REGIONAL NEWS

Air France-KLM Group and the CMA CGM Group announced an exclusive partnership that will see both parties combine their complementary cargo networks, full freighter capacity and dedicated services to build an even more competitive offer thanks to the unrivalled know-how and global footprint of Air France-KLM and CMA CGM.

CMA CGM and Air France-KLM share a strong ambition to invest and grow sustainably in the air freight business.

The agreement will have an initial duration of 10 years. Air France-KLM and CMA CGM will join and exclusively operate the full-freighter aircraft capacity of the respective airlines consisting initially of a fleet of 10 full-freighter aircraft, and an additional combined 12 aircraft on order:

Four full-freighter aircraft at CMA CGM Air Cargo (with outstanding orders for an additional eight aircraft, two of which may be operated by Air France-KLM in the future)

Six full-freighter aircraft at Air FranceKLM Group based at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (with outstanding orders for an additional four aircraft).

This new commercial partnership also covers Air France-KLM’s belly aircraft capacity, including over 160 long-haul aircraft.

The partnership will leverage both partners’ respective global sales teams, presenting one voice to the customer.

The strategic commercial partnership is expected to generate significant revenue synergies including the joint design of the full freighter networks and enhanced products and services mix opportunities.

It will help meet customers’ everincreasing need for more integrated and resilient supply chains and will leverage Air France-KLM’s vast existing franchise, experience, and capabilities in air freight, backed by a global cargo network.

CMA CGM will mobilise its large commercial network and global logistics platform and will complete this offer with innovative logistics and multimodal solutions, particularly in sea and land transport.

As part of this long-term exclusive partnership, CMA CGM will reinforce its commitment in the air freight industry by becoming a new reference shareholder in Air France-KLM.

CMA CGM has the firm intention to take up to 9% of Air France-KLM’s ex-post share capital, for a period consistent with the implementation of the strategic commercial partnership.

This investment could be made as part of the contemplated capital increase of Air France-KLM, as announced on February 17th, 2022.

Air France-KLM’s main shareholders will support a resolution for the appointment of one board member representing CMA CGM at the next shareholders’ meeting (May 24, 2022).

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group said: “I am very pleased with this strategic partnership with Air France-KLM. It allows us to significantly accelerate the development of our air division, CMA CGM Air Cargo, which was created just over a year ago, and to position our two companies among the world’s leading players in air freight.

“This partnership is fully in line with CMA CGM’s strategy and its ambition to become a leader in integrated logistics, for the benefit of its customers. Through our stake in the company, Air France-KLM will be able to count on us to support its future development.”

Air France-KLM Group CEO Benjamin Smith said: “This strategic partnership leverages the complementary skills, expertise and activities of Air France-KLM and CMA CGM. It is a landmark step which will significantly strengthen and expand the Group’s position in the air cargo industry. I am also extremely pleased that this commercial partnership with CMA CGM has resulted in their decision to invest directly in the Air France-KLM Group, demonstrating a strong testimony of their belief in the future success of our Group.”

MODIFI, a global platform for SMEs to finance and manage international trade, announced a partnership with DP World. The partnership aims to facilitate rapid and seamless access to working capital by adding MODIFI’s trade finance products to CARGOES

Finance by DP World.

CARGOES Finance by DP World is a fintech platform that brings together global importers, exporters, logistics companies and financial institutions to facilitate expeditious end-to-end global trade finance. CARGOES Finance provides lenders with access to data on cargo movements, enabling them to lend with confidence to the SME segment.

DP World customers with cargo and shipping requests will now be able to take advantage of MODIFI’s trade finance products for both importers and exporters, enabling them to get access to working capital and manage their cash flow with confidence via a unified digital cockpit.

Mike Bhaskaran, COO for Logistics & Technology, DP World said: “We strive to provide new solutions for our customers that not only add value to the service we provide, but also help to digitise the trade ecosystem and enable smarter trade across all markets. Our partnership with MODIFI will see us continue our progress on this mission and continue developing the offering of the CARGOES Finance platform for our SME customers.”

Nelson Holzner, CEO & Co-Founder of MODIFI, said: “With global trade witnessing significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, finance and payments are playing a vital role in reducing the impact of disruption on importers and exporters.

“Our partnership with CARGOES Finance will deliver huge value across the supply chain by unifying our fintech platforms and allowing us to leverage each other’s expertise. This collaboration will ultimately ensure businesses are able to access the finance, the data, and the tools they need in order to meet their customers’ needs worldwide.”

Air Arabia, the Middle East & North Africa’s lowcost carrier operator, reported a strong first quarter (January to March) in 2022 as recovery in demand for air travel continued.

Air Arabia reported a net profit of Dhs291 million for the first three months ending March 31, 2022, an increase of 756% compared to Dhs34 million registered in the corresponding quarter in 2021. In the same period, the airline posted a turnover of Dhs1.12 billion, a 97% increase in turnover compared to the first quarter of last year.

The financial and operational results achieved in the first quarter were backed by the continuous recovery in demand for air travel. More than 2.4 million passengers flew with Air Arabia between January and March 2022 across the carrier’s five hubs, an 86% increase compared to a total of 1.3 million passengers carried in the first quarter of last year.

The airline’s average seat load factor – or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats – during the first three months of 2022 stood at an impressive 79%, up 4% compared to the same period last year.

Commenting on the results, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammad Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia, said: “The strong performance we witnessed last year continued in the first quarter of 2022 and was supported by higher customer demand for Air Arabia’s value driven product as well as rigid cost control measures that the airline took since the start of the pandemic.”

He added: “We have continued with our network expansion strategy in the first quarter of this year by adding new routes and new frequencies across all operating hubs as well as continuing with preparations for the launch of our new ventures in Armenia and Pakistan.”

Air Arabia added four new routes from its operating hubs in the UAE, Morocco, and Egypt the first three months of 2022 and fully resumed its city check-in across the UAE. Air Arabia Group also unveiled the brand identity of its latest two ventures ‘Fly Arna’ and ‘Fly Jinnah’ in Armenia and Pakistan respectively. Both joint ventures are expected to be operational by mid-year.

Al Thani concluded: “In addition to the lasting impact of COVID-19 on global aviation, the industry continues to face geo-political challenges, higher oil prices and uncertainty towards full economic recovery. Although all these challenges are of a changing nature, we have full confidence in the business model that we operate, the strength of the aviation industry worldwide, as well as its role in supporting regional and global economic recovery.”

Al Masaood Commercial Vehicles and Equipment (CV&E), part of Al Masaood Group, Abu Dhabi’s leading conglomerate, has announced that it has been selected as the authorised distributor for Toyo Carriers Manufacturing (TCM) in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Western region, Dubai, and the Northern Emirates).

TCM, a long-established global brand in the material handling industry, offers a high-quality portfolio of forklift products designed and engineered to meet client requirements. Supplied from production facilities in Japan, China, Thailand, and Europe, TCM’s value-for-money product range includes internal combustion engine forklifts, electric counterbalanced forklifts, reach trucks and skid steer loaders.

The load capacity of small TCM forklifts ranges from 1.5 tonnes to 23 tonnes, with the brand’s large-size products able to support heavy tasks such as container handling operations in ports.

Mohamed El Zeftawi, General Manager of Al Masaood CV&E, said: “As its authorized distributor, we at Al Masaood CV&E are tying our customer-centric sales and aftersales support to TCM’s robust product range through this partnership, thereby providing an end-to-end service to our customers.

“To offer holistic solutions, we also provide flexible financing schemes and attractive leasing options. TCM is the latest in Al Masaood’s growing network of partnerships with renowned global brands, best known for their quality and excellence. This partnership exemplifies our commitment to bringing to the UAE market top quality products to support the operations of relevant local sectors. TCM’s line of forklifts is available at Al Masaood CV&E showrooms in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Northern Emirates (Sharjah).”

Kosuke Matsuda, Acting Deputy Manager – Overseas Sales and Marketing Headquarters, Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd., said: At Mitsubishi Logisnext, we are proud of the enviable legacy of the TCM brand in the history of Japanese technology. The TCM brand had pioneered the manufacturer of the first “Made in Japan” internal combustion forklift truck in 1949. We are indeed grateful for the many years of trust from our customers in the UAE who appreciate the reliability of the TCM brand.

“Our increasing collaboration with Al Masaood CV&E, the exclusive TCM agent in the UAE, is intended to open new frontiers to continue in the excellent delivery of our after-sales service and for be-spoke solutions in material handling. “The UAE is one of the most important global markets for us at TCM.”

He added: “As we aim to build a more robust market presence in the country and the region, we are confident that partnering with Al Masaood CV&E is the right strategy for us given its proven track record in sales and aftersales support, technical capability, and outstanding customer service. TCM’s diverse product range has been designed to deliver affordable top quality that satisfies varying customer needs across multiple sectors.”

The TCM forklift range is available at Al Masaood CV&E’s showrooms in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Northern Emirates (Sharjah).

Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group, has appointed Tim Isik as Vice President – Commercial. Based in Etihad Cargo’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi,

Isik will oversee the carrier’s global commercial operations.

Isik joins Etihad Cargo from American

Airlines, where he gained over a decade of experience working within the aviation and air cargo sectors. In his new role with Etihad

Cargo, Isik will oversee the development and deployment of the carrier’s sales strategy and be responsible for further growing

Etihad Cargo’s strategic relationships, executing sales and marketing plans and driving team performance.

Isik will lead Etihad Cargo’s commercial operations globally, supported by Latha

Narayan, Etihad Cargo’s Director – Commercial Asia Pacific, Australasia and Indian Subcontinent, and Mark Faulkner, Director – Cargo Commercial West. Isik will report to Martin Drew, Senior Vice President – Sales & Cargo.

“Etihad Cargo is delighted to have Tim on the team. I am confident his knowledge and expertise will contribute to Etihad Cargo’s continued growth, enabling the carrier to further strengthen its position as the air cargo partner of choice,” said Drew.

Isik said: “It’s an exciting time to be joining Etihad Cargo, following the carrier achieving a milestone year in 2021. I look forward to working closely with Martin and the rest of the team as Etihad Cargo continues its journey of growth through innovation and successfully adapting to the needs of customers and the dynamic challenges of the air cargo market.”

Dubai Municipality’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Centre, the official source for providing and updating maps, plans and geographic information for Dubai, has initiated a project of designing highly precise digital maps for autonomous vehicles.

This step comes in line with the ambitions and visions of the smart Dubai government to promote digital transformation of public utilities and make

Dubai ‘the best city to live’ in the world as well as strengthening Dubai Municipality vision of making it the pioneering global city. The project targets preparing and designing maps as per the best standards and international practices, reflecting the emirate’s spirit of innovation and creativity. These maps are set to be utilized by businesses offering specialized solutions for autonomous vehicles, which are perceived to constitute most of Dubai’s transportation in the future. Dubai Municipality’s GIS Centre continues to coordinate with partners and concerned entities to promote integrated concepts of highly precise maps. Such efforts aim to ensure optimum implementation of the maps in line with the specific standards and requirements, hence allowing map users to enjoy a unique and exceptional driving experience.

Etihad Rail will host the 16th edition of Middle East Rail to outline the roadmap for transforming the transportation & logistics industries in the

region.

Middle East Rail will be taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 17-18 May 2022.

The event, which is the largest transport event in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, will bring together leaders of the entire transportation community, forward-thinking senior executives, key decision makers, and government representatives to convene, discuss the most pressing topics in the global railway and transportation sector, and highlight the latest innovations in the industry.

Middle East Rail will bring together more than 600 VIPs, government officials, transport and infrastructure industry experts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as 6,000 attendees, more than 200 speakers, and more than 250 exhibitors.

Following the launch of the UAE Railways Programme by the UAE government in December 2021, which will be the largest integrated system for transporting goods and passengers across the country, Middle East Rail 2022 will provide a platform to support and drive the growth of ambitious transportation projects across rail, infrastructure, freight, and logistics.

To support achieving a smart and clean transportation system, Middle East Rail 2022 will include conference presentations, panels and interviews on connected and intelligent systems, automated and safe processes, Internet of things (IoT) and data analysis, sustainable operations and more.

The event will showcase the latest rail innovations and technologies, and generate business opportunities in the rail, logistics, and transportation industry through facilitating networking opportunities and engaging discussions. Middle East Rail 2022 will include dedicated conferences that provide more than 50 hours on sustainability, digital innovation, and innovative mobility, across the two days of the event.

It will also include more than 50 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certified workshops and seminars, which aims at highlighting the latest challenges operating in the region to the engineering community who are building world class projects. In addition, attendees will have a chance to explore more than 100 startups operating in the smart mobility ecosystem, their new products, and innovations.

Omar Al Sebeyi, Executive Director of the Commercial Sector at Etihad Rail, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the upcoming edition of Middle East Rail, which comes as part of our commitment to support the development of the transportation and logistics industry in the UAE and the region. Middle East Rail will contribute to showcasing the latest technologies, fostering partnerships, stimulating investments, and exchanging knowledge and expertise, which are key for driving the growth industry in the UAE and the region.”

“At Etihad Rail, we ensure integrating cutting-edge technologies and following the best practices in the development of the UAE National Rail Network, to support the country’s economic growth. We look forward to convening with industry leaders and experts at Middle East Rail to shape the future of the rail industry in the region,” he added.

Etihad Rail aims to link the UAE’s centres of trade, industry, and population, and will provide passenger and freight services. Stage One of the Network has been operational since 2016. Stage Two is progressing at an accelerated pace, achieving 75% of the project’s completion.