry than now. By receiving the re-certification for IATA CEIV Pharma the airline has clearly demonstrated a continuous focus on delivering the highest quality and being a reliable partner for transporting temperature-sensitive products, considers Leif Rasmussen, president and CEO of SAS Cargo. “In collaboration with our handling partners, our primary purpose is to ensure that SAS Pharma Cargo shipments are forwarded as booked and that the shipment is transported and stored within the agreed temperature”, says Lone Riise, acting head of handling & quality management at SAS Cargo. “The remote audit and re-certification went very smoothly, and we were extremely pleased with the remote audit process put in place,“ Riise continues. This renewed certificate, initially obtained in 2017, is applicable for a period of another three years.
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AFKLMP Cargo upgrades AMS pharma hub for COVID-19 vaccines
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) is constructing a brand-new climate-cool room at its Schiphol Pharma Hub, a new step in preparation for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, which will be handled by a dedicated task force.
SWISSPORT LAUNCHES PHARMA CENTER QUALITY BRAND
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wissport has launched a quality brand for warehouses which meet the company’s high standards for the storage and handling of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical goods. Initially, 14 facilities will be branded Swissport Pharma Centers. All of them are certified by the IATA CEIV Pharma standard or by the British MHRA, making them benchmark operations. To date, 14 Swissport facilities have been certified under the CEIV Pharma standard or by the British MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency). In February 2020, the Swissport cargo warehouse in Nairobi was awarded the CEIV Pharma certificate, making it Swissport’s 10th such facility and the first one operated by an independent air cargo handler in Africa. “With the Pharma Center label we want to promote Swissport’s high service quality and process safety in the handling of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products,” explains Hendrik
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Leyssens, vice president global operations for Swissport’s cargo division.“Linking air and ground transportation with safe warehouse logistics, Swissport Pharma Centers are key infrastructures in the growing global network of airborne pharma logistics. “Our workers are trained to the highest standards in protecting the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods.” Of 115 cargo warehouses which Swissport runs around the globe, 72 facilities are equipped with temperature controlled facilities and many workers are trained to the required standards and procedures. By introducing its own quality brand, Swissport leverages its expertise from past external certifications and builds on its experience in running pharmaceutical logistics. Based on in-house validations, cargo operations which achieve set standards in terms of infrastructure, processes and staff training will be brought under the Swissport Pharma Center brand.
CHAMP Cargosystems and Air Cargo Belgium sign MoU
CHAMP Cargosystems and Air Cargo Belgium have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of an innovation roadmap of the air cargo industry. The agreement is for an indefinite period. The MoU outlines that CHAMP will be the preferred partner in the roll-out and testing of any new technologies and innovation created in the roadmap – furthering an already close relationship with the organisation. In 2018, CHAMP joined Air Cargo Belgium, sharing its global air cargo IT insights as well as collaborating more closely with the members of the community.
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“CHAMP is thrilled to support Air Cargo Belgium’s Innovation & Sustainability Steering group,” says Arnaud Lambert, CEO at CHAMP Cargosystems. “The technologies and innovations born of this partnership will not only benefit our two organisations – but also, the Belgian air cargo community and the industry as a whole.” “We look forward to the positive cooperation with CHAMP in developing new innovations in the industry,” says Geert Keirens, director at Air Cargo Belgium. “In addition, the company will become a driving force in our Innovation & Sustainability Steering group.”
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The additional cold room, with temperatures ranging from +2°C to +8°C, will provide the capacity required to handle COVID-19 vaccines. Using the latest technology, AFKLMP Cargo will offer, amongst other things, additional 2,061 sq m storage space, flexible temperature range, flexible racks to accommodate odd-sized shipments and a synthetic floor. Enrica Calonghi, (above), global head of Pharmaceutical Logistics at AFKLMP Cargo said: “Just a few months ago, AFKLMP Cargo already invested in 1,118 cu m of additional controlled-climate room at Schiphol using the same hybrid technology. With the construction of this brand-new climate-cool room we will be as flexible as possible to handle more vaccines if necessary.” Shipping pharma and healthcare products is a core activity for AFKLMP Cargo. It is improving services and investing in infrastructure at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) hubs. “We are fully prepared for shipping Covid-19 vaccines” GertJan Roelands, SVP of sales and distribution at AFKLMP Cargo: “The transportation of pharmaceuticals and other healthcare goods is a strategic priority for AFKLMP Cargo. We are thrilled with this investment, which will further improve the service standards of our Schiphol Pharma Hub. We will keep improving infrastructure, introducing digital initiatives and pursuing others innovations to meet the highest industry standards for transporting pharmaceuticals and other healthcare goods. This is essential when it comes to shipping COVID-19 vaccines.”
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Oman Air resumes to Duqm
OMAN Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, is now operating six flights per week connecting Muscat with Duqm. Flights to the fast-growing hub of trade and investment will depart and arrive in both cities on every day of the week with the exception of Fridays. These flights, which were restored on 20 September, are a significant step forward in the nation’s economic development and a reflection of the airline’s commitment to serving the Sultanate. This step supports development of this increasingly important city. As a Special Economic Zone, Duqm plays a vital role in Oman’s economic growth. Oman Air’s service helps facilitate business growth in the area and attract further investment.
Cargolux adds Shenzhen to its global network
CARGOLUX has launched a new frequency to Shenzhen, China. The weekly frequency is routed Luxembourg-Bangkok-Shenzhen before returning westbound to Luxembourg via Bangkok with an additional stopover in Budapest. Shenzhen is Cargolux’s sixth destination in mainland China, bolstering the company’s position as a leading provider of air cargo services in the region. The latest addition to Cargolux’s extensive network is an
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opportunity for the airline to meet growing customer requirements while also exploring additional market opportunities. Shenzhen is China’s fourth-busiest and the world’s 24th busiest cargo airport. The weekly scheduled all-cargo flight will further strengthen Cargolux’s footprint in the area. For Domenico Ceci, Cargolux’s EVP sales and marketing, this addition is a welcome development: “Shenzhen is an important
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commercial gateway and this new frequency will allow us to better connect with customers in the region. This additional service between Europe and China will also offer seamless main-deck capacity between these two commercial centres.” This inaugural flight marked the beginning of a regular service between Luxembourg and Shenzhen with a history between the Chinese airport and Cargolux going back several decades.
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GEODIS offers a new direct-to-customer intercontinental service T o provide European consumers with reliable delivery at an affordable price from North America, GEODIS is launching a new, guaranteed 4-to-6-day B2C delivery service from the United States to 27 European
countries for companies seeking to develop their international online sales. Although more and more web users are now visiting commercial websites located abroad, they often abandon their purchase halfway through the process due to high shipping costs, delivery times seen as too long, customs fees and
taxes that are not revealed until after payment or even the lack of a clear return policy. To overcome these hurdles, GEODIS is launching “GEODIS MyParcel”, a direct-to-customer intercontinental delivery service with guaranteed delivery times at a lower cost. “With the explosive growth of international e-Commerce, our customers want to offer consumers a premium service at a completely transparent price,” explains Manoj Pankaj, Vice President Cross-Border e-Commerce of GEODIS. This new end-to-end service, called “GEODIS MyParcel”, will initially ship small packages from the United States to the end consumer in 27 European countries within 4 to 6 days. The service is to be progressively expanded globally. It includes validation of delivery addresses and merchandise HS codes, a tax and customs duty calculator (displayed throughout the payment process), as well as an option to reschedule delivery, and shipment tracking at all key stages. With GEODIS MyParcel, GEODIS provides brands with a simple, innovative way to launch or increase their E-commerce sales on a global scale. “We are helping them to develop to their full potential in new markets by strengthening their international field of action” says Ashwani Nath, global head of e-channel solutions of GEODIS. “In the coming months we will be adding new geographical areas, both in terms of destinations and countries of origin as part of our global e-Commerce strategy”.
E-COMMERCE Growing e-Commerce volumes pushes ATRAN Airline to expansion
ATRAN Airlines, the express air cargo carrier within Volga-Dnepr Group, has expanded its network to Shijiazhuang, China. The carrier intends to operate the flights on a weekly basis to Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow The maiden flight, operated on August 8, lifted almost 15 tonnes of e-Commerce-related consolidated cargo. ATRAN is planning to deploy both types of its
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freighters – Boeing 737-400SF and Boeing 737800BCF – to guarantee high-quality services for its customers and final consignees who expect on-time delivery of their online purchases. “With the demand for cargo operations being high, we experienced a considerable increase in e-Commerce volumes for the first six months of this year,” said Vilatiy Andreev, general director of ATRAN Airlines.
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Cargo and Other Stories by Lemon Queen
Cargo in the blood Tiphaine Guelou
Following her passions
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nd it was in the air cargo industry that she chose to do just that. And even better, air cargo gives her the opportunity for worldwide interaction: “I like that my job allows me to interview and connect with people from all over the world.” The role air cargo plays in the world economy was also a key factor: “air cargo is one of the biggest industries in the world and an important part of so many other industries, meaning there are always new developments, which are interesting to write about.”
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t wouldn’t be right to continue our tour of the industry’s talents without talking about a role that’s essential to keeping the market informed and helping people understand players and trends. I’m talking about the air cargo trade press. The journalists working in our industry have a perfect understanding of the sector and offer us an objective look at its goings-on. They are an essential part of the business. For us as a communications agency, the link between us is even stronger. They are our privileged partners – they are indispensable.
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owever, air cargo journalism is extremely demanding and competitive. To stand out from the crowd, publications need bold editorial choices and talented journalists. And that’s what Yasmin Turner brings to the table. A staff writer on the Air Cargo Week team who describes herself as “a newbie to the freight industry”, she studied English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham. After an internship working at a newspaper in India and following a year teaching English in Colombia, she returned to the United Kingdom in 2020 with one goal in mind: “I have always liked travelling and writing so I knew I wanted to merge those two passions”.
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ut what about the sector’s biggest challenge? For Yasmin, it was undeniably its technical complexity. She often thinks back to the first article she wrote: “I felt nervous writing it as all the acronyms and freight companies I was writing about were all alien to me at the time, but when I saw the final copy in print I was pleased it looked professional.”
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ut after just seven months at Air Cargo Week, and thanks to the unwavering support of her editor, James Graham, a heavyweight in the profession, Yasmin now has a real understanding of air cargo and its implications for the world: “Air cargo represents the interdependency of the world now. This was definitely more visible during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when countries were going into lockdown. A lot of stories we covered at ACW were of PPE or medical equipment being flown from country to country. These trade routes were always present but the pandemic highlighted how reliant countries are on each other. It also highlighted the importance of air freight and its efficiency in emergencies. I think many people, me included, took for granted the fact it is possible to order something from Germany, for example, and it arrive in the UK the next day, without thinking about the how.”
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he pandemic also highlighted other aspects for Yasmin. “I think that the industry has stepped up and proved its adaptability during COVID-19. “Many airlines stacked freight in the seats and aisles of passenger planes. Charter services also stepped up to meet demand as well.” eing a newcomer to the industry hasn’t stopped her from conducting a detailed analysis of the future of cargo, which she thinks will “definitely be digital”. Thanks to her work at Air Cargo Week and her coverage of multiple articles on cargo’s progress towards digitalisation, Yasmin believes that “the digitalisation of the freight booking process is an area that is technologically far behind passenger booking.” However, she adds: “Now, more comparison-style platforms are available for booking cargo, and automation and digital methods will probably trickle into other aspects of the industry”.
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utomation is another development that she is anticipating, in particular with the advent of “automation developments in warehousing, loading and booking freight” – and perhaps even “in the flying of the planes themselves”. She does nonetheless admit that “a lot of people expressed their concern when the idea of pilotless planes and the feasibility of it was first reported, but if it’s not deemed safe for passenger planes, cargo flights might be a safer option.” It’s clear to see that NexGenLeaders are in every branch of the industry, and by choosing air cargo as the place to follow her passions,
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t is clear that Yasmin Turner has certainly made the right career decision. Not just for herself, but for our wider airfreight community as a whole as well.
Lemon Queen is an airfreight industry public relations and communications agency in Paris, France
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