Glasgow Prestwick Airport has invested £2.17 million in new cargo equipment, cold storage solutions with a controlled range of -30°C to +25°C and a Rapiscan X-ray machine with 7.5mm steel penetration.
The Scottish hub, which has no flight restrictions, has taken delivery of its second new high loader, supporting turnaround times of under two hours for a 90-tonne consignment.
“We have one of the fastest turnaround times for air cargo in the UK, no slot requirements, and no restrictions,” says business development director, Nico Le Roux.
Prestwick’s new equipment also includes a heavy duty pushback tractor and 12 new dollies.
Le Roux added: “We offer a cost-effective solution delivered by an experienced team, and our road, rail, and ferry connections make us an excellent choice for e-commerce operations seeking unrestricted services.”
Prestwick upgrades cargo capabilities
Patti Cole to head up time critical for Air Partner
Air Partner has appointed Patti Cole as head of time critical services for North including Next Flight Out (NFO) and onboard courier (OBC). Her appointment follows the recent appointment of Oliver Giesen as head of global OBC in April. She will be responsible for heading up Air Partner’s time-critical market presence in the US by implementing compliance procedures to ensure smooth operations, introducing a platform for enhanced shipment visibility and processing and recruiting the talent.
She joins Air Partner from DHL Global Forwarding where she worked for over 16 years, most recently as the global head of the Same Day and the Temperature Management Solutions Team.
Air France KLM, Skycell and KN get together to track ULDs
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) has chosen SkyCell as its preferred partner to enhance unit load device (ULD) tracking capabilities across its fleet.
It will give real-time visibility into ULD operations for pharmaceutical transport, using SkyMind’s advanced technology, including sophisticated readers and tags.
At the same time, freight forwarder Kuehne+Nagel, has installed gateway readers at its warehouse at Frankfurt Airport, the first AFKLMP customer to use this method of tracking ULDs
AFKLMP Cargo global key account director, Andy Newbold said: “With SkyMind, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo will gain complete control over its ULD operations — mitigating the extensive manual efforts historically associated with ULD tracing and tracking, leading to substantial time and cost savings, as well as boosting operational efficiency.”
Tower Cold Chain publishes ESG report
Temperature-control technology company Tower Cold Chain has published its first Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles. The Report emphasises the environmental benefits of using its passive temperature-controlled containers for the transportation of pharmaceuticals and life sciences products.
It documents the company’s sustainability roadmap, focussed on achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. Tower’s ESG strategy is aligned with internationally recognised benchmarks including Global Report Initiative (GRI) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Highlights of the Report include a detailed explanation of how Tower containers enhance supply chain sustainability through product innovation, development and circularity. It also covers company governance and Tower’s social commitments to its workforce and the wider community.
Emirates delivers to Saudi
Emirates SkyCargo has extended its Emirates Delivers e-commerce solution to Saudi Arabia. Shoppers from across the Kingdom can now shop online in the US, UK and the UAE and use Emirates Delivers for international, shopping at retailers that don’t deliver to the Middle East. Emirates Delivers will bring the packages to their door in 3 to 5 days.
Biden signs congestion-busting measures into law
President Biden has signed into law legislation sponsored by the Airforwarders Association (AfA) working with the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association.
The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation aims to modernize the US aviation system and tackle airport truck congestion. It authorizes more than$105 billion in appropriations for the FAA for the next four years, including $19.35 billion for airport infrastructure improvement grants to support more than 3,300 airports across the US. Under the new law, the General Accountability Office will begin a large-scale assessment of air cargo operations across the US with a section dedicated to truck delays and the lack of infrastructure. It gives the current administration a year to carry out the investigation and take the necessary steps to tackle the problem.
The AfA has repeatedly called on the Biden administration to invest in infrastructure to improve the US supply chain and reduce unnecessary delays and costs.
AfA executive director Brandon Fried, said: “This legislation is music to our ears. We have been working relentlessly with our members and the NCBFAA to make sure it is supported and passed.
“Unnecessary costs from delays and inefficient loading bays ripple down the supply chain to our local stores and shoppers, which means prices are increasing because of tired infrastructure that needs a 21st century refit – this is the first step on the long road ahead.
“Our members are working around the clock to make sure we stay competitive and have a world-class logistics and supply chain industry, and we need Capitol Hill to invest as well, to keep prices low and our sector efficient.”
AfA president, Bob Imbriani, confirmed: “This is a major step forward in addressing the cargo congestion problem that has existed for quite some time at many airports across the country. The AfA is proud to be the primary sponsor of this legislation and it is only through the support of our members and the hard work of our executive director, legislative consultant, industry partners and board of directors that we can successful in addressing issues such as this that are of vital concern to our industry.”
Hermes signs deal with Germany’s Georgi
Hermes Logistics Technologies (HLT) has signed a contract to deliver its latest Cloud-based cargo management system, Hermes 5, to Georgi Group’s two handling facilities in Germany.
Known for its road feeder services across Europe, Georgi also operates cargo handling services at Frankfurt and Leipzig/Halle airports, specialising in sensitive cargo, including high-value pharmaceuticals and hazardous shipments.
HLT is set to introduce its cloud-based Hermes 5 SaaS cargo management system in two phases, starting with Frankfurt and supported by a new, German-language version of the Hermes Learning Management System.
Saudia sees volumes surge in first quarter
Saudia Cargo’s cargo volume jumped by 20% in the first quarter of 2024, a significant improvement over the same period last year driven by export growth of 28% from its home country.
It also witnessed a significant 19% increase in total specialized product tonnage. The fashion segment saw a 85% tonnage increase, express achieved 9% growth, while e-commerce boasted the highest tonnage flown, with a 34% growth.
Chief executive Teddy Zebitz, said one notable initiative was the expansion into the Asian market and introduction of two weekly flights to Shenzen, China.
He also highlighted a notable rise in cargo rates on passenger aircraft operated by Saudia Airlines, estimated at 38% compared the same period last year.
He added: “Our strategic partnerships with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) and Cainiao Group have transformed cross-border e-commerce logistics, amplifying customer service and industry innovation. This launch of our collaboration at Cainiao’s Liege eHub in Belgium earlier this year underscores our dedication to global operational excellence, meeting the surging demand for top-tier organization in cross-border e-commerce across the Middle East and European markets, while also facilitating seamless logistics solutions and solidifying our position as a vital bridge between East and West trade.
“Saudia Cargo continues to set new industry standards while empowering businesses to flourish worldwide. All of these initiatives led to achieving the highest monthly flow tonnages for the month of March 2024 since 2017”
He added, “In a pivotal move, we have also bolstered operational capacity by welcoming new aircraft 747 to our fleet, ensuring enhanced efficiency and timely delivery of cargo worldwide. As we continue to navigate through dynamic market conditions, we remain focused on delivering exceptional value to our customers and driving growth in the global air cargo industry.”
UPS opens Dublin healthcare hub
UPS has opened its dedicated healthcare facility, the first of its kind in Ireland. The €12 million investment covers nearly 6,000sq m and offers small package, freight forwarding and logistics and distribution capabilities.
It provides in-storage and inbound and outbound transportation for a range of pharmaceutical and health tech products.
UPS says that 80% of pharma products in Europe already require temperature-controlled transportation and the latest biologics and specialty pharmaceuticals require even more precision.
The pharma industry already accounts for nearly 50% of Ireland’s exports1 and the market is expected to grow by over 6% from 2024 to 2028.
Vice president for international sales at UPS Healthcare, Cathy O’Brien, said: “This investment marks our commitment to supporting Ireland’s world leading pharmaceutical and medical device industries. We’re the only provider who can take our customers’ treatments from clinical trial right to the patient, turning logistics into a competitive advantage, one that will only help grow Ireland’s position as a central hub for the pharma industry.
“Most importantly, we can give patients the peace of mind knowing that their critical healthcare treatments and devices are in safe hands.”
Last year, UPS introduced a new flight between its air hub in Louisville, US and Dublin and Stansted for healthcare and small package goods.
Vienna airfreight on the up again
Vienna Airport says its air freight business is picking up again significantly with 68,058 tonnes of imports and exports handled in the first quarter of 2024, a 16% year-on-year increase. Tonnage handled in the Pharma Handling Center in the first quarter also increased by 6.9% to 886 tonnes.
The increase was primarily due to a significant increases in belly cargo on passenger aircraft. The volume of belly cargo more than doubled, increasing by 52% to 27,131 tonnes, which more than compensated for a 12% decline in volumes for cargo-only aircraft (20,238 tonnes).