Aerospace logistics specialist B&H Worldwide has moved its New Zealand operation to a new on-airport site at Auckland Airport. The company has been operating in the country since 2012. It gives easy access to all facilities at the largest and busiest airport in the country. In addition to warehousing and offices the new site also has ample yards for devanning. The B&H team in Auckland led by country manager, Lee Hedges will also offer specialist dangerous goods services.
Qatar Airways offers a thoroughbred service
Qatar Airways Cargo has transported 190 of the world’s finest horses to and from equestrian events in Qatar and Saudi Arabia recently.
They include the Amir Sword Festival in Doha, the Saudi Cup in Riyadh and the Longines Global Champions Tour in Doha.
The horses came from Ireland, the UK and all over Europe, travelling via the Horse Inn at Liège Airport and Hamad International Airport in Doha.
All were safely returned to their countries, on board three charter flights from Doha to Liège in February and March.
First flight for Releye RAP
Envirotainer has made the first commercial shipment using its new Releye RAP temperature-controlled container aboard a Swiss WorldCargo flight. The shipment started in Basel, Switzerland, landing at JFK in the US and comprised three Releye RAP units and two RAP e2 units, on behalf of a Swiss pharmaceutical company. The unit’s integrated live monitoring checked all shipment details through the journey, with Envirotainer’s new Control Tower service ready to respond to any critical event, should one have occurred.
Digital solutions to speed Abu Dhabi airfreight
Abu Dhabi Ports Group has introduced a suite of digital airfreight solutions as part of its Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP). It will streamline the movement of air cargo shipments to and from all five airports in Abu Dhabi. It aims to reduce reduce waiting times by 80%, improve delivery time through customs integration, enhance track and trace visibility, introduce digital payment channels and enhance warehouse utilisation through an automated appointment system.
In addition to reducing the amount of paperwork needed for air cargo shipments by 90%, the new services also cut down on unnecessary trips to the airport for air freight by providing digital access to all required documentation, as well as online payments and handling of documents to the ground handler.
Yousef Al Riyami, chief technology officer (right) and Jubran Al Breiki, director Etihad Airport Services
Turkish Cargo gains Cargo IQ mark
Turkish Cargo has gained certification from the IATA (International Air Transport Association) interest group Cargo iQ cargo interest group. It follows an inspection by SGS.
The carrier’s chief cargo officer, Turhan Ozen, said: “The Cargo iQ certificate, an independent benchmark for our performance against the quality standards of the logistics industry, is a key milestone that denotes our service quality, operational excellence, our standards that are innovative and aimed at meeting the customers’ expectations, and also our sustainable achievements. Thanks to the cutting-edge technologies it uses and develops, and the innovative approaches it adopts and its service quality that is beyond the expectations, Turkish Cargo will continue to rank among the most reliable solution partners in the air cargo industry.”
FedEx chief to hand over the reins
FedEx Express president and chief executive Don Colleran (pictured, below) is to retire at the end of 2022, after a nearly 40-year career carrier. He will be succeeded by Richard Smith (main picture), currently regional president of the Americas and executive vice president of global support. He will become president and chief executive-elect on April 1 and will assume full duties on September 1. Colleran will remain at FedEx Express as executive advisor to the end of December to help ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Smith joined FedEx in 2005. He previously served as the president and chief executive of FedEx Logistics, and in a series of leadership positions in life sciences, healthcare, and customer solutions, including serving as vice president of global trade services and managing director of life sciences and specialty services.
United moves Brussels’ billionth Covid vaccine
United Airlines flight UA973 to Chicago took off from Brussels Airport on 10 March with the billionth Covid vaccine to be shipped through the Belgian gateway.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the US carrier has moved millions of vaccines through Brussels, a major hub for the European pharma industry.
Since the start of its cargo-only flight programme on 19 March 2020, United has operated over 14,400 such flights and transported nearly 2 billion lbs of cargo overall.
Director of specialty products, Manu Jacobs, said: “While the pandemic continues to affect communities around the world, it’s more important than ever that people all over the globe have access to vaccines. COVID has highlighted the need for collaboration to keep our customers and employees safe, and we’re grateful to work with Brussels Airport as we continue to combat this pandemic. The entire United team continues to prioritize moving critical shipments as part of our commitment to supporting the global supply chain.”
United currently operates daily flights between Brussels and US hubs including New York-Newark, Washington Dulles, and Chicago O’Hare.
Air Canada and partners ship life-saving material to Ukraine
Air Canada has joined forces with disaster logistics organisation Airlink, relief organization Project C.U.R.E and freight forwarder Flexport to send hospital beds, humanitarian and medical supplies to Ukrainian Refugees in Poland.
The cargo was loaded on board an Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on 9 March, along with . medical and trauma supplies destined for a Ukrainian hospital provided by Canadian disaster relief organization GlobalMedic.
Project C.U.R.E. will manage the distribution of supplies to hospitals and help to expand capacity in border regions where more than two million people have now fled.
Air Canada cargo vice president, Jason Berry, said: “Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people in need – all of us have seen the crisis they are facing. We know from our aid partners the critical requirement for much needed medical and humanitarian supplies and our global partner Airlink reached out to us to help transport these vital items quickly. Importantly, both Airlink and GlobalMedic have the infrastructure and teams on the ground to ensure that the shipments will get to their destinations right after our flight arrives. We are proud of our employees who have stepped up to help organize the complex logistics, handle and operate this special flight so quickly,” said Jason Berry, Vice President, Cargo at Air Canada.
Airlink president and chief executive Steve Smith added: “This shipment will make a material impact on the lives of Ukrainians fleeing the conflict and support the communities hosting them. Getting the shipment to Poland on behalf of Project C.U.R.E. meant overcoming a challenging logistical environment, but I’m thrilled we could do it with assistance from our long-time friends and supporters Air Canada. This is the first of many cargo movements Airlink will carry out in support of Ukrainian refugees.”
Executive director at GlobalMedic, Rahul Singh, said: “We are grateful to our friends at Airlink and Air Canada for giving us air cargo space to ship essential medicines and trauma supplies. The aid will land in Warsaw where our partners will grab them and truck them to a hospital in Lviv. Essential medicines are needed by patients fleeing the fighting who could not bring their prescription medicines with them and are facing shortages in local pharmacies. Trauma supplies especially dressings are needed to treat victims of this war.”
Earlier, medical supplies were picked up from the Project C.U.R.E. warehouse in Illinois, transported to Chicago O’Hare airport and tendered to Air Canada by Flexport. Air Canada Cargo subsequently transported the supplies to its Cargo facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
WFS to handle Hainan preighters in Seattle
China’s Hainan Airlines has appointed Worldwide Flight Services to provide ramp handling for its 3-5 weekly passenger freighter services to and from Shanghai Pudong, in addition to its longstanding cargo handling partnership. The cargo-only flights use Boeing 787 aircraft and can carry up to 20 tonnes of cargo on the lower deck. Hainan previously operated passenger flights to Seattle, and introduced cargo flights using passenger aircraft during the pandemic. WFS also holds handling contracts with Hainan Airlines at New York JFK and in Paris CDG.
Record results for DHL – but uncertain times ahead
Against the background of the war in Ukraine, Deutsche Post DHL Group’s announcement of record results for 2021 – which would be major news under almost any other circumstances – seemed almost irrelevant.
At a press conference on 9 March, group chief executive Frank Appel said that everyone at the company was clearly shocked by the outbreak of war in Europe and was doing everything it can to support its staff there.
However, in 2021, DHL benefited from the boom in E-commerce and the global economy’s swift recovery from the Covid crisis. In fact, said Appel: “In a challenging year, we achieved the best performance in the company’s history.”
However, the future is now uncertain. Much depends on the progress of the war and whether the rest of the world can prevent it from triggering a global recession.
DHL’s figures showed group revenue rising to €81.7 billion in the 2021 financial year, operating profit reaching €8.0 billion – up 65% – and free cash flow almost doubling to €4.1 billion.
The board is proposing an increase in dividend to €1.80 per share and has proposed a new €2bn share buyback program.
Revenue is in fact a third bigger than it was before Covid in 2019.
Appel predicted that the Ukraine war could slow down consumer demand and there would of course be a significant effect from increased fuel prices and the need to avoid Russian airspace, leading to longer sector times on routes between Europe and Asia.
But the immediate impact of the war is limited. Russia and Ukraine together account for less than 1% of the group’s total revenues; of greater importance was the effect on the global economy.
DHL’s Express and Global Forwarding arm would be most affected by the increase in global fuel prices. Express shipments are already subject to a fuel surcharge, but there was no similar mechanism for road freight, said Appel.
In answer to a question, he added that he did not know how many of DHL’s 400-450 employees in Ukraine had returned to their home country or how they were faring.
DHL was operating postal and courier services to Ukraine’s border with local carriers taking over from there, although volumes were clearly depressed.
A few shipments, mainly humanitarian supplies such as medicines were still moving into Russia, with the cooperation of the authorities there, Appel added. The future of DHL’s wholly-owned Russian subsidiary and its 3,500 employees had yet to be decided, he added.