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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,165

31 JANUARY 2022

Improved pilot training pays off

QATAR AIRWAYS CARGO TO TAKE BACK ITS SPANISH OPERATIONS

QATAR Airways Cargo is taking back its entire commercial operation in Spain from February 1 2022. “Qatar Airways Cargo extends its sincere and grateful thanks to ATC Aviation Services, which, over the past 16 years, has helped to build our Spanish footprint to what it is today: Qatar Airways Cargo is Spain’s number one air cargo service provider for the past several years,” Robertino Veltman, vice president Cargo Europe at Qatar Airways emphasises.

vices, we are aiming for a smooth transition so that business continues to run as normal. Our customers can look forward to many familiar contacts in the new Qatar Airways Cargo teams, and simply need to change over to the new central e-mail address in the interim.” Further details regarding the new organisation, contacts, phone numbers and e-mail addresses will be communicated early February 2022.

from Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Malaga, while customers can also benefit from services offered at offline stations in Alicante, Bilbao, Vitoria and Valencia. These network points and capacities will remain and will also be bookable online via WebCargo by Freightos. As soon as the transition to an in-house sales function is completed, Qatar Airways Cargo’s next

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INSIDE

AMS SEES INCREASE IN CARGO IN ‘21

AMSTERDAM Airport Schiphol’s total cargo volume for 2021 increased by 15.7% to 1.66 million tonnes compared to 2020. Last year, inbound ... PAGE 2

BIFA FREIGHT SERVICE AWARDS

MATT Dawson, this year’s host of the British International Freight Association’s 2021 Freight Service Awards, said that all the winners ... PAGE 2 ATLAS AIR EXTENDS SF GROUP AGREEMENT

ATLAS Air has extended a longterm aircraft transportation services agreement to operate a Boeing 747-400 Freighter for SF Group (SF), China’s ... PAGE 4

ETIHAD CARGO: PREMIUM PRODUCT

“It is because our operations have now grown to such a large scale that Qatar Airways Cargo feels the time is right to insource its commercial and customer service activities across Spain. “Through meticulous planning and close and professional collaboration with ATC Aviation Ser-

“In line with our corporate motto, ‘moved by people’, customers can look forward to direct and personal support from dedicated Qatar Airways Cargo teams across Spain from next month,” he explained. Qatar Airways Cargo offers regular flights into and

objective will be to serve Spanish customers even better by offering enhanced services and products with the full backing of its headquarters commercial team. “Thank you, ATC Aviation Services, for preparing us to fly fully on our own,” added Veltman.

ETIHAD Cargo has significantly enhanced delivery of its eightstrong premium product range with the appointment of a specialised managerial ... PAGE 4

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NEWS

AMSTERDAM Airport Schiphol’s total cargo volume for 2021 increased by 15.7% to 1.66 million tonnes compared to 2020. Last year, inbound cargo volumes increased by 15.2% to 869,241 tonnes in 2021 compared to 2020, and outbound cargo volumes also increased by 16.1% to 798,063 tonnes during the same period. The top three destinations for cargo by tonnage were Shanghai, China, Chicago, USA, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2021, freight volumes were shipped in two categories of flights: full freighters, which accounted for 67% of total volumes, and passenger flights at 33% of total volumes.

Market recovery

Winners In the Air Cargo Services category, which was sponsored by IAG Cargo, Kerry Logistics triumphed over fellow finalists Maltacourt, Pentagon, and Uniserve Group. In the Specialist Services category, newly sponsored by Newage, the winner was Your Special Delivery Service Ltd, whilst the other finalists included B&H Worldwide Ltd, Cargo Overseas Ltd, and Kerry Logistics. Brunel European was revealed as the winner of the Supply Chain Management category,

sponsored by BoxTop Technologies, seeing off strong competition from fellow finalists Hemisphere Freight Services Ltd, Noatum Logistics Ltd, and Uniserve. Scooping first place in the Cool & Special Cargoes category, sponsored by American Airlines Cargo was JCS Livestock which overcame excellent entries from fellow finalists, Evolution Forwarding Ltd, and United Worldwide Logistics. Winner of the Apprentice of the Year category, sponsored by Seetec Outsource Training was Herbie Cobby (Geodis Freight Forwarding), who beat the other finalists, which were Matt Vick (John Good Logistics), Joshua Boswell (Geodis Freight Forwarding), Bobby Lowe (NVO Consolidation), and Thomas Low (OIA Global). BIFA director general, Robert Keen presented a Special Recognition Award for services to the international freight industry, as well as charitable activities, to Gordon Day, a stalwart of the London Freight Club and well known to many BIFA members. Keen commented: “After a truly extraordinary and very challenging two years, it was great to meet in person to celebrate excellence across the freight forwarding industry, with awards that are now in their 33rd year, justifiably regarded as the most prestigious in the sector.

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ACW 31 JANUARY 2022

SCHIPHOL SEES INCREASE IN CARGO IN 2021

BIFA Freight Service awards: air cargo winners revealed

MATT Dawson, this year’s host of the British International Freight Association’s 2021 Freight Service Awards, said that all the winners demonstrated a clear understanding of overcoming last minute challenges to achieve success, which reminded him of his own final mile, or last minute, delivery to Jonny Wilkinson in 2003, who then scored a drop goal that enabled England to win the Rugby World Cup. There were many outstanding entries for the 2021 Awards, which were presented at the Brewery in London, despite a year beset by multiple operational difficulties and uncertainties caused by the pandemic and EU Exit. A raffle held in aid of international development charity, Transaid, raised £3,600.

Outbound cargo to the Asian region from Schiphol increased by 8.7% to 259,615 tonnes in 2021 compared to 2020, while inbound traffic from the region also went up by 4.9% to 279,822 tonnes. The outbound North American market increased by 22.1% to 184,398 tonnes, with inbound traffic from here growing by 24.9% to 126,299 tonnes. Cargo inbound from Latin America increased by 11.4% to 114,714 tonnes and outbound traffic to the region went up by 15.4 % to 84,116 tonnes. The figures for European outbound traffic increased by 17.4% to 100,246 tonnes, while inbound cargo increased 30% to 138,395 tonnes. The Middle East market also told a positive story, with inbound cargo from the region up 16.2% to 117,328 tonnes, and outbound cargo up 30% to 125,229 tonnes. Outbound traffic to Africa increased by 4.2% to 44,458 tonnes, with inbound traffic increas-

ing 21.9% to 92,683 tonnes. The main factors attributable to the growth observed in 2021 were the return of sufficient slot availability at the airport and high demand. New carriers, such as Vietnam Airlines, and returning airlines, such as MASKargo, have also been welcomed at Schiphol in 2021.

Operational capacity The end of 2021 saw some difficulties in terms of overall operational capacity at Schiphol owing to the high demand and capacity challenges experienced by the global air freight sector at large, but Schiphol has ensured improvement and swift problem-solving by setting up a taskforce with the supply chain partners that are situated at Schiphol Zuidoost. “The 2021 figures are encouraging in light of the ongoing challenges of Covid on the operating environment,” said Anne Marie van Hemert, head of aviation business development. “Last year, the cargo team formed a new Aviation Business Development Division, putting all airline and cargo commercial and operational business in a single department and introducing new faces. “The newly established team has focused on accelerating our Smart Cargo Mainport programme and ensuring faster handling of export cargo, resulting in Digital Pre-notification for all ground handlers at Schiphol as the new standard. “Going forward, the team will focus its efforts on securing Automated Nomination as the new standard, with sustainability a key driver behind this and all of our digitalisation initiatives.”

cargo-partner expands its charter programme with another US connection THE international logistics provider cargo-partner has added a new charter service between Vienna and Chicago. In view of a tense market situation, many companies are looking for alternative transport solutions to keep their supply chains intact. cargo-partner is thus responding to increased customer demand on this route. Since the end of 2021, cargo-partner has been offering a weekly part-load charter programme from Vienna to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, as customers have recently been increasingly requesting airfreight solutions on this route. In addition, cargo-partner operates its own warehouses at both locations and can thus offer flexible door-to-door solutions. This service is suitable for general cargo of all types, and with its extensive network, the company can

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offer comprehensive customs and last-mile services. “cargo-partner has recognised customer demand for highly time-critical transports on this route and is able to ensure immediate availability as well as the fastest possible response times,” explains cargo-partner CEO Stefan Krauter as to why this decision to expand the successful charter programme has been taken.

charter services have been set up as a long-term programme to provide continuity. In addition, cargo-partner has been offering a new groupage service with weekly departures from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Munich, Frankfurt and Vienna since spring. This door-to-door solution includes pickup from any location in Vietnam and delivery to the final destination in Europe.

Charter connections

AN-124 charter

cargo-partner has already been providing regular cargo charter flights from Hong Kong to Budapest since spring 2020 with three weekly departures, as well as flights twice a week from Budapest to Zhengzhou and back. In addition, weekly flights from Frankfurt to Zhengzhou and Zhengzhou to Cologne form part of this programme. These

Recently, an urgent transport request from a customer in the lifestyle segment caused a rare sight at Linz Airport. The cargo-partner team in Linz, together with its colleagues in Vietnam, organised a time-critical transport from Hanoi to Linz, chartering an Antonov AN-124. The cargo consisted of goods weighing more than 92 tonnes.

NEWS

EFW re-delivers first A330P2F to Altavair for MasAir Cargo operation

confident it will serve Altavair and MasAir Cargo well.” “This investment reflects our belief that the A330 will be the premier freighter going forward in this segment,” said Paul Newrick, president and managing director of Altavair. “We are very excited to be teaming with EFW and MasAir Cargo to deliver this truly next-generation converted freighter.” EFW’s first re-redelivery to Altavair is the A330-200P2F variant, which offers a gross payload of up to 61 tonnes and a range of up to 4,200 nautical miles. At lower cost-per-tonne compared to other available freighter aircraft types in this size segment, the A330-200P2F will help enable the operator, MasAir Cargo, to expand into new markets and fly longer routes.

Aircraft family

ELBE Flugzeugwerke GmbH (EFW) re-delivered its first Airbus A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) converted aircraft to Altavair L.P., a leader in commercial aviation finance and leasing providing the cargo community with valuable assets. The re-delivered freighter is the kick-off of a series of freighter conversions that EFW is carrying out for new customer, Altavair, based on the proven and technologically advanced Airbus A330 platform.

Altavair has on order several A330P2F comprising both the A330-200P2F range variant and the A330-300P2F volume variant. “We are delighted to re-deliver our first converted freighter of 2022 to new customer, Altavair, for operation by MasAir Cargo,” said Andreas Sperl, CEO of EFW. “The A330P2F programme is considered very popular delivering best-in-class capability and fuel-efficiency. We are

MasAir Cargo is taking advantage of the aircraft family concept to build up a new Airbus freighter fleet with the A330-200P2F and A330-300P2F, becoming the first airline in the Americas to operate the Airbus widebody P2F, and the first in the world to operate the two Airbus A330P2F variants. Like the latest conversion programmes A321P2F and A320P2F, the A330P2F is programme a collaboration between ST Engineering, Airbus and EFW, which is leading each overall programme as well as marketing and sales efforts. To meet the rising demand for freighter conversions, ST Engineering and EFW will set up new conversion sites in China and the U.S. this year and ramp up total conversion capacity for all their Airbus P2F programme to about 60 slots per year by 2024.

Atlas Air extends agreement with SF Group ETIHAD CARGO REINFORCES PREMIUM PRODUCT DELIVERY ATLAS Air has extended a long-term aircraft transportation services agreement to operate a Boeing 747-400 Freighter for SF Group (SF), China’s leading express service provider, between China and the United States. The agreement, which has been in place since 2018, enhances the operating capability of SF and extends its fast-growing global network. “We are very pleased to extend our strong partnership with SF,” said John W. Dietrich, president and chief executive officer of Atlas Air Worldwide. “SF is a key player in the growing express and e-Commerce markets, and we look forward to supporting their rapid global expansion. We value the opportunity to continue providing the superior, reliable service that SF and its customers expect of Atlas.” SF, based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, is one of the world’s largest express providers and one of China’s leading couriers. “Our partnership with Atlas Air supports our network between China and the U.S. to further integrate our high-quality transport capacity resources to shorten delivery times,” said a representative of SF.

Cargolux unveils LÖDIGE INDUSTRIES INCREASES new customer portal TURNOVER BY 30% CARGOLUX Airlines has launched an online customer portal, offering access to a seamless and transparent quoting & booking tool. The portal builds on the functionalities developed for the API. The interface will enable customers to log on, request an instant spot quote according to personalised criteria, as well as having full visibility of allocations, thereby enabling for the selection and booking of the best option. The introduction of this portal is the latest step in Cargolux’s wide-ranging sales digitalisation. The portal offers transaction options for all customer profiles, from international groups to local independent forwarders. “With this new portal, Cargolux is moving closer to an omni channel connectivity experience for customers. The portal offers tailored quoting and booking in a few clicks and we are confident that this handy and timely solution will be highly appreciated by our customers”, says Mathieu Weber, VP digital sales and marketing.

LÖDIGE Industries reported that it closed the year 2021 with a significant increase in turnover of around 30%. The internationally active supplier of logistics systems and lift solutions is recording strong development in the e-Commerce sector, among others. In warehouses and distribution centres as well as freight terminals at airports worldwide, such as dnata’s City East terminal at London Heathrow, the automatic logistics systems as well as the space-saving goods lifts from Lödige Industries are coping with growing shipment volumes. Hundreds of systems were put into operation last year across the UK and Ireland in addition to Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North America. “In times of globally strained supply chains, efficient systems for an optimal flow of goods are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, despite all the unknowns associated with the pandemic, we are looking to the new year with a great deal of optimism and expect demand to continue to increase in 2022,” says Philippe De Backer, CEO of Lödige Industries.

ETIHAD Cargo has significantly enhanced delivery of its eightstrong premium product range with the appointment of a specialised managerial team for cool chain products, mail and e-Commerce, live animals and equine and high value products. “Etihad Cargo’s premium products and services account for 30% of operations. Each of these products receive a specialised service to ensure the product is delivered to the highest industry standards,” explained Martin Drew, senior vice president sales and cargo, Etihad Aviation Group. “The renewed emphasis on premium products reflects Etihad Cargo’s desire to provide clients the highest possible service level which will ensure longterm relationships as the air cargo partner of choice.” Nasir Sajwani will now head up delivery of the carrier’s FlightValet, which manages the global transportation of high-value vehicles across the globe, FlyCulture, the tailored service for the secure and discreet transportation of rare and valuable artworks and musical instruments, and SafeGuard – the dedicated secure transportation service for valuable cargo. Fabrice Panza, product manager, continues to lead Etihad Cargo’s cool chain products including its award-winning PharmaLife which uses specially designed, temperature-controlled equipment and specific processes to ship pharmaceuticals around the world as quickly and as safely as possible while complying with the highest industry compliance standards, and FreshForward which simplifies the movement of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, and flowers. Ram Vignesh is now managing Etihad Cargo’s AirMail and e-Commerce products while Arun Nair leads the carrier’s LiveAnimals and SkyStables, products for the specialised and safe transportation of animals and horses respectively. Etihad Cargo’s premium products operate across the carrier’s global network which spans Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East from its hub in Abu Dhabi.

ACW 31 JANUARY 2022

NEWS

PBT: proud to be involved in Covid vaccine distribution

or global pharmaceutical companies, the cold chain is the artery of their business, reliably pumping life-saving medicines around the globe. The work of the players along the chain made the biggest logistical challenge in history possible: global Covid vaccine distribution. Adam Tetz, Peli BioThermal director of worldwide marketing talks to ACW about how the temperature controlled packaging experts have been involved in this feat. “We shipped the vaccines and the therapies that are being used in the fight against COVID-19. We have close relationships with the pharmaceutical and cold chain logistics companies, so we offer packaging that is prime for shipping the vaccines and therapies,” he explains. “We also innovated, developed and adapted a number of our products to work with the temperatures that were initially required for

the vaccines, - 80°C dry ice temperatures. So, several of our products have moved forward an evolutionary step to use dry ice in with their existing thermal control structure and insulation. “Now that the vaccines have moved to require more standard temperature ranges, supported by the existing cold chain infrastructure, our broader product portfolio works very well with a - 20°C or a - 50°C temperature requirement. So, we’ve been involved in the world’s recovery from the pandemic by providing cold chain packaging for the shipment of the vaccines and therapies being used against COVID-19.”

Feel-good spirit Tetz says it has been very rewarding to be a company that has been directly involved in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

“When there were shutdowns globally, we were considered a critical manufacturer, so were allowed to continue operations,” he says. “We increased our activity in response and went to three shifts at two of our main manufacturing plants, in order to keep up with the demand. The supply chain issues worldwide have impacted how easily we could get materials for our products from our suppliers, but we managed to do that by multi sourcing. “It has been rewarding to be involved in being able to ship the therapies and the vaccines to help with people who are direly ill or protect them against catching COVID-19. It has been a feel-good spirit at our company and for our staff who have been very busy in 2020 and 2021. “However, people have been excited and proud to be involved, even if there are a lot of extra hours worked and along with additional stress.” If another pandemic were to occur, would the business be prepared for a sharp spike in demand? Tetz says: “We would be more prepared based on what we’ve learnt in the last 18 months. However the biggest problem, and not just for us, but most manufacturers worldwide, were the supply chain issues. We have looked at trying to get our supply chain to be more broadly based to include more suppliers and we’ve qualified more suppliers as a result. So hopefully the supply chain would be less of an issue in the future, if there was another pandemic. “We have also increased automation of some of our processes for manufacturing, which helps increase our throughput. “That said, if there were another pandemic, we would face challenges just like any other manufacturer. However, we are certainly in a better position now through wider supply chain sourcing, more sources and automation to be able to deal with a large spike in demand.”

Pharma demand With Covid looking like its here to stay, products for pharma distribution will be in high demand. Tetz says there is still high demand for all of Peli BioThermals products including CoolGuard Advance, the Crēdo Cube and Crēdo Cargo, which have been utilised for the distribution of vaccines and therapies.

“A lot of what we and our competitors have done so far has involved smaller shipments of dry ice packages direct to pharmacies or clinics that distribute the vaccine jabs. However, we expect there is going to be a shift so the process will become more like the flu vaccine distribution, where there would be the requirement for larger bulk shipments. “However in 2022 I don’t think we’ll see the shift to a seasonal basis, like the seasonal flu, whereby you have two or three different strains that are dissipated. Because the Covid19 vaccines are mRNA vaccines it’s possible to prototype and test against different strains more quickly. “This may mean we will see the manufacturing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines spread throughout the year and not just seasonally like flu vaccines in the traditional August/September/October timeframe in the Northern Hemisphere. “We really want to thank our staff for the hard work and effort they have put in during what has been a stressful couple of years. “Although we all feel good about being able to help in response to the pandemic there’s been a lot of stress. “Our team has done well in meeting the challenges and staying focused on the fact that we don’t just manufacture a box, we actually are producing a product that saves people’s lives. We take that to heart and even more so during the pandemic.”

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ACW 31 JANUARY 2022

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NEWS

SKYCOOLER SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH UNILODE AVIATION SOLUTIONS SKYCOOLER has entered into a 10-year repair, maintenance and digitalisation agreement with Unilode Aviation Solutions. Skycooler’s temperature-controlled containers will be repaired at Unilode’s EASA and FAA-certified repair stations, initially in the United Kingdom, and further locations will be added to meet the needs of Skycooler’s growing network. Unilode will also equip Skycooler’s containers with digital tags for increased supply chain visibility. Jorgen Veslov, chief executive officer, Skycooler, said: “Skycooler has specialised in the transportation of fresh, chilled and frozen food products to the inflight catering market since 2005. Long-term planning capabilities, reliability and availability of containers are key success factors in our business as our temperature-controlled container leasing operations are integrated within our customers’ supply chain management. Our repair agreement with Unilode will allow us to guarantee quick turnaround times of three to seven business days to our customers. He continues: “Additionally, Unilode’s digital container tags, reader network and customer dashboard will provide Skycooler with real-time fleet visibility. Unilode will ensure consistent repair quality, compliance and transparency, and we look forward to our long-term partnership.” Marc Groenewegen, chief commercial officer and managing director MRO Solutions, Unilode Aviation Solutions, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Skycooler that is an important player in a niche market with very promising growth opportunities. Our new 10-year agreement includes both our repair and digital services as Skycooler has recognised the benefits that Unilode’s digital ULD tags with geolocation and various sensor capabilities can provide for its temperature-controlled container fleet. He adds: “This reflects and confirms the aviation market’s acceptance of Unilode’s digital technology and proves the versatility of our digital solutions that can be used for standard and special ULDs, such as temperature-controlled containers. We look forward to facilitating Skycooler’s growth with Unilode’s repair and digital solutions.”

Skyport handles first Bamboo Airways charter of 2022 CENTRAL-European cargo handler Skyport has handled the freight carried on board Bamboo Airways’ first charter flight of the year, operating from Hanoi International Airport in Vietnam to Vaclav Havel Prague Airport in the Czech Republic. The Boeing 787-900 passenger aircraft flew from Hanoi to Prague on January 18, carrying approximately 15 tonnes of general cargo in the hold. The aircraft was offloaded throughout the night by Skyport staff and reloaded with approximately seven tonnes of export cargo before

departing the following day. “With the valuable support of Skyport, Bamboo Airways has had a very successful flight to PRG and we strongly believe that this flight will be a stepping stone for a fruitful partnership between Bamboo Airways and Skyport in the future,” said Dang Tat Thang, CEO, Bamboo Airways. “Bamboo Airways is the first Vietnamese carrier to launch a non-stop flight to Prague. We expect to rebuild the bridge connecting Vietnam and the Czech Republic through Bamboo Airways’ regular nonstop flights.

U-Freight Group wins key government contract in the Philippines

THROUGH its long-standing partner in the country, the Hong Kong-based U-Freight Group will be participating in the global distribution of all the equipment, peripherals, documentation and other paraphernalia that is required for the national and local elections that are due to take place in the Philippines this year. The U-Freight Phils and U-Ocean Inc brands won a competitive government tender held by the country’s Commission on Elections (COMELC) to deliver the materials from the Philippines to various Foreign Service Posts, and return them subsequently, so that non-resident citizens of the country can participate in those elections. Commenting on the contract award, Rosalyn Rosales, president of U-Freight Phils and U-Ocean Inc, said she is celebrating this historical event as it is the first time the company has participated in a government tender of this nature. “Participating in the electoral exercise will give the company the opportunity to be part of and support the transition of the country’s administration, this year. “Ensuring the delivery of election-related equipment and peripherals requires stable global organisational strength and capability, which we have as a result of being a long-standing partner within the Hong Kong-based U-Freight Group.” The shipments consist of election-related equipment, peripherals, forms, supplies and paraphernalia and will be distributed to 92 places worldwide via air and seafreight.

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ANIMAL T A

Skyport: from Komodo dragons to shipments of live fish A

s a ground handler at Prague Airport, Skyport is no stranger to an unusual or specialist shipment. In fact, Josef Burian told ACW that the Czech handler is prepared for every eventuality, including a shipment of Komodo dragons that passed through the airport late last year. “We handled a shipment of Komodo dragons for Prague Zoo, which was one of the biggest shipments they’d had for years,” said Burian. “We planned for the shipment far in advance but the animals were only at our facility for about three hours. We had to prepare a lot for this shipment, as there was a temperature leeway of about three degrees.” Burien noted that as a shipment of Komodo dragons is quite rare, and because the animal handler was present, staff in the warehouse could take a peek at the reptiles. “We could have a look inside the boxes for this shipment as the zoo curator was there, so we all got on our knees to peer inside,” he said. “For this shipment we didn’t have a big enough space to maintain the temperature, so we had to switch off one freezer and we kept the dragons in there as the temperature is easier to control.” For most shipments keeping the correct temperature is not difficult as Burian noted that it doesn’t usually get hotter than 30 degrees in the peak of summer in Prague. “If animals arrive on passenger flights, we have to factor in the 15 minute transit time from the aircraft to our facility but if they arrive on a cargo flights, it’s just five minutes.” Efficiency is key when handling live animals. Last week, Skyport handled a large shipment of fish, which were off the plane and in the hands of the customer within 40 minutes. “It’s a very quick turnaround. We complete the paperwork and check the shipment then it is moved to the veterinary sta-

rieties of male and female Guppy, including the Green Cobra, Velvet White, Neon Red, Tuxedo Dragon Head, Sunset Guppy and Tuxedo Golden Yellow varieties. “In the Czech Republic, these are mostly fish for pets,” he said.

Special charter

tion next door to our facility where the customer picks it up. “We handle fish quite often; we get about 130 fish shipments each year. The main stations that the fish shipments pass through are Bangkok, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. The boxes in the recent shipment contained numerous va-

In some instances there are variables that cannot be foreseen and these times call for the team to think on their feet. “We had a special charter with rhinos and although we prepared as much as we could, we had some difficulties and needed to load the rhinos with a crane. Nobody had ordered a crane as we were told it would be okay with a forklift so we had to adapt quickly.” Burian said the team prepared one forklift to lift the rhino and one on standby close by in case the weight shifted and it toppled. “When the rhinos were moved there was a qualified person travelling with them on the flight and also checking them when they were in the warehouse and boarding.” Although the rhinos were sedated, Burian said seeing them up close was still an experience. Whilst peoples’ movements have been severely restricted during the pandemic, Burian said animals have still been flying across the globe. “There were less domestic animals as people usually fly on the same aircraft as their pets and obviously less people were flying,” Burian noted. “In this last year, however, as passenger flights increased it’s almost the same as it was before. For shippers that are zoos and conservation centres, their operations did not change that much.“

All creatures great and small board The ARK

ive years on from when The ARK at JFK Airport opened its doors to creatures great and small, it is welcoming another ‘first’ in its history. Last month, six young Holstein breeding Bulls made their way through The ARK to a country in southwest Asia via Qatar Airways, the facility’s first-ever shipment of Bovine. “The bulls travelled by road from their export isolation facility outside of the Chicago-ORD airport and were transported to The ARK to prepare for their international flight,” Elizabeth Schuette, president and CEO of The Ark reported. “Prior to their road trip, the USDA (US Department Of Agriculture) in Des Plaines, IL identified the animals and supplied the final documentation so that they would be authorised to begin their journey. After comfort stops along the way to refill food and water, the bulls arrived at The ARK and preparations were underway. “The day prior to the bulls’ arrival at The ARK, the custom-made IATA stall that the bulls would travel inside was delivered to The ARK and placed on a roller-bed to await “passengers”. Once the animals arrived, the personnel from The ARK and USDA were

ACW 31 JANUARY 2022

ready to have the bulls transferred from their chauffeur to their custom stalls, but before that, more feed and water was provided to the animals in addition to high-quality hay for an in-flight-meal. “Once the USDA at JFK was satisfied and had everything they needed, The ARK confined the area, and the bulls boarded their stall. Once all IATA stickers, labels as well as the cargo net and other securements were applied, The ARK weighed the stall for the airline and drove them right up to the plane. “Despite this being the first shipment of Bovine through The ARK, advanced preparations with all parties involved (shipper, transporter, USDA, ARK, consignee), everything went as smoothly as possible. Due to the amount of time required to isolate and prepare an international shipment of bulls, it’s imperative that the day of departure operations go as planned; one mishap can delay the entire shipment for months. “The bulls travelled first class on a freighter

flight and safely arrived to their final destination thanks to everyone’s teamwork. The importer was very thankful for making this unusual shipment possible under the current circumstances that the pandemic has posed on us all.” Schuette told ACW that The ARK was con-

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tracted by the port authority of New York and New Jersey to provide most animal related services, meaning any time that there is a major movement of animals within the port, it’s required that The ARK is involved in some way. “We can also provide co-ordination services rather than working directly with the ground handling agent of the carrier,” Schuette said. “With more one-off exotic shipments we are still involved but usually in a co-ordination role. However, we do have the equipment available that has been fortified to ensure the animals are moved in a comfortable fashion around the airport and into the secure areas.” The ARK is also on hand for any animal related issues at JFK. This could be to locate an escapee dog at the airport or, as Schuette noted, to deal with a lively shipment of bees. “We had a transit of bees that came in that wasn’t designated to come to our facility. All the information on the crate was in Spanish and the handler put the crate in a warm area when they were supposed be kept cold. As soon as the bees warmed up they started swarming and a few escaped so we had a panicked call from the ground handler to come over and secure them properly and move them.”

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South Africa bound

ive lions and one tiger from captivity were safely relocated from Ukraine to South Africa with the help of DHL Global Forwarding and Warriors of Wildlife. Following this transport, the non-profit organisation has rescued a total of 28 wild cats and other animals from Ukraine. In the past, DHL Global Forwarding has also helped relocate several brown bears, pandas, and most recently, “the world’s loneliest elephant,” Kaavan. “To make the journey as pleasant as possible for our special guests, profound expertise and a well-co-ordinated team are key. Our ‘Lions and Falcons of DHL’, as I like to call our staff, brought the animals safely back to their wild home base. In the sanctuary of Warriors of Wildlife, they are finally back where they belong – two of them have South African parents. The lions Hercules, Cher, Khaya, Ilana, another male lion that was named Arslan by our Turkish Airfreight team, as well as the tiger Kisa, travelled with us for 72 hours. Not an easy job, but one we accepted wholeheartedly,” says Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding MEA. The wild cats were kept in a private zoo in Chernivtsi and a zoo in Nikolaev in the south of Ukraine. DHL brought them to a sanctuary run by the head of the wildlife organisation Lionel de Lange. The Simbonga Game Farm & Sanctuary is located near Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape, South Africa. Throughout the whole journey the animals were monitored by veterinarian specialists. In Ukraine, the DHL team had the support of a Ukrainian vet until departure. Together with the director of Warriors for Wildlife and another veterinarian they boarded then their flight from Boryspil International Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The last leg of their journey the cats travelled via road before they were finally welcomed to their new home.

Brussels Airport’s Animal Care & Inspection Centre CEIV Live Animals certified

russels Airport Animal Care & Inspection Centre (ACIC) has received the coveted IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Live Animals Certificate, less than two years after its inauguration. In order to offer the best possible service in the field of animal transport, Brussels Airport has invested in a brand-new ultramodern Animal Care & Inspection Centre, which opened its doors in June 2020. With this new centre, Brussels wanted to set the standard on a European level and ensure that considerable attention is paid to the comfort of all live animals. Less than two years after the opening, the ACIC has now received the IATA CEIV Live Animals certificate. Driven by industry standards, IATA’s CEIV Live Animals Logistics establishes baseline standards to improve the level of competency, infrastructure and quality management in the handling and transportation of live animals throughout the supply chain. With over 2000 sq m of covered space, the Animal Care and Inspection Centre is exclusively designed for the handling of live animals and offers the required capacity for the import, export and transit of live animals. With a strong focus on animal welfare, the building is equipped with the latest climate control system and adaptive lighting, ensuring the animals reside in optimal conditions. Sam Quintelier, business development manager, cargo at Brussels Airport: “With our investment in this new and modern facility we wanted to set a new standard for animal welfare. We strive for great service and quality for all our customers, so we are proud of this recognition for our Centre and the whole ACIC team.” Earning this recognition required the ACIC team to set up and implement a quality management system, be fully compliant with IATA’s Live Animals training requirements, and demonstrate proficiency in managing live animal handling processes in conformance with IATA’s standards.

ACW 31 JANUARY 2022

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Improved pilot training yields promising results Embry-Riddle educates 33,500+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona

group of 58 flight students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were able to reduce the time it took them to complete a first solo flight by more than 30%, thanks to a first-of-its-kind flight training programme. While results remain preliminary, reports from instructor pilots have been positive, said Dr Ken Byrnes, chair of the Flight Department at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus. “Students who go through our new training programme are better prepared when they step into an aircraft,” Byrnes reported. “They also have lower anxiety and greater confidence due to their experience and understanding of what to expect in the aircraft.” The PILOT, or Pre-flight Immersion Laboratory for Operations Training programme, an evidence-based approach that can save flight students time and money, was launched by Embry-Riddle in autumn 2021. Embry-Riddle flight training manager Nicole Hester agreed that the programme is paying off. “We have had students who finished and soloed in times that we have never seen before,” Hester said. “We’re also getting feedback from our instructor pilots that students in the new programme can immediately control the airplane and understand radio communications very well.” As Embry-Riddle has been faced with heavy demand for its highly regarded Aeronautical Science degree programme, “the idea was to increase capacity by increasing efficiency,” said Dr. Alan Stolzer, dean of the school’s College of Aviation at Daytona Beach. “We also wanted to enhance student learning, improve aviation safety and help industry address a critical shortage of qualified pilots.” Under the programme, incoming flight students spend their first four weeks learning preflight, checklist and flight procedures in unique virtual reality (VR) environments developed by Embry-Riddle and its industry partners. Students then

continue to work with their flight instructor, completing oral and simulator activities. “We believe that this is the first use of these VR technologies for general aviation training,” Byrnes said. Using Embry-Riddle’s customised VR platforms, students practice tasks ranging from aircraft checklists and preflight inspection, to takeoffs and landings, flight manoeuvres and radio communications with Air Traffic Control (ATC). Students learn the basics of flight manoeuvres through a VR flight trainer from True Course Simulations.

Mastering aviation English Embry-Riddle’s PILOT programme also features a virtual Air

Traffic Control (ATC) lab. There, students ride along with a 360-degree video of a real flight with a virtual instructor. The instructor introduces students to a variety of flight scenarios in complex environments such as a busy arrival to Daytona Beach International Airport. Throughout the video flight, the instructor explains what’s being said over the radio and how that corresponds to actions the student must take. On real-world flights, explained ATC course designer and Aviation English co-ordinator Andrew Schneider, instructors have little time to stop and review what’s happening via radio communications, step-by-step. In the Embry-Riddle simulation, students can listen without distraction to radio communications between the instructor and ATC, learning phraseology and developing listening fluency.

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