A new South African cargo airline will begin non scheduled flights from its hub at OR Tambo International Airport in the second quarter of 2023. Suid Cargo Airlines will operate a leased Boeing 727-200F from Kenya’s Astral Aviation in addition to Astral’s Boeing 747-400F, Boeing 767 and Boeing 757F on a charter basis. The carrier plans to acquire additional narrow-body freighters in 2024. The new carrier will promote exports from South Africa in addition to transit shipments to over 20 African destinations, along with a sea-air service from the ports of Durban and Cape Town to land locked regions in Africa.
WFS to handle Saudia in US and Europe
Saudia Cargo has awarded a multi-station contract to Worldwide Flight Service (WFS), including key airports in the US and Europe.
The contract was formally signed by Teddy Zebitz, chief executive of the Middle East carrier and John Batten Executive vice president of EMEAA at WFS, at a ceremony held in Saudia Cargo’s Jeddah headquarters.
WFS will now be handling over 160,000 tonnes of cargo annually for Saudia Cargo, in addition to providing ramp handling services for air cargo shipments onboard over 5,000 passenger and freighter flights per year.
The contract covers stations including New York, Washington, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and Brussels.
New screening plans must get air cargo industry on board, say Airforwarders
The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to involve US shippers in discussions about screening rules for export cargo on freighter aircraft
Panellists at AfA’s Annual General Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, on 13 February called for the TSA to urgently address the impact of mandated freighter cargo screening for exports which come into force from November 2023.
The requirement that all such cargo must be screened has been in effect since June 2021, but up until now the sector has been working with a limited number of TSA alternative security measures.
However, the TSA has stated that these will expire at the end of October and won’t be renewed.
Panellists said that the Certified Cargo Standard Security Screening Program (CCSSSP) is the only viable way to meet new screening requirements, but much preparatory work and communication with shippers must be carried out by the TSA in order to make CCSSSP ready for the November 2023 deadline.
They are also concerned that the TSA’s proposed Secure Packing Facility (SPF) initiative is not a viable solution for shippers or air freight forwarders who tender cargo that is difficult to screen for freighter export.
“All security programs across the various segments of the air cargo supply chain need to be aligned,” said AfA executive director, Brandon Fried. “Industry needs TSA’s strong support in messaging the shippers that the CCSSSP – which would regulate shippers tendering cargo that is challenging to screen using existing approved security methods – is the only realistic available option to continue to move their cargo.”
The panellists agreed that the TSA needed to update and coordinate the CCSSSP acceptance and handling elements into the various freighter security programs, since the current CCSSSP has been in place only for passenger air carriers since its inception in 2009.
In addition, the TSA also needs to update the regulatory framework to include freighters.
The panel also pointed out that, with the changes in overall air cargo supply chain in the past 15 to 20 years, compounded by the rapid growth and volumes of e-commerce traffic, the current definition of ‘shipper’ does not align with the realities of today’s global air cargo business.
The panel included Doug Brittin, AfA Senior Adviser; Braden Core, Partner, Scopelitis Garvin Light Hanson & Feary (Moderator); John Beckius, Executive Director for the Air Cargo Division at the TSA; Tom Friedman, Industry Engagement Manager, Surface Air Cargo, Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Safety Administration (TSA); Alex Rodriguez, Director for Corporate Public Affairs, Americas, Deutsche Post DHL Group; Steve Alterman, President, Cargo Airline Association; and Dan Muscatello, Industry Consultant.
Digitisation can ease emission pain, says Raft
Forwarders should prepare for new sustainability reporting regulations by using digital solutions, said Lionel van der Walt, chief growth officer of intelligent freight operating system Raft.
He told delegates to the Airforwarders Association’s (AfA) AirCargo Conference in Nashville, on 13 February that they needed to focus on finding an emissions reporting method to suit their business and that of their customers as soon as possible.
“The rapidly changing legislation landscape, coupled with growing demands from shippers and consumers across the globe, means that companies of all sizes in the supply chain must focus on sustainability, and it is the responsible thing to do,” said van der Walt.
The European Commission, for example, started the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) initiative on the 21 April 2021. Companies that fall into scope have to apply the rules for the first time in the 2024 financial year, for reports published in 2025. This will be of a significant impact for shippers who will, in turn, require more detailed emissions data from their forwarders.
Raft can automate operational painpoints, including emissions reporting, said van der Walt.
Van der Walt was joined by Jennifer Frigger-Latham, AfA board member and vice-president sales and marketing, and owner, EMO Trans, which has partnered with Raft for its emissions reporting compliance, who said: “As this conversation becomes an endemic part of what it is to manage supply chains, I am equally excited on the private sector side to be partnering with Raft to offer our customers these essential calculations.”
At the same event, Sasha Goodman, chief administrative officer at entertainment logistics company Rock-it Global received the AfA Jim Foster Lifetime Achievement Award.
It recognizes her career in air cargo as well as her 12 years of service on the AfA board of directors, and her championing of women in air cargo.
She is an advocate for gender diversity in the air cargo industry and chaired a panel at the AirCargo event, focused on supporting the professional development of women in company structures.
Air Canada joins Pharma.Aero
Air Canada Cargo has joined the Pharma.Aero cross-industry collaboration platform. It will work with other key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical transport sector. In addition to its new cold chain facility, Air Canada Cargo also operates live-monitored, temperature-controlled certified aircraft containers, like the Envirotainer Releye RLP and larger RAP, as part of the AC Absolute solution.
Lufthansa to double short-haul freighter fleet
Lufthansa Cargo is to increase its short- and medium-haul freighter fleet from two Airbus A321F aircraft to four by the end of July. Extensions to the flight schedule on short- and medium-haul routes are currently still being planned.
The German carrier is also adjusting its long haul freighter route network. Weekly frequencies to destinations in China served by Boeing 777F aircraft will be increased and combined, offering more flexible capacity.
It will offer a total of ten freighter flights per week to Shanghai two of which will also fly to Chengdu. The number of weekly flights to Hong Kong will increase from five to six, including one stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan last part of the network in 2019. The combined service from Frankfurt via Mumbai to Hyderabad will also be increased to two flights per week.
American Airlines is ready for the big day – are you?
Unlike many males around the world, the folks at American Airlines Cargo are well prepared for next week’s Valentine’s Day.
Out of Europe, the carrier expects to fly 50% more flowers than in 2022, or more than 417 tonnes, for the Valentine’s Day peak. Using its trucking network and widebody aircraft, the airline is transporting Dutch tulips and roses to the US and beyond by way of London Heathrow (LHR) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
Roses and carnations have always been a strong export from Ecuador and Colombia. Throughout the year, these flowers travel via Miami International Airport before continuing domestically or on American’s transatlantic network to Europe. More than 70% of the fresh flowers that American carries from Ecuador and Colombia are roses, and for Valentine’s Day, that number increases to 90%.
American Airlines Cargo teams in the Americas and Europe have long transported a wide range of fresh flowers, including roses, tulips, carnations, lilies, peonies, and baby’s breath, to help celebrate a wide variety of special days, not only for Valentine’s Day but several other celebrations, including Emperor’s Birthday in Japan, Easter, Mother’s Day in the US and Europe, All Saints Day, US, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
American Airlines Cargo Sales Director for EMEA & APAC, Emma Oliver, comments: “It’s always exciting to see flowers move across our network this time of year. Our teams are passionate about the careful handling of these shipments, knowing we play an important role for our customers and ultimately the people around the world who will celebrate Valentine’s Day with flowers we carry.”
No matter the season, celebration, or type of bloom, American’s cargo team is at work moving fresh flowers wherever they need to go. The carrier also has an expansive cold-chain network, with many of its major stations to help keep flowers fresh on their journey across the globe.
And remember guys, don’t forget to call in at the gas station on your way home from work this evening. Hopefully they’ll have a few stems – and they won’t have wilted too much.
Cathay offers sea-air freight with a difference
Cathay Pacific Cargo and the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal have become the first carrier and first cargo terminal operator to have cargo shipments accepted in Dongguan and moved by water to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) by ship for outbound shipment.
The HKIA Logistics Park in Dongguan has been developed by the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and allows shipments to be security screened, built up and accepted as cargo for flights before being loaded on ships that unload in a secured area at HKIA, from where pallets and ULDs can be towed straight to a waiting aircraft.
A pilot scheme will migrate to a permanent facility from 2025.
Ethiopian ponders US flights via Malta
Ethiopian Airlines is planning to launch flights from its Addis Ababa hub to Malta and onwards to US cities, according to press reports. It follows talks between the Maltese and Ethiopian prime ministers to discuss a number of issues, including aviation.
Current Ethiopian Airlines to North America operate with a refuelling stops in Dublin or Lomé, but it appears that the flights under discussion would treat the island as a commercial origin and destination.
The move would restore US services between Malta after an absence of several decades.
More earthquake aid on its way
A Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777 freighter departed Frankfurt on 10 February at with aid destined for Antalya, mainly winter clothing, blankets, food and hygiene items. They were donated by Turkish communities in Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, as well as by local companies in and Lufthansa Cargo employees.
The Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary time:matters, which specializes in emergency logistics, and Lufthansa Cargo’s customs service provider CB customs broker, organized the operation. Lufthansa Group employees who volunteer in the FRA Community of the HelpAlliance, had been consolidating and preparing the cargo for the free flight since Wednesday evening.
The Lufthansa Cargo team at the Istanbul station will receive the relief supplies after landing and bring them to the crisis area.
Dubai-based airline Emirates meanwhile said it was setting up an airbridge with the International Humanitarian City (IHC), to transport urgent relief supplies, medical items and equipment to support on-ground aid efforts and search and rescue activities in Turkey and Syria. The first shipments were due to fly on 10 February, consisting of thermal blankets and family tents from UNHCR, followed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP) relief cargo of medical kits and shelter items, co-ordinated by the IHC in Dubai.
More consignments of blankets, tents, shelter kits, flash lights, water distribution ramps and trauma and emergency health kits were due to be transported on Emirates.
Emirates SkyCargo plans to dedicate cargo space for around 100 tonnes of humanitarian relief goods during February across its daily flight operations to Istanbul.