Emirates SkyCargo has become the first carrier to deploy the Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger to freighter converted aircraft. The aircraft will enter commercial service with a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai carrying over 100 tonnes of cargo. It offers 100 tonnes of payload and 811cu m volume, a 25% increase over the Boeing 777-F production freighter. It has 47 pallet positions, ten more than the production freighter, making it ideal for volumetric cargo such as e-commerce.
Rhenus opens rapid response relief hub in Dubai
The Rhenus Group has launched its first dedicated Aid & Relief department in Dubai. It forms part of Dubai Humanitarian, the world’s largest humanitarian hub, which Rhenus has joined, operating alongside UN agencies, NGOs and global partners and brings a structured rapid-response model to accelerate the delivery of essential goods including medical supplies food aid, hygiene kits and shelter materials. It leverages one of the world’s most connected logistics gateways, enabling rapid dispatch across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. It offers air charter capabilities for urgent response, ocean freight for sustained relief and road transport for rapid regional and last-mile delivery.
Cathay Cargo extends barging options
Cathay Cargo has launched a refrigerated barge service between Hong Kong International Airport and its Dongguan terminal and extended its existing Air-Land Fresh Lane across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to Macao.
The new barge service is the first commercial air-sea transport for refrigerated perishables into the wider Greater Bay Area from Hong Kong and is now fully operational following successful trials in early 2026.
Shipments are loaded pallet-intact without breakdown, and the barge sails directly to Cathay Cargo Terminal Dongguan in Humen, where consignees collect from dedicated cold storage on the pier. Unlike fixed flight schedules, the barge service offers flexible departure timings, well suited to shipments where cost efficiency takes priority over speed.
The extension of the Air-Land Fresh Lane to Macao gets perishables to final destination in as little as four hours from Hong Kong including all customs and quarantine processing.
Pre‑cleared by Hong Kong Customs and secured with a recognised seal, shipments are typically not re‑examined at the land boundary, eliminating a significant source of delay. The transfer terminal’s 24/7 operations and refrigerated trucks ensure uninterrupted cold chain integrity from aircraft to the doorstep.
All routes operate under a single Cathay Cargo air waybill.
Three out of three for Turkish Cargo
Turkish Cargo has completed recertification of its IATA CEIV Pharma, IATA CEIV Fresh, and IATA CEIV Live Animals status and extended them until 2029. The carrier became the first airline to simultaneously obtain all three certifications in 2020. It has also recertified its SMARTIST facility at Istanbul, which it is currently extending to about triple its current capacity.
Hactl joins the high fashion set
Air cargo handler Hactl has partnered with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to showcase home-grown fashion designers at the Paris Fashion Week. The initiative aims to enhance global exposure for Hong Kong designers while highlighting the essential role of air cargo in the global fashion supply chain.
As the first air cargo terminal operator in Hong Kong to serve as a Strategic Partner of HKTDC at a premier global fashion event, Hactl joined hands with HKTDC to present the collections of 10+ Hong Kong designer labels at the Hong Kong Designers Showroom from 24–28 June 2026. The eco-conscious designs spotlighted Hong Kong’s fashion talent while promoting sustainable values.
Hactl has also set up a dedicated showcase in collaboration with Sing-chin Lo, a Hong Kong homegrown designer behind Hactl’s eco-friendly uniforms.
Hactl chief executive Frosti Lau remarked: “Hactl is deeply rooted in Hong Kong and globally connected. This pioneering cross-sector collaboration has injected fresh momentum into our local fashion industry, empowering Hong Kong designers to shine on an international stage while showcasing the city’s creative soft power. It also underscores the critical role of air cargo in enabling the fast, reliable movement of high-value fashion goods — from high-end collections to fashion-led e-commerce — across global markets.”
Silk Way signs up to CargoAi
Central Asian cargo airline Silk Way West has signed a digital partnership agreement with the CargoAi platform. The Baku-based carrier will integrate its services with CargoAi’s digital platform, providing freight forwarders worldwide with enhanced access its widebody freighter capacity. The integration is expected to improve rate visibility and, at a later stage, enable digital booking capabilities.
Lufthansa completes first phase of Frankfurt scheme
Lufthansa Cargo has completed the first phase of its hub expansion at Frankfurt Airport. The EUR600 million LCCevo project at the 80,000sq m site aims to transform the Lufthansa Cargo Center (LCC) into Europe’s most modern air cargo hub by 2030, while maintaining 24/7 operations.
The new infrastructure will have intelligent material flow and conveyor for a significantly more efficient flow of caargo. The facilities include a fully automated, 42-meter-high high-bay warehouse with nearly 3,000 storage slots for large cargo pallets and an automated pallet warehouse for temperature-sensitive and specialized shipments. The high-bay warehouse alone will enable more than 300 storage and retrieval operations per hour, doubling capacity.
Lufthansa Cargo chief executive, Ashwin Bhat declared: “LCCevo is one of the most significant investments in our company’s history and a clear commitment to Frankfurt as an air cargo hub. Lufthansa Cargo handles nearly every second tonne of air cargo at Frankfurt Airport. That is why we are making targeted investments in our hub and its long-term performance capabilities. With intelligent cargo flows, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and automated processes, we are creating the conditions necessary to continue meeting the demands of global markets. In doing so, we are strengthening our and Germany´s competitiveness, laying the groundwork for further growth.”
Two further phases are due to be completed by 2030.
Turkish Cargo offers fast car service
Turkish Cargo has introduced a TK Auto service for the time-critical needs of the automotive industry. It is divided into two segments, TK Auto Part and TK Auto Finished.
TK Auto Part is for transportation of critical automotive components for manufacturing or aftermarket operations, including engine and transmission components, braking systems, airbags, and electric vehicle equipment. Shipments within this service scope enjoy priority loading.
TK Auto Finished is for cars, electric vehicles, prototype and test vehicles, as well as luxury and premium segment automobiles, in addition to special vehicles such as motorcycles, ATVs, Sea-Doos, or Ski-Doos. High-value automobiles are stored in specially secured areas at the SmarkIST facility at Istanbul Airport.
Saudia and Cargo.one deploy first airfreight AI sales rep
Saudia Cargo is to deploy what it says is the industry’s first AI sales worker in partnership with Cargo.one. Built using cargo.one’s AI-native operating system, the AI workers handle inbound requests for quotations and formulate quotes within seconds. Airline customers will receive quotes much faster, while sales teams can focus on specialist shipments and value-adding activities.
AI workers can also handle routine requests automatically while escalating exceptions, and within parameters defined and controlled by the carrier. Every action from an AI worker is logged and auditable.
Saudia Cargo fields a large volume of inbound rate requests every day from email. Every request requires up to date research across dates, alternative airports, and service tiers, and the diligent formulation of a quote against the clock.
Cargo.one says its AI workers commonly deliver carriers like Saudia Cargo a 68% reduction in quote turnaround time, and deliver 89% accuracy on first-generated quotes.
Emirates ups Far East freighter flights
Emirates SkyCargo is expanding its freighter services in East and Southeast Asiawith more frequencies and new destinations in response to demand currently growing at around 5% a year.
It is doubling freighter capacity from its Dubai hub to Narita Airport, Tokyo, from one to two weekly flights. It is also increasing flights to Hong Kong with 37 weekly freighters andd has expanded flights in Central China with three weekly flights from Zhengzhou to Dubai.
It has also restarted freighter flights from Singapore with a once weekly flight connecting to Dubai via Mumbai and boosted its to Taipei from once to twice weekly.
Emirates SkyCargo says it continues to experience robust demand for its weekly freighter service to Bangkok and is maintaining its four weekly freighters to Hanoi.
Emirates SkyCargo divisional senior vice president, Badr Abbas, said: “East and Southeast Asia are key manufacturing zones for the global economy making major contributions in the production of high-tech goods, the export of perishables as well as being an important origin for global e-commerce flows. By deploying additional freighter flights and by expanding our freighter footprint in response to customer demand, we are providing the rapid connectivity that ensures that exporters can get their cargo quickly and safely to their end customers across the world.”