Swissport starts Auckland operations

By

-

July 28, 2025

Swissport has officially started operations at its new Auckland Cargo Centre. The new facility offers 8,500sq m of handling space, including weather-protected receipt and dispatch areas. It is the first cargo terminal in Auckland with direct access to the airfield.

Swissport has invested in advanced equipment and digital systems including the airport’s largest X-ray machine and the latest cargo screening technology. An array of 46 CCTV cameras keeps the area under continuous surveillance.

The site is licenced as a Customs Controlled Area and authorised under New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries as a Transitional Facility. It also includes large-scale cold storage areas, with capacity for both palletised and ULD shipments of perishable goods including pharmaceuticals, seafood, fresh produce and meat.

More flower power for Maastricht

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 25, 2025

0

Maastricht Aachen Airport has partnered with accreditation consultancy FlowerWatch to improve the quality and lifespan of sensitive cargo passing through the Netherlands gateway. The collaboration will address the challenge of temperature fluctuations, which can lead to a waste rate of up to 20%. By making fluctuations transparent and actionable through FlowerWatch’s monitoring tools and data loggers, the airport says it can drastically reduce losses.

Air forwarders call for action on crumbling cargo terminals

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 24, 2025

0

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has welcomed a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report which raises concerns over the nation’s airport air cargo infrastructure that it has raised repeatedly with legislators, it says.

AfA says that the “pivotal document”, directly mandated by the FAA Reauthorization Law, validates long-standing industry concerns and follows AfA’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.

AfA executive director, Brandon Fried said: “For years, we have highlighted the critical need for investment in our ground-based air cargo infrastructure. This report provides the irrefutable, government-backed evidence we need to drive real change and secure essential federal funding.”

The report’s initial findings confirm the challenges faced by freight forwarders and stakeholders across the US supply chain, including aging airport cargo facilities, that are struggling to keep pace with modern operational demands and larger aircraft; operational bottlenecks such as insufficient truck parking, poorly configured roadways, and crowded cargo aprons; limitations in the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) air cargo data, which hinders planning and decision-making; and a lack of engagement by the Department Of Transport with the air cargo industry.

Fried said: “Our goal is to reduce airport truck lines, modernize facilities, and ultimately lower operational costs for our members, ensuring a more efficient and resilient supply chain.”

He thanked Government Relations Director Michael Taylor for his outstanding efforts in advocating the report. “We also thank our coalition partner, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), and acknowledge all contributors to our 65-page briefing paper, especially the late Dan Muscatello, whose foundational insights were instrumental in making this report a reality,” he added.

Emirates joins payment platform

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 24, 2025

0

Emirates SkyCargo has become the first Middle Eastern carrier top partner with the PayCargo logistics payment platform. It simplifies the payment process through an online solution that connects carriers with freight forwarders and vendors on a single platform. Emirates SkyCargo customers in the UAE can now make instant payments via credit card or direct debit, ensuring same-day or next-business-day cargo release.

Kuehne+Nagel heads off global challenges

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 24, 2025

0

Switzerland-headquartered Kuehne+Nagel Group said on 24 July that it achieved solid operational performance in the first half of 2025, despite many external challenges.

Net turnover increased by 8% year-over-year to CHF 12.5 billion, or by 12% when adjusted for foreign exchange effects. EBIT totaled CHF 744 million, and earnings were CHF 555 million. Volumes increased significantly, particularly in Air Logistics.

Underlying earnings assessments and expectations for 2025 are unchanged and the forwarder now expects a recurring EBIT between CHF 1.45 billion and CHF 1.65 billion.

Chief executive Stefan Paul, said: “Our solid operational performance in the first half of 2025 once again demonstrated our resilience in a challenging market environment. The push of our strategic sales initiatives is proving to be highly effective. In Air Logistics, we increased volumes by 7% – that’s well above overall market growth.”

Kuehne+Nagel has meanwhile strengthened its collaboration with European aerospace firm Airbus in Spain, expanding its agreement to helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.

The operations cover in-plant logistics, inter-site transport services, warehouse-to-line deliveries, supply fulfilment centre operations, and spare parts management. Over 900 employees of Kuehne+Nagel work at 16 sites in Albacete, Cádiz, Madrid, Sevilla Toledo, and Zaragoza.

Swiss WorldCargo joins United-Lufthansa cargo alliance

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 23, 2025

0

Swiss WorldCargo is to join its sister company Lufthansa Cargo’s and United Cargo’s existing joint business agreement for Transatlantic routes to and from Europe.

Lufthansa Cargo and United Cargo have cooperated in various areas over the past few years, including sales, customer relations and networks between the US and Europe.

Under the expanded joint business agreement, the three carriers will cooperate on cargo traffic between more than 200 destinations to and from the US and Europe.

Head of Swiss WorldCargo, Alain Chisari, said: “This agreement marks an important milestone in strengthening our collaboration, broadening our global network and offering our customers increased flexibility and connectivity. By joining this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering high-quality, reliable, and efficient air cargo solutions worldwide.”

Lufthansa Cargo chief executive, Ashwin Bhat, added: “The entry of Swiss WorldCargo into Lufthansa Cargo’s successful joint venture with United Cargo marks a significant milestone in enhancing collaboration and adding value for our customers. This expanded business agreement offers customers benefits, especially an even denser network and more seamless booking possibilities ensuring greater flexibility and reliability for their shipments.

“The combined synergies further enhance service quality and represent a step towards sustainable growth in a volatile and very competitive market for Lufthansa Cargo and its partners.”

And United Cargo president, Jan Krems, concluded: “We are proud to welcome Swiss WorldCargo into our transatlantic joint venture with Lufthansa Cargo and United Cargo. This expanded collaboration brings together three premium carriers with complementary networks, operational expertise, and shared values.

“By coordinating schedules, aligning handling processes, and streamlining booking and tracking systems, we’re creating a more seamless experience for our customers – offering greater capacity, more consistent service, and improved access across key US and European markets. This partnership strengthens our ability to meet growing demand and deliver smarter, more efficient solutions across the air cargo supply chain.”

Air Canada Cargo launches new-look platform

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 23, 2025

0

Air Canada Cargo has redesigned its eBooking platform. Customers can now get real-time feedback and validation, create batch bookings, e-AWB and submit release letters.

The interface has been made more user-friendly with a dashboard to keep track of shipments with dynamic booking flows and calculation fields.

Auto-confirmation is available for general cargo shipments of 50 kg (0.3 m³) or less.

It is also possible to submit feedback and questions directly from the dashboard and bookings can be saved as templates.

Swissport acquires London handler ASC

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 22, 2025

0

Swissport, a global leader in airport ground services and air cargo handling, has signed binding transaction agreements to acquire ASC, which provides ground handling and cargo services at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

It said that the move would provide additional capability and gives it access to additional cargo capacity at two warehouses at London Heathrow.

Warwick Brady, President and chief executive of Swissport International, Warwick Brady, said: “The UK is one of our core markets worldwide. Strengthening our presence in the country is a key pillar of our growth strategy. Swissport has a clear M&A strategy to enhance our platform in markets where we can optimise growth, margin and resilience across the portfolio.”

Karen Cox, Swissport’s chief executive for the UK and Ireland, commented: “Swissport and ASC share the same values of safety, operational excellence, customer focus and innovative technology solutions. This means brilliant opportunities for our employees as they are part of a growing, global company in a thriving sector. We are very much looking forward to welcoming ASC into the Swissport family.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

ASC has 624 employees at Heathrow and Gatwick and handles 12,000 flights a year for 17 airlines.

Cargo.one brings power of AI to bear on airfreight quotation

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 22, 2025

0

The Cargo.one platform is now offering AI-powered quoting and rate management capabilities to help forwarders win more business.
AI automates extraction of shipment details and rate collection, eliminating manual data entry and quote preparation time, with a unified queue feature enabling team collaboration on quotations. Cargo.one now brings all rates, including ad hoc, together into a single workspace, allowing end-to-end quoting for every opportunity.
According to the platform, forwarders using the new capabilities report improved efficiency and faster quote turnaround times, leading to increased conversion rates.
The freight forwarding industry has long struggled with fragmented workflows that force teams to chase rates across different tools, and manually copy data. This slows down quoting processes and prevents teams from focusing on more worthwhile activities like building customer relationships and handling complex shipments or large tenders.
The latest product release addresses these challenges with three AI-powered automation to accelerate quoting, enhanced rate management system with all rate types needed for complete door-to-door pricing in one place, and integrated workflows that enable freight forwarders to work on opportunities and quotations from one central queue.
Freight forwarders receive hundreds of quote requests daily, with teams spending hours manually processing requests and logging data. Cargo.one uses AI to extract shipment details from incoming emails and collect relevant rates from its AI-native database.
Alongside the platform’s live and static rates, forwarders can now manually request rates from airline sales teams directly on the platform, while leveraging their own consol and gateway rates. Comprehensive rate coverage enables forwarders to compare all rate options, while ensuring full control over rate access by teams.
Freight forwarders using cargo.one can prioritize opportunities and quotes in a central queue, access every rate needed, and sync quotes directly to their system.

Saudia spearheads export campaign

By

Chris Lewis

-

July 21, 2025

0

Saudia Cargo has launched a ‘BEYOND’ campaign to promote its country’s exports, as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

It is a joint venture with the Saudi Export Development Authority and the “Saudi Made” program, which aims to stimulate national industries. Saudia Cargo’s exports have already enjoyed growth of 14% last year compared to previous years.

The carrier will use its capabilities to transport products, agricultural crops, dairy products, and other national exports and open up new horizons for local manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises. The company also seeks to increase exports to new trade corridors including Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Addis Ababa, Jakarta, and Cairo. Saudia Cargo also launched a new route to Zhengzhou in China this year.