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ECS restarts Niger flight

Airlines
GSA

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November 15, 2023

ECS Group has reinstated its B747 Niger Air Cargo service the sole, direct full-freighter connection from Europe. The service had been suspended following the military coup in the west African country. It offers 150 tonnes of cargo capacity per month from Liège, Belgium to Niger’s main cargo hub, Niamey International Airport, offering a link to neighbouring Nigeria and Mali.

During the pandemic, Niger Air Cargo’s leased B747 was instrumental in ensuring that medical and relief goods could be brought into the country. The airline also provided temporary cargo import solutions during the recent difficult circumstances.

ECS Group chairman Adrien Thominet, said: “Demand to Niger is quickly recovering to previous year levels and looks equally promising as we head into the new year. Thanks go to our Niger Air Cargo team which continues to prove its resilience and flexibility in the face of unpredictable challenges.”

German forwarder opens Texas site

Chris Lewis

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November 14, 2023

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German-owned forwarding and logistics company Deugro has opened a 96,775sq ft operations and logistics terminal in Baytown, near Houston, Texas. It includes 7.3 acres of paved and fenced hardstanding, suitable for cargo storage along with access to the Houston Ship Channel, local ports and major highways.

The facility is equipped with 24/7 CCTV and alarm monitoring security systems, is climate-controlled and has advanced real-time automated inventory management, including line-item checking, tracking, and material receipt. IT solutions offer control and visibility at line-item level and documentation generation for commercial invoice and packing list generation.

The terminal offers long-term and short-term storage solutions, including palletized or bulk storage and ‘out-of-the box’ solutions for storing industrial and oil field services equipment.

Full packing services are available on site, including customized export crating, casing, container packing and unpacking, and cross[1]docking. The facility is powered by renewable energy sources.

Handling equipment ranges from 3,000 to 55,000lb capacity forklifts and there are two high, all-weather container loading docks, an oversized cargo door for cargo and 14 grade level overhead doors.

The outdoor secured hardstanding has laydown areas, including six dock high truck wells.

Global head of supply chain logistics, Deugro USA, Jeff Smith, said: “Deugro is starting a new chapter of growth and prosperity— providing seamless logistics solutions, climate-controlled warehousing, and customized packing and crating in the operational environment of a true project freight forwarder.”

President – North America at Deugro USA, Tobias Schultz, added: “Deugro USA’s new Operations and Logistics Terminal in Baytown marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering top[1]tier logistics solutions. With tech-driven facilities and a strategic location, this expansion ensures we can provide out-of-the-box, bespoke solutions for handling and storing project assets, including industrial and oil field services equipment.

Our state-of-the-art inventory management, coupled with a committed team prepared for rapid order fulfilment, is geared toward providing our clients with unparalleled advantages in the industry.”

Awery launches onboard courier app

Chris Lewis

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November 13, 2023

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Awery Aviation Software (Awery) has launched an onboard courier (OBC) quoting, booking, and tracking platform, supported by a mobile app for couriers. It gives OBC providers a centralised system to automate quotes, book couriers, track shipments, and send invoices.

A lack of visibility and real-time updates on such shipments are causing unnecessary delays and uncertainty for customers, said Awery chief executive, Vitaly Smilianets (pictured, right, with customer success officer, Phaedra den Hertog). He explained: “Our OBC platform helps close this communication gap by automating tracking with customisable milestones – stakeholders receive shipment location updates by email following each completed milestone, which are signed off by couriers through a mobile app.

“The app also enables couriers to instantly update their availability and pinpoints their live location to the closest airport, allowing users to track shipments in real-time.”

A QR code can be shared with stakeholders involved in the last-mile delivery process, enabling them to update shippers and consignees.

Air Partner in maritime rescue mission

Brokers

Chris Lewis

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November 13, 2023

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Charter operator Air Partner obtained permits in less than 72 for a mission to transport 43 offshore buoys from Brescia, Italy, to Pointe Noire in the Republic of Congo. The buoys were vital to ensure uninterrupted coastal navigation in the region. Air Partner’s teams worked tirelessly to obtain the necessary permits for both, a B767-200F, which carried 27 pieces and an A321F, with the remaining 16.

Etihad prices, instantly

Chris Lewis

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November 13, 2023

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Etihad Cargo has launched an Instant Offer Rate (IOR) tool. Developed in collaboration with IBS Software, the IOR solution reduces pricing transaction times by up to 70% with prices generated based on five key booking and flight parameters, including density, departure day, direct and indirect flights, flight demand and requested servicesThe IOR solution is the latest feature to be added to Etihad Cargo’s booking portal, following the recent addition of features enabling the booking of cats, dogs and dangerous goods.

KN achieves pharma certificate again

Chris Lewis

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November 10, 2023

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Kuehne+Nagel said on 6 November that it had completed its third consecutive IATA CEIV Pharma recertification of its entire air logistics healthcare network. It also positions it as the first logistics company to achieve over 100 CEIV Pharma-certified stations.

Kuehne+Nagel’s dedicated healthcare solutions for Air Logistics are part of the company’s global healthcare portfolio including multimodal transport options and contract logistics. Earlier this year, Kuehne+Nagel announced its Roadmap 2026, of which healthcare is a key growth area.

In the US, meanwhile, Kuehne+Nagel’s Road team delivered some 150 pallets of flu vaccines to 40 Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals across the country. Within 36 hours of the initial customer call, the team arranged for three different carriers to pick up over 150 pallets of vaccines from 14 locations across Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. The vaccines were transported in 14 temperature-controlled trucks.

Kale has grand plan for Istanbul gateway

Chris Lewis

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November 10, 2023

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Kale has grand plan for Istanbul gateway

Kale Logistics Solutions is implementing a cargo community system at Istanbul Grand Airport (İGA), the first of its kind at a Turkish airport.

The ACS platform will help turn İGA into a transfer centre and will give agents, airlines, transporters, handlers, Customs, and security agencies access to all cargo-related information on a common platform.

Airport Kargo Paydaş Platformu (KPP), developed by Kale, will be implemented in collaboration with cargo digitisation specialist, TroyNet.

The airport’s deputy chief executive officer, Selahattin Bilgen, said: “Istanbul is a critical air cargo connection point and we are determined to develop and expand our air cargo network – the implementation of KPP is an important milestone in providing best-in-class services to our customers and stakeholders.

“We want to take our place as one of the world’s most important global transfer centres and with this system, we will encourage digital trade, facilitate business, and establish a digital infrastructure to ensure that cargo moves faster at the least possible cost.”

Director and co-founder of Kale Logistics Solutions, Vineet Malhotra (pictured), added: “For more than a decade, Kale has been combining its deep industry knowledge and experience of working with more than 100 air cargo stations to help airports transform into smart logistics hubs.

“Our next-gen ACS is transforming Istanlbul’s cargo operations with tech agility by supporting seamless customer experience, and optimising value chains for airports and nations at large.”

Swissport fills a hole in its Spanish network

Chris Lewis

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November 10, 2023

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Swissport fills a hole in its Spanish network

Swissport International has opened an air cargo centre at Zaragoza Airport, in north-east Spain, its fifth in the country along with Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Valencia and Zaragoza. It offers over 4,000sq and provides cargo handling services for general and express cargo. The facility has 14 truck docks. Swissport has provided passenger services and ramp handling in Zaragoza since 2015.

Sally Meyer joins Sterling sales team

Chris Lewis

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November 7, 2023

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Airfreight trucker Sterling Transportation has recruited Sally Meyer to its sales team. Stationed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, she will play a pivotal role in expanding sales efforts not only in the Houston area but across the entire US. She brings over two decades of sales experience in the industry and her reputation is widely recognized within the airline and freight forwarding communities.

Vice President of Sales, Jaye Fenner, said: “I’m convinced there’s not a forwarder in the Houston area who isn’t familiar with Sally Meyer. Having had the privilege of working alongside her for more than 20 years, I’ve personally witnessed her remarkable achievements and had the pleasure of working alongside her over the years. Sally possesses an exceptional understanding of the industry and a keen awareness of our customers’ unique needs.”

Air Charter Service opens in New Delhi

Brokers

Chris Lewis

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November 7, 2023

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Air Charter Service has opened an office in New Delhi, its second office in India and 33rd globally. The company opened its Mumbai office almost 12 years ago and last year enjoyed one of its best years in terms of charter numbers in India. The new office is headed by Aman Arora (pictured, front centre), who moves from his managerial position in Mumbai.