DHL boosts critical pharma trade lane

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February 19, 2026

DHL Group has strengthened its life sciences and healthcare capabilities with an expanded dedicated Airfreight Cold Chain Network. It will first connect the major DHL hubs of Cincinnati and Brussels, with further routes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America to follow.

To support the expanded network, DHL has introduced a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter operating between Brussels and Cincinnati that features the new DHL Health Logistics livery. Its dedicated routing provides consistent, controllable capacity on one of the most critical pharma lanes.

The US Midwest is home to leading pharma companies while Brussels lies at the heart of Europe’s most advanced life sciences network and the new route provides a seamless, temperature-controlled pathway for high-value biologics and time-critical cell and gene therapies.

In Brussels, the route is supported by 45,000sq m of pharma-only zones at the BRUcargo hub.

Countries prioritized for further expansion of the Network include India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, other locations in the US, Germany, and Ireland.

DHL says that, by reducing reliance on third-party carriers and commercial airlines, it can improve product integrity and temperature control throughout the journey while increasing supply chain resilience.

Chief executive of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, Oscar de Bok, said: “Life sciences and healthcare companies expect cold chain solutions that are reliable, compliant, and transparent from end to end — and those expectations are rising fast. At the same time, they’re looking for ways to simplify supply chains and reduce costs.

“Our expanded network brings together DHL Aviation’s global air connectivity, our GDP-compliant station network, and our major investments in modern, temperature-controlled facilities. The result is a more resilient, more efficient logistics backbone for customers who depend on flawless quality to deliver critical therapies to patients.”

Qatar Cargo makes its ramps digital

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Chris Lewis

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February 19, 2026

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Qatar Airways Cargo has launched a Ramp Digitalisation Programme. It includes a Ramp Offload and Load Supervision (ROLS) tool designed to replace traditional paper-based loading instruction reports,. It enhances ULD verification, ensures 100% reconciliation, and enables real-time data transmission to Load Control. Ramp agents can execute loading and offloading tasks more accurately and improve turnaround efficiency.

ROLS also lays the foundation for future innovations, such as QR-coded ULDs and aircraft position scanning using handheld devices. It is part of Qatar Airways Cargo’s broader Digital Cargo Vision, including enhancements in e-Bookings, paperless shipments, and automated warehouse solutions.

XPO to manage Unilode fleet in Europe

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Chris Lewis

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February 18, 2026

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Unilode Aviation Solutions has appointed US-owned XPO Logistics to manage its fleet of airfreight unit load devices (ULDs) in Europe. XPO will manage Unilode’s worldwide flows of shortlease equipment, digital tracking technology, critical spare parts and capital equipment delivered directly into airline networks across the globe.
It marks a significant expansion for XPO Logistics into the global aviation and aerospace sector.
Through its Global Connect control tower, XPO Logistics will coordinate all global flows using integrated critical path planning, enabling Unilode to optimise stock positioning, reduce inventory levels, and ensure equipment reaches the right location at the right time.

Security man calls for cargo screening clarification

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Chris Lewis

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February 18, 2026

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Roland Beason, chief operating officer at security screening company Global K9 called on the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify dangerous goods rules at the Air Cargo Conference in Orlando, Florida on 17 February.

Beason joined the panel on behalf of the canine screening provider, to address varying interpretations of the TSA’s Third-Party Canine-Cargo (3PK9-C) Program, and the issues these pose to ensuring cargo is correctly screened for items such as lithium batteries.

“From a dangerous goods standpoint, the 3PK9-C Program is not clearly defined,” he said Beason.

The 3PK9-C program was developed under TSA’s Certified Cargo Screening Programs (CCSP) and initially focused on the detection of explosives.

“The goal of these programs should be to harmonize screening operations across the board, making sure that every canine team for every screening provider is operating to the same standard,” added Beason. “We are hopeful that later this year, changes to the 3PK9-C program will be confirmed in line with our recent edits and comments, of which the TSA has accepted the vast majority.”

Beason was joined on the panel by Sandy Gregory, of Gregory Logistics, Jim Powell of Transportation Development Group, Jennifer Kirkland of AllTransPack, and Christopher Garcia of the Federal Aviation Administration.

AfA chief Brandon Fried to bow out

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Chris Lewis

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February 16, 2026

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Airforwarders Association (AfA) executive director, Brandon Fried will retire at the end of the year, following a long-planned decision announced to members at the Airforwarders Association General Meeting on 16 February.

The Board of Directors has employed an executive search consultant to recruit the new leader and an appointment is expected toward the end of the year.

During the transition period, Fried will continue to carry out his responsibilities in full, leading the AfA’s advocacy, policy engagement, and member activities until his successor has been appointed.

Fried was elected chair of the board of directors in 2001 and has served as Executive Director since 2005, increasing the number of corporate members to more than 225.

Blueberries to the Big Apple

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Chris Lewis

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February 16, 2026

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Air Charter Service was called upon to move over 400 tons of blueberries from Peru to New York late last year.

The main blueberry harvest in one of the world’s top exporters peaks sharply in September and October, too much for regular passenger belly capacity to handle, especially on the Lima to New York route.

When a supplier’s yield exceeded the expected capacity ACS was asked to arrange the urgent transportation of 440 tons to New York over two weeks.

Chief executive of ACS São Paulo, Ana Benavente, said that perishable cargo rarely flies on full charters, but the sheer volumes dictated that they were needed this year. ACS sourced four Boeing B747-400Fs, , each with 110 tons on board, with a few days.
An ACS team member team flew with the first aircraft to ensure everything ran smoothly, and coordinated with the warehouse when the aircraft arrived, to ensure the cargo was properly broken down and successfully delivered to the trucks as quickly as possible.

Alaska signs GSSA deal for Rome route

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Chris Lewis

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February 16, 2026

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Alaska Airlines has signed a general sales and service agent (GSSA) partnership with Global GSA Group ahead of its late-April launch of flights from Rome-Fiumicino to its Seattle hub. Global GSA will develop the airline’s cargo business out of Italy and position Seattle as a key air gateway to North America and beyond.

Daily Boeing 787-9 flights will offer connections via Seattle to over 100 destinations across the US, Asia Pacific, South Pacific and Latin America. for commodities such as aircraft spare parts, high fashion and accessories, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals or machine parts.

Global GSA chief executive Aytekin Saray, said: “Rome-Seattle is a particularly attractive routing as it offers an additional, direct service into the Pacific Northwest and beyond, for the great variety of high value, special goods that Italy exports.”

Alaska Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the US and the 15th largest worldwideserving over 115 destinations.

Royal Air Maroc eyes LA as it celebrates 45 years in US

By

Chris Lewis

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February 16, 2026

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Morocco’s national carrier, Royal Air Maroc Cargo, celebrated 45 years of service in the US on 16 February.
It entered the market in 1979 with a Casablanca–New York (JFK) route.
Today, Royal Air Maroc Cargo’s US operations account for nearly 90 percent of its transatlantic volumes
Its gateway distribution in the US is led by JFK (65%), followed by Miami (10%) and Washington Dulles (25%).
The carrier connections via Casablanca to Morocco and over 30 African destinations, as well as Europe, Turkey, and Brazil, adding that its location and optimized transfers shorten lead times by up to 24 hours compared to European or Gulf hubs. Nearly 10% of its shipments to the US originate from West Africa.
Cargo carried includes perishables, pharmaceuticals and industrial products, along with Moroccan handicrafts destined for hotels or private residences.
Globe Air Cargo, part of the ECS Group, represents the carrier in the US.
Vice-president cargo, Rita Chraibi, said: “Looking ahead, we are studying expansion to Los Angeles to enhance our North American footprint and focusing on strategic segments such as perishables and GDP-compliant pharmaceuticals. As we plan to quadruple our fleet by 2037, our US operations will remain central in linking North America, Africa, and the world.”

Belgian gateway says it with 13,850 tonnes of flowers

By

Chris Lewis

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February 16, 2026

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Valentine’s Day represents one of the most demanding logistics peaks of the year for the global flower industry, and CargoLand by LGG is once again fully mobilised to ensure seamless flows during this critical period.

Each year, hundreds of tonnes of fresh flowers arrive within a matter of days, requiring flawless coordination, strict temperature control and absolute reliability. At this scale, speed, temperature control and coordination make all the difference. Built around a cargo-first, 24/7 operational model,

Liege’s CargoLand hub says it handled 13,850 tonnes of flowers during this year’s four-week Valentine’s campaign, supported by 45 additional charter flights on top of regular scheduled operations.

Preparation for the big day started well in advance with ground handlers, freight forwarders, trucking companies, airlines and public authorities brought together to anticipate volumes, staffing needs and regulatory changes, including updated phytosanitary procedures and new regulatory requirements.

CargoLand said this ensured that sufficient human and technical resources were in place to absorb peak demand.

The majority of the flowers originated from Kenya, Ecuador, Colombia, Ethiopia and Latin American gateways such as Quito and Bogota. Fast airside-to-warehouse transfers and dedicated cold-chain infrastructure played a decisive role in protecting quality, with ULD-compatible cold rooms maintained at 2–8°C and contingency capacity available at all times.

Real-time visibility through digital tools, continuous coordination between handlers and truckers, and priority treatment allowed CargoLand to handle hundreds of tonnes per day while keeping dwell times to a minimum.

Air Canada Cargo tops $1 billion

By

Chris Lewis

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February 13, 2026

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Air Canada said on 13 February that its Cargo division surpassed $1 billion in revenue in 2025. The figure was driven largely by the success of the freighter network strategy and a 28% increase in year-over-year digital bookings, it added.

Vice president, cargo, Jon Turner, said: “Surpassing $1 billion in annual revenue is a significant milestone, and underscores Air Canada Cargo’s position as a global leader in air freight. As we look ahead, we will continue investing in innovation, operational excellence, and strategic partnerships to unlock even greater opportunities for our customers and for global trade.

In 2025, Air Canada Cargo further expanded its interline partnership with Emirates SkyCargo. Strong sixth freedom traffic from Latin America, as well as an 86% increase in sixth freedom volumes on key market pairs cent, year-over-year, improved revenue diversification.