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Forwarder and airline take the green fuel pledge

Airlines

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September 16, 2021

Forwarder and airline take the green fuel pledge

French-Dutch carrier Air France KLM Martinair (AFKLMP) Cargo will use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on flights from Nairobi in Kenya to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, carrying Total Touch Cargo (TTC) Holland agricultural and horticultural products under its sustainable aviation fuel programme.

SAF is a jet fuel made from renewable sources such as cooking oil and serves as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel that reduces carbon emissions by at least 75% and develop a more viable market for SAF. The fuel is blended with conventional fossil fuel and can be used by all aircraft engines. The AFKLMP Cargo SAF programme enables different stakeholders in the airfreight industry to power a percentage of their flights with SAF. Customers determine their own level of engagement and the carrier ensures that their entire investment is used for sourcing SAF.

AFKLMP vice president Africa Bénédicte Duval (right) welcomed TTC owner Harry van der Plas (left) at the carrier’s headquarters at Schiphol to sign the agreement, which includes a fixed annual investment from Total Touch that will allow it to further expand development and procurement of SAF. TTC’s contribution will be used to cover the cost differential between conventional aircraft fuel and SAF.

TTC specialises in the air transport of fresh flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruit and fish and has been playing an instrumental role in developing the “cold chain” industry from Kenya. Ithas its own airside warehousing and cold storage facilities, in a joint venture with Kenya Airways, at the Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi. It ships around 350 tonnes a week from Kenya throughout the year.

Pier Luigi Vigada, director Eastern & Southern Africa at AFKLMP said: “We are delighted that a professional company like Total Touch Cargo and its visionary chief executive Harry van der Plas have teamed up with us. Total Touch Cargo is the first Freight Forwarding agent in Africa to commit to our SAF programme. Its vision on sustainability and enthusiasm about our programme form part of a clear path to make the airfreight industry for daily commodities, a cleaner and more sustainable one.”

Harry van der Plas added: “The SAF programme fits in perfectly with our vision and drive to be a first-mover in relation to innovative industry developments, as well as maintaining a focused strategy to be a distinguished service provider with top-quality airlines and long-term relationships to achieve optimal customer satisfaction.”

Multilingual legal eagle for air broker

Brokers

Chris Lewis

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September 15, 2021

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UK-based broker Chapman Freeborn has appointed Zori Marshall as its new Chief Legal Officer (CLO).

Born in Bulgaria, growing up in Angola, Zori Marshall has a passion for languages, and a University of Toulouse degree in International, European and Comparative Law and two Masters degrees she speaks five languages

She will focus on the Group’s commercial delivery and will involve working on an integrated strategy aligned across parent company Avia Solutions Group.

She said: “Moving into the aviation industry is a new challenge and I am looking forward to learning and developing my knowledge…To anyone thinking about making the move to aviation, I’d say just go for it. The market is buoyant, things are looking up and there are lots of opportunities to grab hold of.”

Vienna-Montreal flights to resume

Airlines

Chris Lewis

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September 15, 2021

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Austrian Airlines is to reintroduce a Vienna-Montreal service, suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. It will be served from 1 October year-round, three times a week by a Boeing 767. Since mid-July, Star Alliance partner Air Canada has been operating a codeshare flight with Austrian Airlines from Vienna to Toronto three times a week.

IAG goes live on CargoAi

Airlines

Chris Lewis

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September 14, 2021

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IAG Cargo’s global capacity is now available on the www.CargoAi.co platform. It allows freight forwarders to obtain quotations and booking in over 60 countries for British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, and LEVEL services.

Vic Karjian steps in at Amerijet

People

Chris Lewis

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September 13, 2021

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Amerijet International executive chairman Vic Karjian is to step in as interim chief executive from 18 September following the departure of Tim Strauss. The Miami-based cargo airline will meanwhile continue the surch for a permanent successor to Mr Strauss, who will serve as an advisor to the company for the rest of the year.

Board member Bob Horne said that having led the Company since 2016, Vic Karjian was “extremely familiar with the company’s customers and operations and will provide for continuity in the business during this interim period, adding: The company appreciates Tim’s many contributions over this past year, and we wish him well in his next chapter.”

Gulf Air signs Saudi and Pakistan handling deals

Ground Handling

Chris Lewis

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September 13, 2021

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Gulf Air signs Saudi and Pakistan handling deals

Saudi Logistics Services (SAL) has signed a seven-year agreement with Bahrain national carrier Gulf Air to provide ground handling solutions at all the Kingdom’s main airports. In 2020 only SALhandled a total of 900,000kg for Gulf Air in the country.

Gulf Air has also awarded a multi-year handling contract to Gerry’s dnata at six airports in Pakistan, -Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan and Faisalabad.

In recent years Gerry’s dnata has significantly invested in facilities, equipment, training and technology, including a new import cargo centre at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The GDP-certified facility has played a key role in the safe handling of COVID-19 vaccines, rapid test kits and other essential goods. It has also expanded its operations at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and opened a new export cargo terminal.

Wise move for Emirates

IT/Software

Chris Lewis

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September 13, 2021

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Emirates SkyCargo is to provide direct access to its flights for its cargo customers through the CargoWise platform. They can now make cargo bookings direct on the platform for most of their requirements after completing a short registration process. With the roll out of under way, by the end of September, most customers will be able to make bookings on through the platform by the end of September.

Thominet moves to exec chair role at ECS

GSA

Chris Lewis

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September 13, 2021

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Thominet moves to exec chair role at ECS

Current chief executive Adrien Thominet has been appointed executive chairman of global GSSA ECS Group, succeeding Bertrand Schmoll. He has been with ECS Group for more than 25 years, becoming its chief operating officer in 2011 and then chief executive in 2017. In his four years as chief executive, ECS Group has seen rapid growth in its network and client base and has developed the Total Cargo Management. It represents over airlines of all sizes across the globe, and provides capacity support to around 10,000 freight forwarders, transporting a record 1.1 million tons of cargo in 2020.

Leipzig leaps ahead

Airports

Chris Lewis

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September 13, 2021

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Annual freight volume at Leipzig/Halle has already exceeded the 1 million tonne mark in August, according to the airport authority, Mitteldeutsche Flughafen.

Volume at Europe’s fourth-largest air cargo hub reached 1,025,187 tonnes, an increase of 18.4% compared to the same period in the previous year. The 125,050 tonnes processed in August alone represented an increase of 15.1% compared with the same month in the previous year.

The total amount of freight handled in the previous year set a new record at more than 1.38 million tonnes.

The airport is serving as a transhipment centre for medical relief supplies and protective equipment in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic. Freight charter flights have transported millions of Covid-19 tests, for example.

The airport is also DHL’s largest hub in the world and the first regional air freight centre for Amazon Air in Europe.

SriLankan is first customer for WFS CenterPoint

Ground Handling

Chris Lewis

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September 9, 2021

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SriLankan is first customer for WFS CenterPoint

SriLankan Airlines has become the first new customer at Worldwide Flight Services’ (WFS) CenterPoint cargo terminal at London Heathrow. The airline has awarded WFS with a 32-month contract, from September, to provide cargo handling and airside transport for its Airbus A330-300 flights connecting London and Colombo. SriLankan currently operates a weekly flight on the route but is expected to increase frequencies as schedules are restored after Covid. Prior to the pandemic, SriLankan Airlines carried some 9,500 tonnes of cargo annually between the two countries.

WFS now operates over 350,000 sq. ft. of cargo facilities at Heathrow. In the last 12 months, the UK operation has also won a new contract with Gulf Air and extended its existing agreement with Vietnam Airlines.

CenterPoint, which opened this summer, enables WFS to provide offers an off-airport location to complement its longstanding presence at Heathrow’s World Cargocentre. The building also provides the capacity needed to grow its portfolio, which currently consists of 14 international airlines.

The building incorporates a mezzanine floor suitable for handling ecommerce, mail and courier shipments in addition to 30,000sq ft of ground floor space.