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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,093

10 August 2020

Air cargo’s appeal is its human scale

COVID-19 pulls plug on 2020 ACF

he health and safety of the ACF exhibitors, attendees and all involved partners being the first priority, TIACA and Messe München have been in close and regular contact with local and international authorities, monitoring the situation, following the WHO advice as well as the feedback from the registered exhibitors. Given developments in Florida and recent restrictions imposed in MiamiDade County to curb the spread of COVID-19 and worldwide travel restrictions impacting exhibitors and visitors, TIACA and Messe München have been forced to reschedule the Air Cargo Forum which will be held on 8-10 November 2022 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “Messe München and TIACA have always been committed to providing a much-needed platform in the US to the air cargo, logistics and supply chain management communities. Given the drastic impact the global COVID-19 pandemic currently has in Florida, we regret that holding the event this year is unfortunately not possible. With this, we also take into account the latest feedback and interest of the industry, that is heavily affected by the current crisis, and

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and Messe München cancel the 2020 Air Cargo Forum (ACF) in Miami

decided to re-schedule for November 2022,” said Gerhard Gerritzen, deputy managing director of Messe München. TIACA is still planning to host its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2020 and continues its call for nominations for the Hall of Fame and the

Air Cargo Sustainability Awards. The AGM, which is the annual assembly of TIACA’s voting members, will be held as a digital event. The Hall of Fame, TIACA’s prestigious award for outstanding air cargo heroes, is maintained this year, but the ceremony itself will be held at a later stage when

the situation allows. For the second Air Cargo Sustainability Awards, sponsored by CHAMP Cargosystems, TIACA will organise a virtual event in Autumn 2020 to keep pushing for and rewarding innovative sustainable practices. Additional details will be communicated shortly.

Special event To provide the air cargo and the supply chain community with a platform to meet, connect, learn and embrace new business opportunities, TIACA and Messe München are partnering to bring the industry together for a special event in the autumn of 2021 in California. “Air cargo has been absolutely essential supporting the global supply chains, including the delivery of vital shipments of medicine and supplies fast and safely. I am confident that the opportunities the air cargo community is facing can help this industry come out of this crisis stronger, modern and more resilient to future shocks,” affirmed Steven Polmans, TIACA chairman. “I look forward to welcoming all to a special event next year – a twoday conference followed by two days of unique innovation experience.”

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INSIDE IAG CARGO Q2 2020 RESULTS

IAG Cargo has announced Q2 2020 results, reporting commercial revenues of €369m over the period from April 1 to June 30, 2020, ... page 2

ONT freight shipments up

AIRFREIGHT shipments increased by nearly 30% in June and 20% in the first half of the year at Ontario International Airport (ONT), the result ... page 3 AUTUMN RACCA CONFERENCE

WITH a “deep sense of frustration and sadness,” the US Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) Board of Directors has ... page 4

VD 25-year LINK WITH K+N RUSSIA

VOLGA-DNEPR Airlines and Kuehne+Nagel have recently partnered on a flight delivering a power turbine from East Midlands, UK to Russia ... page 7

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06/08/2020 11:54

ENSURE MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT COVID-COMPLIANT

UK West Midlands-based Midland Pallet Trucks is encouraging businesses to factor their workhouse pallet trucks and other material handling equipment into COVID19 hygiene measures. Phil Chesworth, managing director of Midland Pallet Trucks said,: “We know that all business owners want to keep their staff and customers safe and an abundance of caution has preceded the move to welcome staff back to work. We are in unchartered times and there is so much to think about. “Cleaning of items like hand pallet trucks, manual stacker trucks and lift tables is perhaps not something that normally gets a priority but, in busy warehouses and logistics hubs where multiple people may have access to the same equipment, cleaning protocols should be implemented to ensure surfaces such as handles and forks remain clean and hygienic. They can be quickly sanitised using a spray or wiped down with an antibacterial wipe with no damage to the surface or integrity of the equipment.” The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that all businesses take all steps necessary to keep workplaces and staff safe and reduce risk by conducting a COVID-19 risk assessment, instigating increased cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures, maintaining a safe two metre distance between workers where possible and manage transmission risk where distancing is not possible.

IAG CARGO REVEALS Q2 2020 RESULTS IAG Cargo has announced Q2 2020 results, reporting commercial revenues of €369m over the period from April 1 to June 30, 2020, an increase of 33.1% on the same period in 2019 at constant currency. Overall yields for the quarter were up 224.7% to the same time last year at constant currency, reflecting the extra costs of cargo-only flying and dedicated charters and a significantly changed flying programme. Sold tonnes were down 51.2%. Lynne Embleton, CEO at IAG Cargo, commented: “Q2 was, of course, dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. As passenger aircraft were grounded across the world, our teams adapted to ensure IAG Cargo continued to play a crucial role in supporting global trade and the movement of essential goods in these extraordinary times. “We rapidly developed one of the most comprehensive networks of scheduled cargo-only flights

SOFTBOX, a global innovator and provider of temperature control packaging systems and thermal covers for the life science and logistics industries, has announced the appointment of Charlie Nicholson as Softbox’s new global CFO. Reporting directly to Kevin Valentine, CEO of Softbox, Nicholson joins the leadership team and is responsible for all financial and fiscal management aspects of Softbox and its regional business units across the globe. His primary focus will be assessing the company’s operational and financial performance, and developing scalable systems, processes and controls to support the company’s global business operations and growth. Nicholson has previously held several senior finance roles in pharmaceutical and clinical trial organisations. He has over 20 years’ experience leading successful financial processes and is also a qualified chartered accountant. Charlie brings a wealth of knowledge and

EMIRATES has introduced a second daily A380 service to London Heathrow, serving market demand and offering customers more travel options. The airline has also restarted its A380 operations to Amsterdam and Cairo and has deployed its A380 aircraft to Guangzhou. Emirates has so far resumed A380 services to five cities and it will gradually expand the deployment of this popular aircraft in line with demand and operational approvals. Emirates has also resumed services to Addis Ababa, Clark, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Prague, São Paulo, Stockholm and Seychelles.

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Cargo-only services “In addition to our scheduled cargo-only services, our newly established charter team has worked closely with commercial entities and governments to develop bespoke capacity solutions. “During this second quarter we operated 615 charters, including 416 critical supply operations for the British, Irish and Spanish authorities. To

Softbox appoints new global CFO

Emirates adds second daily LHR A380 service

available; a network of over 340 scheduled flights per week built around our customers’ needs and tailored to the most important cargo flows. “We have reconfigured aircraft to maximise cargo capacity, removing seats and using overhead lockers. These were important capacity solutions, albeit ones that brought additional operational complexity and cost.

expertise in the field which will support the business’ ambitions to deliver profitable growth. “I’m delighted about joining Softbox, a global leader in cold chain packaging technologies for the pharmaceutical industry with very exciting plans over the coming years,” said Nicholson about his new role as CFO. “I look forward to working with the leadership team and enabling further growth.”

date we have helped governments and private customers transport over 11,000 tonnes of PPE and medical supplies on these charters. We also saw additional PPE tonnage transported across our scheduled flights. “In short, we have met the challenge of COVID19 head on. “The pandemic continues to greatly impact the air cargo industry and businesses at large. For aviation, this is most clearly evident in the sustained restrictions on passenger movements, and, for cargo specifically, on the impact on the global economy. “It has been a busy and challenging three months. “We are pleased to be supporting our customers throughout this unpredictable and changeable operating environment.”

Sara Van Gelder joins Nallian

NALLIAN has announced that Brussels Airport’s Cargo digital development manager Sara Van Gelder has joined the team as of August 1. Within BRUcargo, Sara was instrumental in driving forward BRUcloud. Besides BRUcargo, fast growing Nallian is rolling out the Cargo Cloud in airports across Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific, including forward thinking airports such as Liege Airport, Luxembourg Airport, Vienna Airport, London Heathrow and Dallas Fort-Worth. Van Gelder will be using her deep expertise to help these and future airport communities to get quick and maximum value from these initiatives.

GECAS DELIVERS SECOND A320NEO TO COLORFUL GUIZHOU ON July 29, GECAS delivered an A320neo aircraft to Colorful Guizhou Airlines in Tianjin, China. This is the second LEAP1A- powered A320neo aircraft to be delivered to the airline from the lessors’ order book. In June 2019, GECAS and Colorful Guizhou Airlines announced the agreement to lease four A320neo with deliveries beginning in late 2019 and continuing into 2020. Colorful Guizhou Airlines now operates a fleet of eleven aircraft, including GECAS’ two A320neos and nine E190s.

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ONT freight shipments up 30% in June EKA and FreightWaves

collaborate to deliver freight data and insights

ir freight shipments increased by nearly 30% in June and 20% in the first half of the year at Ontario International Airport (ONT), the result of increased reliance on e-commerce as Californians continue to observe safer-at-home orders and turn to online shopping for many household supplies. Freight shipments totalled more than 79,000 tonnes in June, the fourth straight month that ONT experienced freight tonnage gains of 22% or more. From January through June, ONT processed 422,000 tonnes, onefifth more than the 351,000 tonnes handled in the first six months of last year. “Ontario continues to be a focal point in the global supply chain that runs through Southern California and a main reason why our region’s economy continues to weather the current recession comparatively well,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority. “Month after month, Ontario Airport and our airline partners have demonstrated that our people and facilities are up to the task of shouldering an increasingly heavier workload, especially during this time of uncertainty.” Freight shipments through ONT were up

12% by volume in February year-over-year, but in March, as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was felt across the aviation industry, freight tonnage climbed 22%, followed by increases of 26% in April and 24% in May. The pandemic continued to depress passenger volume down in June, though at levels not as low as recent months. The number of ONT travellers declined by 93% in April and 85% in May. In June, the number of ONT air travellers totalled 142,000, a 70% decrease compared to June 2019 yet twice as many as May of this year. More than 140,300 passengers were aboard domestic flights with the remaining 1,700 being international customers, another encouraging note since there were no international passengers at ONT in April and May. “Freight shipments continue to drive commercial activity at Ontario, which is always a point of pride, particularly this year,” Thorpe said. “With ample room for growth, we expect Ontario will remain a magnet for economic activity in Southern California and we anticipate considerable travel demand growth when passengers resume more normal business and leisure travel routines.”

SEKO partners with Better Packaging for more sustainable global e-Commerce e-Commerce. After years of SEKO Logistics and sustainworking with couriers and able packaging company, The witnessing the amount of Better Packaging Co, are partpackaging used to support nering to help significantly e-Commerce - especially sinreplace single-use plastics in gle-use plastic - founders global e-Commerce fulfillRebecca Percasky and Kate ment supply chains. Bezar decided to take matters Sustainability is now reinto their own hands. They garded as one of the prime decided to develop their components within supply chain resilience programmes. Rebecca Percasky and Kate Bezar, own extensive range of comBuyers and sellers are trying Founders of The Better Packaging Co. postable packaging solutions to be more environmentally responsible, and capable of meeting the most stringent reguthe green credentials of sellers are an increas- lations for compostability. Better Packaging ingly important factor in online shoppers’ comPOST Packs will break down in less than buying decisions. This presents both a mas- 180 days into completely non-toxic elements. Through the new partnership, SEKO sive challenge and opportunity for a market shipping around 90 billion packages per year Logistics plans to use Better Packaging’s to satisfy the $3.4 trillion of purchases by more range of products, such as comPOST pack courier satchels and comPOLY garment bags, than two billion digital buyers. Better Packaging is the world’s leading pro- within their own e-Commerce fulfillment vider of home compostable packaging for operations.

irBridgeCargo Airlines, part of Volga-Dnepr Group, has transported a record number of RKN containers onboard its Boeing 747-8F. ABC’s scheduled flight uplifted the cargo for its long-lasting customer, DSV, from Amsterdam to Shanghai. Forty-one RKN CSafe containers, containing more than 30 tonnes of temperature-sensitive medicines, were securely loaded and stowed onboard main and lower decks to optimise aircraft capacity and guarantee safe delivery

EKA Solutions and FreightWaves have collaborated to offer SONAR data visualisation tools for brokers, carriers and shippers with forward-looking analytics on freight movements including rates, volumes and market dynamics. “EKA is excited to work with FreightWaves, the global leader for freight market analytics and forecasts. We are seeking to offer a seamless user experience where EKA users can simultaneously access SONAR products through the EKA Omni-TMS platform and use it seamlessly to make pricing decisions. The goal is to increase EKA customer productivity and improve profitable decision making,” said JJ Singh, founder, investor and CEO of EKA Solutions “Also, EKA smart pricing value-added tools will enable it to ingest SONAR actionable intelligence and blend it with unique customer data to deliver targeted and improved pricing decisions for each specific use case to each

Sheremetyevo handled more than 149,000 tonnes in H1 2020

heremetyevo International Airport handled more than 134,000 tonnes of cargo and 15,000 tonnes of mail in the first six months of 2020, despite the crisis in air travel caused by the spread of the coronavirus infection. Sheremetyevo Airport retains its position as the largest cargo handler of the Moscow air hub. Moscow Cargo, the main cargo operator for Sheremetyevo, handled about 73% of the airport’s total cargo traffic, a total of 103,884 tonnes of cargo and mail. Freight traffic bound for Germany, China, Korea, USA and The Netherlands, accounted for about half of the total and were the principal foreign cargo destinations, followed by Japan, Israel and Singapore. The principal domestic cargo destinations were the far eastern cities of Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Airports receiving the largest volume of export and transit cargo in the first quarter were Frankfurt, Shanghai, Vladivostok, Amsterdam and Khabarovsk. Airports receiving the largest volume of import and transit cargo in the first quarter were Shanghai, Frankfurt, Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago.

AirBridgeCargo ‘rehearsal’ for COVID-19 vaccine of the total shipment without its breakdown for different flights. “This transportation, to some extent, is the rehearsal to check that we are well-prepared for the COVID-19 vaccine, once its testing is finalised. For the last five years, we have deepened our co-operation with providers of temperature-sensitive containers and

now, in the middle of the pandemic, we are in constant dialogue with our trusted partners, Envirotainer, SkyCell, va-Q-tec, DoKaSch, CSafe, Sonoco and others regarding strategic container reserve. “Last year we successfully gained our IATA CEIV Pharma re-certification, which stands as an industry commitment to be a reliable

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EKA broker, carrier and shipper customer,” said Mark Walker, investor, president and chief digital officer for EKA Solutions “Software and technology are accelerating the pace of innovation in the supply chain business and, among other things, delivering innovative capabilities to improve management of operations and eliminate uncertainty and doubt about market pricing and direction,” stated Craig Fuller, CEO of FreightWaves. “We’re excited to work closely with the experienced and talented supply chain leadership team at EKA Solutions, that understand freight price volatility, freight price risk and potential solutions to manage logistics price movement. The seamless integration of innovative SONAR actionable intelligence solutions with the price management solutions embedded in the EKA Omni-TMS platform will accelerate the delivery of transformative price transparency to meet the industry’s current and emerging needs,” added Fuller

Sheremetyevo International Airport is one of the TOP-10 hubs in Europe and the largest Russian airport in terms of passenger and freight traffic. In 2019, the airport served 49,933,000 passengers, an increase of 8.9% over 2018. Moscow Cargo is a modern, high-tech air cargo terminal and the main handling operator for Sheremetyevo International Airport, serving 72.5% of the airport’s cargo and postal turnover. The Moscow Cargo terminal, with a total area of 42,300 sq m and designed to handle 380,000 tonnes of cargo per year, is the largest in Russia, the CIS and the Eastern Europe countries. High-tech equipment and production facilities for processing special goods categories allow Moscow Cargo to effectively service all types of cargo without restrictions. No other airport in Russia has comparable equipment and capabilities. In 2019, the Moscow Cargo terminal handled more than 275,000 tonnes of cargo and mail, an increase of 12% over the previous year, which was significantly higher than both the all-Russian indicators and the average indicators of the global air cargo market. partner of cold chain and keep 100% vaccine integrity,” commented Yulia Celetaria, global director, pharmaceuticals for AirBridgeCargo Airlines. For the first six months of 2020, ABC has managed to achieve a 60% uptick in temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments, surpassing the level of 11, 000 tonnes. Its dedicated team of specialists across the entire network has been on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

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FIATA and TT Club congratulate regional winners of young international forwarders award

IATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations and international freight transport insurer, TT Club, have announced this year’s regional winners for the Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year Award (YIFFYA). For over 20 years the award has been providing valuable training opportunities for young talent in the freight forwarding industry. The YIFFYA has again attracted many talented candidates from around the world. Representing their respective companies and national associations, candidates submitted their dissertations earlier in the year, focused on demonstrating their expertise in

This year’s regional winners are: Region Europe: Ms Femke Marie Fürst (DSLV – Germany) Region Africa and Middle East: Ms Vimbai Loreen Manyumbu (SFAAZ – Zimbabwe) Region Americas: Ms Anastasia Gureeva (CIFFA – Canada) Region Asia Pacific: Mr Umair Aamir Sheikh (PIFFA – Pakistan)

freight forwarding. The dissertations sought to illustrate complex multimodal shipments of cargoes such as large crane assemblies, locomotives, halal meat and rainbow trout eggs. Many of the candidates this year were able to further demonstrate their expertise through inclusion of COVID-19 challenges, explaining how these were overcome. TT Club recognises the importance of encouraging new talent in the freight forwarding business and has supported the competition with its sponsorship throughout the 20 years of the award’s history. Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s managing director, loss prevention and the chair of the Award Steering Committee, commented: “The awards continue to celebrate the achievements of young forwarders and both the Club and FIATA recognise the high standards of professionalism in our industry that must be exhibited in the most challenging of times. “Throughout the current crisis – and for some time into the future – forwarders will be critical to the maintenance of an efficient and effective global supply chain.”

High standard FIATA President Basil Pietersen added his congratulations to the four winners: “Our award aims to contribute to the development of quality professionals and reward young talent. The entries this year were, as ever, of a high standard and drew from a wide range of dissertation topics. I am heartened by the exceptional work of all the entrants, which demonstrates the complexity of processes carried out within the global supply chain and the logistics skills required to serve it. In addition, they underline the need of forwarders worldwide to adapt quickly to regulatory, political and economic pressures.” Traditionally, the regional winners would present their dissertations to the Award Steering Committee at the FIATA World Congress, with final judging and announcement of the global winner taking place during the event. Travel restrictions being as they are, there will be no congress held this year, so the judging will be completed remotely, with the regional winners’ entries being presented via videocall in October 2020. Both FIATA and TT Club wish to thank all those individuals who entered this year’s competition and acknowledge their employers and national freight forwarding associations for the enthusiasm and commitment they have shown to ongoing training within the international logistics and freight forwarding sector.

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ATC new commercial representative of Chapman Freeborn for South America GLOBAL aircraft charter specialist, Chapman Freeborn has appointed ATC Aviation Services as its commercial representative for South America including the territories of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. ATC Aviation Services as well as Chapman Freeborn are both well-respected companies in the aviation industry. The co-operation will strengthen both partners coverage in South America. ATC’s regional director South America, Mark Thiermann comments: “The Chapman Freeborn team brings almost 50 years of charter experience to the ATC landscape, which is a great addition to the local expertise of the ATC Aviation South American team. We are excited to explore the co-operation and grow together.” Neil Dursley, Chapman Freeborn’s chief commercial officer, said: “We are pleased and excited to embark on this new relationship with ATC, with a long record of serving its customer base extremely well. With their outstanding reputation, extended South America network and local experience, they will enable us to increase sales and improve customer support in South America.”

RE-SCHEDULED AUTUMN RACCA CONFERENCE CANCELLED WITH a “deep sense of frustration and sadness,” the US Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) Board of Directors has voted to cancel the 2020 RACCA conference that had been rescheduled to the autumn. “The board agreed we must prioritise on the health and safety of our members and associate members in deciding to cancel,” said president Stan Bernstein. “Given the spiking number of COVID19 cases in Arizona and across the nation, coupled with attendee concerns, we felt we could not continue planning for a 2020 meeting. Instead, we now have our sights on 2021.” The re-scheduled event will be the RACCA Spring Conference and has been set for April 20-22, 2021 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resorts and Villas.

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AEROMEXICO WILL CONTINUE FLYING GRUPO Aeromexico filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions in the United States in July but confirms its determination to implement a financial restructuring while continuing to serve customers. The Chapter 11 process strengthens its financial position and necessary operational changes to address the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and create a sustainable platform for the future. “Our industry faces unprecedented challenges due to significant declines in demand for air transportation,” said Andrés Conesa, Aeromexico CEO. “We are committed to taking the necessary measures so that we can operate effectively in this new landscape and be well prepared for a successful future when the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. We expect to utilise the Chapter 11 process to strengthen our financial position, obtain new financing and increase our liquidity, and create a sustain-

able platform to succeed in an uncertain global economy.” Aeromexico’s operations will continue. In July the Company expected to double the number of its domestic flights and quadruple the number of international flights as compared to June. Aeromexico is committed to continuing to safely expand flight service in the coming months, in line with local regulations and customer demand.

Business continuity

This US Chapter 11 process is designed to allow companies to maintain regular operations. Aeromexico will continue to operate in accordance with existing permits and concessions throughout this process. The airline also intends to continue ordering goods and services from its suppliers and expects to meet its

current commercial agreements with partner airlines, including its key and industry-leading Joint Co-operation Agreement with Delta Air Lines. Aeromexico is also in talks to obtain new, preferential financing for the company, as part of the restructuring within the re-organisation procedure, known as “debtor-in-possession” or “DIP financing”. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Aeromexico has implemented measures to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers in all phases of its operations, observing stringent health protocols and guidelines recommended by international authorities. “Our main priority has always been to maintain a safe environment for our clients and collaborators, and we know that today it is more important than ever,” said Conesa. “We encourage our customers to review the detailed information we have on our website.”

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LATIN AMERICA LATAM is presented with improved financing proposals for Tranche C LATAM Airlines Group has been offered access to more favourable conditions of its debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing with two new proposals for Tranche C. An offer was presented by the investment bank Jefferies Group, in addition to an updated proposal from existing shareholders, Qatar Airways and the Cueto and Amaro families, which include new conditions that will be considered by Judge James Garrity of the Court of the Southern District of New York to decide how this DIP tranche will be financed. The first financing proposal for Tranche C was presented on May 26, 2020, when LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru filed for Chapter 11, a voluntary reorganisation process in the United States. At that time, Qatar Airways committed $600 million and Costa Verde Aeronáutica on behalf of the Cueto and Amaro families committed $300 million, of which $50m could be taken on by an Eblen family company. In the latest Tranche C financing proposal to LATAM, this has been made effective. Tranche C also includes the option for other shareholders to subscribe for up to $250m in additional financing.

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freight forwarders

Dimerco expedites oversized cargo shipment

nternational freight forwarding and transportation specialist Dimerco has implemented a customised logistics solution to expedite the shipment of over-sized, temperature-sensitive cargo from Tokyo in Japan to Xiamen in China, via Taipei, on behalf of a leading imaging technology provider in the global electronics industry. “Our customer required the cargo to be pro-

tected from shock, tilt and temperature change,” a spokesperson explained. “Working with our long-term strategic partner airlines as well as local customs, we were able to arrange on flight transit, rather than transfer, in Taipei and the application of cargo examination and release on the apron, alongside the aircraft, to avoid risk to the sensitive cargo and expedite the process by several days.

DAVIES TURNER GROUP GAINS ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

“As the cargo is temperature-sensitive, we also arranged for release in the morning, several hours ahead of the release of other cargo onboard.” In the current climate, there are particular challenges, including limited space and restricted flight schedules, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; also both truck and staff must pass stringent inspection before enter-

ing the airside apron. Therefore, Dimerco surmounted all barriers and achieved successful application for cargo examination and release alongside the aircraft. Dimerco managed all paperwork for the cargo, which included 40 cases weighing a total 25,500 kg, including the application, with the Dimerco team providing regular, real-time updates to the customer.

he Environmental Management System in place at four of the Davies Turner Group’s regional distribution centres in the UK has been certified to the ISO14001:2015 standard by the market-leading provider of technology-led compliance and risk management solutions, Alcumus. Three of the hubs are operated by the company’s surface freight subsidiary, Davies Turner & Co, whilst the fourth is the Heathrow-based headquarters of airfreight subsidiary, Davies Turner Air Cargo. All are large, busy and fastpaced warehousing and logistics operations. Philip Stephenson, chairman of the Davies Turner Group, said: ”For many years, environmental responsibility has been of great importance to Davies Turner, and we have been actively involved in environmental management initiatives at site level, through re-using, recycling and energy conservation. “The decision to work towards formal recognition of our environmental management efforts made sound business sense, but was also fully supported by the company’s board of directors as it demonstrates the company’s ethos. “Over the last few years, we have also seen our clients seeking greater evidence that Davies Turner is fully engaged with environmental, social and governance issues or objectives. Some are making ISO14001 a requirement for suppliers with which they work, providing reassurance that they are dealing with a responsible company which understands its responsibilities for safeguarding the environment. “The certification demonstrates that Davies Turner is committed to environmental issues and is proactively working to minimise our impact on the environment, for example by producing less waste, and in the way we treat or handle waste, in increasing energy efficiency and in our use of natural resources. “In addition, it helps further differentiate our company from the competition since the num-

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UK forwarder expands its reach into France

Carl Inman, group health & safety, insurance and environmental manager (left) and Tanjot Soar, head of legal and company secretary

ber of other UK freight forwarding businesses that have IS014001 accreditation is still very small.” In October 2019, four of the company’s freight hubs were selected as the first sites to work towards satisfying the requirements of the international standard, with the Environmental Management System (EMS) to be managed centrally from Davies Turner’s headquarters in Coleshill, near Birmingham. Davies Turner enlisted the support of the consultancy, SQE Assurance to help with the development of a bespoke share-point based EMS to make the process management efficient, easy to manage, up-to-date and relevant to the company’s operations, whilst being fully compliant with the requirements of this ISO standard. “These certificates, which confirm the company’s achievement of internationally recognised standards of quality, safety, health and environmental responsibility, clearly demonstrate our commitment to all of the company’s stakeholders,” concluded Stephenson.

INTERNATIONAL freight forwarder W.E. Deane has expanded its reach further into Europe by opening a new site in France. The new 5,000 sq m office site will act as a customs office in response to Brexit and specialise in the management of imports to and from the UK. With a depot already established in the Netherlands, W.E. Deane’s latest site – which will be based near the port of Calais – will take the company’s total number of sites around the globe to 11. The forwarder made the strategic decision to establish a presence near Calais due to the port’s importance to cross-channel trade. W.E. Deane’s presence in the region will ensure that its core clientele within the automotive industry are better serviced by being a local agent with proximity to the BCP in France so they will be able to assist in all areas of the UK – EU / EU – UK trade. Rob Falconer, managing director at W.E. Deane commented: “In response to Brexit, W.E. Deane has taken the strategic decision to open a new site in Calais to manage the imports to and from the UK whilst also acting as a Customs office in response to Brexit.” With 50 staff based in the UK, the freight forwarder also has 60 employees across its global sites in South African and in Europe.

Kerry Logistics receives “most honored companies” accolade from Institutional Investor for fifth consecutive year

KERRY Logistics Network has received the “Most Honored Companies” accolade in Institutional Investor’s annual All-Asia Executive Team ranking for the fifth year running, in addition to placing in the top three in six categories under the Transportation sector. William Ma, group managing director of Kerry Logistics, said: “We are delighted to be honoured again for our dedicated efforts in maintaining a proactive investor relations strategy. As the global pandemic brings dis-

ruptions and uncertainties to our everyday lives, we believe it is more important than ever for us to provide transparency and support bilateral communication with the investor community. “We place high priority in keeping shareholders and investors abreast of the latest corporate development, as well as our resilience and adaptability to changing conditions. Once again, we would like to thank Institutional Investor for the recognition.”

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NEWS

UPS releases Q2 2020 earnings

EVENTFINDER 11-13 November 2020 Istanbul

UPS has revealed Q2 2020 • Consolidated average daily driven in part by the changes in demand consolidated revenue involume surged to record that emerged from the creased to $20.5 billion, a 20.9% growth pandemic, including a 13.4% increase from the second quarter of 2019. • 2Q20 diluted EPS of $2.03, surge in residential volNet income was $1.8 billion COVID-19 related up 4.6%; Adjusted diluted EPS ume, for the quarter; adjusted healthcare shipments up 8.7% to $2.13 net income was $1.9 biland strong outbound lion, 8.8% above the same • YTD cash from operations demand from Asia,” said Tomé, UPS chief experiod in 2019. Operating of $5.9 billion; Adjusted free Carol profit was $2.2 billion, and ecutive officer. cash flow of $3.9 billion adjusted operating profit “UPSers are keeping was $2.3 billion, up 7.4% the world moving during compared to last year’s second quarter. this time of need and I want to thank our team for Diluted earnings per share was $2.03 and ad- their hard work and outstanding efforts to serve justed diluted earnings per share was $2.13, up our customers, our communities and each other. UPS is not providing revenue and diluted earn8.7% from the same period last year. GAAP results included a pre-tax transformation charge of ings per share guidance due to the uncertainty $112 million, equivalent to $0.10 per share. In the around the timing and pace of the economic prior year period, GAAP results included a pre-tax recovery. The company is unable to predict the charge for transformation costs of $21 million, extent of the business impact or the duration of equivalent to $0.02 per share. the pandemic or reasonably estimate its operat“Our results were better than we expected, ing performance in future quarters.

Nunner Logistics move HQ

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NUNNER Logistics has moved its head office to an exciting new location in Helmond, Netherlands Nunner Logistics moved to new corporate headquarters as of July 2020. The modern new building, fully in accordance with BREEAM excellent standards, has a solar roof and exceptional facilities, including an Austrian stube and a professional fitness room, “making it a very desirable workspace!” says the company. Directly connected to the office building is a 15,000 sq m x-dock from which about 150 LTL linehaul trucks depart to all directions in Europe. Around 100 people will be working in the new building in an office environment of 2,000 sq m.

VOLGA-DNEPR MARKS LONGSTANDING LINK WITH K+N RUSSIA

olga-Dnepr Airlines and Kuehne +Nagel have recently partnered on a flight delivering a power turbine from East Midlands, UK to Russia to mark 25 years of working together. The 4.5-tonne shipment was loaded into Volga-Dnepr’s IL-76TD-90VD aircraft using its onboard crane system. “We always were of a high opinion on the quality of Volga-Dnepr Group’s solutions, and this flight was no exception. At this challenging time it is very important to have a reliable partner who is able to provide a consistent level of service. “ Together we achieve inspiring results, and expect further development,” said Oleg Makushkin, head of procurement and airline relations, Russia and CIS,

Kuehne+Nagel, Russia. ‘For over two decades Volga-Dnepr Airlines and Kuehne+Nagel have partnered on projects which have allowed us to innovate and develop new solutions together – pushing the boundaries on what air freight can do. Starting with our AN-124 and IL-76 charter flights, and then progressing to partnership on scheduled operations with AirBridgeCargo Airlines, we work under the alignment of specialty cargo transportation across the globe. Having Kuehne+Nagel among VD’s TOP customers is an honour, and we hope for continuous development and quality enhancement between us for years to come,” commented Ekaterina Andreeva, commercial director for Volga-Dnepr Airlines.

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7 05/08/2020 15:35

Cargo in the blood

Tiphaine Guelou, Publics Relations Manager, Lemon Queen talks to Zayed Nouamani, Head of Cargo commercial department at Royal Air Maroc

hance. That’s the word that describes the way many of the talented people we’ve met and who have been featured in these portraits in recent months first joined the air cargo industry. But it wasn’t chance that put them where they are today, or that made them the up-and-coming generation in air cargo. Zayed Nouamani, head of cargo commercial department at Royal Air Maroc, is one of these rising stars who never thought they were destined for air cargo but nonetheless made it their home.

ayed is an engineer by training. When he left engineering school 10 years ago, he joined the industry by “pure chance” as a cargo operations and co-ordination manager at RAM. “Two years later, I became the company’s freight representative for the Moroccan market. “Afterwards, I was appointed to the position of freight representative for Europe and Asia. Today, I lead the airline’s commercial cargo department.” A meteoric rise for the man who describes air cargo as “a driver of the world economy” and who is particularly “proud to belong to this community”.

nd this pride has only grown during these difficult times after organising multiple flights operated by Royal Air Maroc, bringing humanitarian aid from China to Africa in the form of PPE supplies, and transporting donations from Morocco to

no less than 21 African countries. “During this crisis, we have operated a large number of flights to transport aid, including organising around 20 flights in under 24 hours. It’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

oyal Air Maroc has certainly been very active and has played a major role in the fight against COVID-19, in particular by helping to bring medical supplies and PPE to Africa. For many, the pivotal role played by air cargo during the crisis has strengthened their passion for our industry or rekindled its flame. But will this be enough to encourage new talent to enter the world of air cargo, not by chance but intentionally?

y revealing itself to the general public, air cargo has certainly gained visibility. But what about its appeal? “This crisis has meant that we have all rethought our way of working to become more flexible, in particular via remote working, which has shown itself to be a real productivity factor,” says Zayed. A big plus for its appeal to young people, most of whom – in addition to looking for meaningfulness in their work – want to work for flexible companies.

ut what about the challenges to be tackled, I hear you ask? Well, air cargo has plenty of those. There are areas in our industry where a lot remains to be invented and a lot remains to be done. What could be more exciting than being a pioneer, than being able

Cargo and Other Stories by Lemon Queen to influence the future of an industry – than being able to build that future? Especially when the fields where work is needed are also those that are highly sought after by the next generation, such as digital, sustainability and communications. “Air cargo must quickly move towards greater digitalisation to be able to offer faster and more flexible solutions. New technologies will be the key to success for our entire industry,” adds Zayed.

ithout it, and despite its incredible resilience and adaptability, air cargo will remain “fragile”. By being more flexible, it will be better able to “adapt to fluctuations and crises in the world economy,” adds Zayed Nouamani.

he final factor in air cargo’s appeal is its human scale. It might seem irrelevant, but that’s simply not the case. Is it easier to find your niche in a huge industry where individuals are lost in the crowd or in a sector that’s been able to retain its family-like dimension and its human character? A caring management team, corporate values, sustainable development and CSR are all key criteria for the new generation when choosing their company. And these concerns will be all the more crucial for young people post-crisis. This is a unique opportunity that air cargo simply must seize to bolster its appeal.

Lemon Queen is an airfreight industry public relations and communications agency in Paris, France

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