Forwarder doubles Heathrow chilled space

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July 3, 2024

International Cargo Logistics (ICL) has nearly doubled the size of its cold storage facility at Heathrow Airport, from 1,650 to 3,300 sq ft.

ICL Site Unit 13 now consists of five chambers with varying temperature regimes, as well as X-ray and external temporary storage facilities (ESTF), and temperature-controlled vehicles.

It also offers inspection areas for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and a control point for Customs checks and clearances.

ICL is preparing to be BRC-accredited by the end of the summer, allowing it to deliver to a wider range of retailers and wholesalers.

ICL expanded its temperature-controlled airfreight capabilities in the UK when it launched a partnership with FreshLinc and has also opened an office in Rotterdam.

This year the company plans to expand into Southeast Asia, starting with a new office in Vietnam.

Hickey to lead Hermes business development

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Chris Lewis

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July 3, 2024

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Air cargo software specialist Hermes Logistics Technologies has appointed Joe Hickey as global business development manager. He brings over a decade of experience working with enterprise clients across various sectors, including logistics, supply chain, travel and hospitality, education, automotive, and financial services and, before joining HLT, served as sales director at software as a service company Ratio.

Flight of the Condor – now showing on Cargo.one

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Chris Lewis

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July 3, 2024

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German leisure airline Condor is to make its entire network available on Cargo.one’s digital procurement platform and bolster digital sales in key forwarding markets such as the US and Europe.

Condor offers belly capacity on a fleet of more than 50 aircraft, including Airbus A330neos wide bodies, to over 100 destinations from its ground facilities in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Zurich.

Forwarders can use Cargo.one to book Condor capacity firstly for destinations in Europe, US and Canada from July, with more regions due to be added in the coming weeks.

DoKaSch appoints man in the Midwest

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Chris Lewis

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July 2, 2024

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DoKaSch Temperature Solutions has appointed Rory Ward as its new business development manager for the Midwest Region in the US. he brings over a decade of experience in the logistics industry, most recently as the operations and sales manager at Airport Logistic Services Group.

In his new role, Rory Ward will focus on expanding DoKaSch TS’s presence in the region where the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors are seeing significant growth. Illinois aims to enhance its reputation as a key hub for biomedical research, led by Chicago with its concentration of biotech and pharma firms.

Since 2018, the company has operated its subsidiary, DoKaSch Americas in California. Both the RKN and RAP versions of DoKaSch’s Opticooler container are FAA-certified, enabling any US airline to use them.

WFS opens fifth Madrid terminal

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Chris Lewis

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July 2, 2024

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Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has increased cargo handling capacity by 60% at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport with the opening of its fifth cargo terminal.

The new facility, which makes WFS Madrid’s largest independent cargo hander, was formally opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony by John Batten, chief executive, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia and Humberto Castro, managing director of WFS in Spain and Italy.

The new terminal increases WFS’ total cargo facility footprint in Madrid to 17,000sq m (183,000sq ft) and will support its client base of 65 airlines as well as providing expansion opportunities. In the last 12 months, WFS has renewed cargo contracts in Madrid with customers including Air China, Air Europa, Etihad Airways, Pegasus, Turkish Airlines and World2Fly, and signed new agreements with CMA CGM and TAAG Angola Airlines.

The building provides 17 landside truck/van docks, direct access from the airport main road, two build-up pallet lanes and docks, four airside truck docks with ULD handling, 2-8°C and 15-25°C temperature-controlled cool rooms for pharma and perishable shipments.

It is powered by 100% renewable energy and with electric battery chargers for cars and warehouse GSE. Indoor AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles) will also be introduced in the second half of 2024.

ACS carries out life-saving mission to San Fran

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Chris Lewis

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July 1, 2024

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Courier firm ACS Time Critical recently chartered a private jet to transport life-saving blood plasma from Manchester in the UKr to a hospital in San Francisco.

The company received a call to deliver the plasma to the US within a very specific timeframe. It also had too be kept cool and couldn’t be X-rayed at customs and so needed an onboard courier experienced in medical transfers, so a member of our time critical team in Frankfurt, Germany jumped on the next flight to Manchester to wait at the hospital for the surgery to be completed.

But ACS then learned that the operation to extract the blood from the donor was going to take much longer than expected and the only solution was a private jet charter to deliver the shipment in time. As part of the larger Air Charter Service group, ACS Time Critical was able to contact the San Francisco office’s private jet division, who quickly sourced a Bombardier Global Express with last-minute availability in Europe, which immediately flew into Manchester.

With the life-saving box in hand, the courier contacted security at the airport to prepare for a quick screening, ensuring it was kept in the right conditions. He then called ahead to the pilots, advising them to be ready for an immediate departure. After a near 12-hour flight to San Francisco, ACS arranged for a customs agent to board the aircraft and expedite clearance of the shipment instead of processing it in the terminal.

The plasma was successfully delivered to the hospital in San Francisco less than 13 hours after the extraction surgery was completed in Manchester.

Paper pallets cut carbon emissions

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Chris Lewis

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June 28, 2024

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Air cargo alliance SkyTeam Cargo has introduced a paper-based carton pallet as a replacement for wood and plastic. Weighing 10-15kg less than wooden and plastic palletsthe pallets are made from 94% recycled fibres, are humidity resistant and comply with ISPM 15 standards. They can be used multiple times, depending on handling and usage.
The latest version of the carton pallet has been developed by TRIP&CO and is EASA part 21G approved. It was successfully tested last year by SkyTeam Cargo members, Air France Cargo and KLM Cargo during SkyTeam’s annual flight challenge which brings together global to find new ways to cut aviation’s footprint.

E-commerce needs clear communications, says Kale chief

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Chris Lewis

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June 28, 2024

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Airfreight IT specialistKale Info Solutions called on the air industry to improve communication and modernise infrastructure to cope with the e-commerce boom at the Clear View Americas summit in Cancún, Mexico.

At the event on 27 June, attended by airports, airlines, cargo handling companies and 3PL service providers, Kale president, Amar More, said: “We know that communication and digitalisation are critical to the logistics industry, and we have learnt so much by bringing together major players from across the supply chain to discuss the future of our industry – especially as e-commerce reshapes air cargo opportunities globally.

“We can see the impact that e-commerce is having on the global marketplace and know that we need to accommodate this growth, which we can do by increasing efficiency through digitalisation and modernising infrastructure allow seamless transport links.”

Kale would like to see a change in attitude at all organisational levels to synchronise communication channels up and down the supply chain.

Digital innovation, and acceptance to enhance operational capabilities through this was also debated as supplementary regulatory support proving to be crucial for further improvements.

The next Kale Clear View event will be held in Istanbul, Turkey this October.

Etihad and partners to provide more North America space

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Chris Lewis

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June 28, 2024

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Etihad Cargo is to offer increased capacity beyond its belly hold space to North America by partnering with other airlines to meet growing demand.

It currently offers 550 tonnes of wide-body capacity to North America – 445 tonnes for the US on 30 flights per week through New York, Chicago, Washington, and Boston and 105 tonnes to Canada on daily flights to Toronto.

The new partnership with network airlines will introduce a further 250 tonnes of capacity per week with connections via European gateways such as Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome. The flights will operate to Etihad Cargo’s dedicated Standard Operating Procedures.

Etihad Cargo vice president cargo, Stanislas Brun, commented: “Adding depth to the carrier’s US network and introducing incremental capacity for the North American market demonstrates the importance of this market and Etihad Cargo’s commitment to meeting customers’ needs and supporting global trade. Etihad Cargo recognises the vital role that air freight plays in connecting economies and is dedicated to providing seamless and reliable services to remain the air cargo partner of choice.”

SAF deal is Best yet for China

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Chris Lewis

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June 27, 2024

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Lufthansa Cargo has signed a pact with Chinese forwarder Best Services International Freight for around 137,000 liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to offset CO2 emissions
“Best Services International Freight is the German carrier’s first customer in China to opt for the use of more than 100 tons of SAF,” said head of region Asia Pacific, Florian Pfaff. “Every customer who takes advantage of this opportunity is making a significant contribution to the decarbonization of logistics. The interest shows us that there is great potential for this, especially in Asia.”
Over its entire lifecycle (production, delivery, combustion in the engine), biogenic SAF has a CO2 footprint that is approximately 80 percent lower than that of conventional kerosene. It can be used in regular flight operations without any infrastructure adjustments and is currently produced mainly from biogenic residues.