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The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,180

16 MAY 2022

COVID-19 vaccine: just the start

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INSIDE

Bright Q1 for IAG Cargo

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of IAG (International Airlines Group) reported revenues of €432 million for the first quarter of 2022 ... page 2

QR CARGO OPENS CHAPTER 3

A freighter full of flying fish

atar Airways Cargo says increased cargo capacity has helped spawn growth in seafood traffic out of Norway, particularly salmon. Introduction of passenger freighters to the market, including Harstad-Narvik Airport in Evenes and Bodø Airport in Northern Norway significantly increased capacity in 2021, just when it was needed the most, said the carrier. The carrier also operates six Boeing 777 freighter services each week on the Oslo-Doha route, along with bellyhold capacity on passenger flights. Vice president cargo Europe Rob Veltman said: “Our operations team went above and beyond to meet the needs of our customers, resulting in record breaking uplift of more than 68,944kg on a single lower deck 777 passenger flight. Qatar Airways Cargo transported more than 46,000 tonnes of Norwegian seafood in 2021, the highest figure yet.” The airline transports more than 125 tonnes of seafood from Oslo every day, he continued, saying: “Norwegian salmon is a delicacy that is enjoyed

worldwide and Qatar Airways Cargo ensures that it reaches restaurants and supermarkets around the world in the same fresh state that it was originally sent in.” Salmon accounts for 95% of all perishable seafood (PES) on board Qatar Airways flights out of Scandinavia, Iceland and Faroe Island, Denmark. The remainding seafood traffic includes live king crabs and trout. At 1.3 million tonnes of salmon exported in 2021 (the country’s best year to date), and a segment value of €8.57 billion ($9.28 billion), Norway is by far the world’s number one salmon exporter. Veltman adds: “Salmon is a particularly delicate cargo commodity as it requires skilled, hygienic handling in temperature-controlled conditions and, above all, reliable, fast connections to its final destination. Qatar Airways Cargo not only offers a global network of over 150 stations, but we also reacted quickly to support Norwegian seafood exporters when the pandemic led to a dramatic decrease in available belly capacity.”

QATAR Airways Cargo has launched Chapter 3 of its Let’s Stand Together WeQare programme with a drive to gather donations in kind ... page 2

TIACA: regional symposia

THE International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has launched a series of regional symposia, aimed at engaging and bringing ... page 5

AG HANDLING ADOPTS QSTEP

LATVIA-BASED cargo handler AG Handling SIA has onboarded a new generation SaaS-based air cargo handling platform from Qstep ... page 5

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NEWS

QATAR AIRWAYS CARGO OPENS CHAPTER 3 OF WEQARE wide, and open to business partners, friends, families and anyone willing to participate. Each station of the company had its own collection point, where people could drop off their donations. Qatar Airways Cargo also opened six donation collection points for its employees, as well as a public collection point in Doha. Chief officer cargo at Qatar Airways, Guillaume Halleux, said: “Children are the future generation and we hope that they bloom and develop their full potential. Not all children are born with the same opportunities, but every child has the right to dream. “To make their dreams a reality, Qatar Airways Cargo wants to gather forces to support this next generation in need, by sending them toys, educational materials and sports items so that all children can enjoy their childhood.”

QATAR Airways Cargo has launched Chapter 3 of its Let’s Stand Together WeQare programme with a drive to gather donations in kind for children up to 10 May. It follows the success of the first two chapters of the WeQare programme. Chapter 1, ‘One Million Kilos’, launched in July 2020, provided free transport for a million kilos of humanitarian aid and medical equipment to charitable organisations. Under Chapter 2, ‘Rewild the Planet’, Qatar Airways Cargo committed to preserve wildlife and endangered animals and to transport them back to their natural habitat free of charge. Under the latest chapter, the carrier organised collections of in-kind donations for children, including study material, clothes and sports items, toys, musical instruments and board games. The collection of the donations was world-

Network transports 800 tonnes of love

NETWORK Airline Management transported over 800 tonnes of freshly cut flowers in the run up to International Mother’s Day 2022. Flying into Europe from Nairobi, NAM’s B747 Freighter aircraft fulfilled this year’s high demand once again to make Mother’s Day that extra bit special. Network has been working closely with Kenya’s horticulture industry for over 30 years. This year’s schedule saw four B747F flights operate each week with the aircraft loaded with flowers including a mix of roses and carnations to a maximum payload of 100 tonnes bound for Liege.

The flights were overseen by Network’s Kenyan office in Nairobi to ensure a smooth operation from start to finish. Network Airline Management’s senior commercial manager, Sam Lindsey, said: “We are pleased to have successfully supported our key clients during the Mother’s Day rush and we are extremely happy to help the Kenyan flower industry meet peak demands year after year.” Network, utilising its managed fleet, maintains a regular schedule of flights into Africa, as well as full or part charters throughout the year to various global destinations.

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Bright first quarter for IAG Cargo IAG Cargo, the cargo division of IAG (International Airlines Group) reported revenues of €432 million for the first quarter of 2022 (January 1 to March 31), up 18.6% at constant currency versus the same period last year. The carrier said the results were a reflection of how it had supported international trade as the global economy recovers from the pandemic. Overall yield was up 2.3% at constant currency versus the same period in 2021. Sold tonnage was up 19% on the same period in 2021. Demand was particularly high between Europe and the US for key industrial goods, including automotive parts, with IAG Cargo increasing the availability of wide-body aircraft on European feeder lanes into Heathrow. E-Commerce has also remained a major driver of growth for IAG Cargo, with high volumes being shipped into North America. IAG Cargo’s Constant Fresh product, for perishable shipments, saw exceptional growth with revenues growing 47% versus the same period in 2021.

The return to more widespread passenger flying also boosted cargo in the first quarter, with new routes opening up and capacity on important trade lanes increasing. The business was able to restart cargo flights to Australia – a major milestone in the global recovery from Cpvid-19. IAG Cargo managing director David Shepherd said: “IAG Cargo has had another busy quarter. The global economy is increasingly moving on from the confines of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trade and confidence are clearly increasing. At IAG Cargo we are seeing trends that first emerged during the pandemic continue to drive growth, with e-commerce as a stand-out example.” IAG Cargo also continued to transport items usually associated with sea freight as disruption to shipping persists. The business also donated over 125 tonnes of capacity in aid shipments to Ukraine, working with global charities including the Spanish Red Cross and Project HOPE to move vital goods like blankets, kitchen equipment and medical supplies into the region.

Promising future for Halifax Stanfield cargo AIR cargo activity increased at Halifax Stanfield in 2021 over 2020, and recovery is expected to continue as exports remain strong, new carriers enter the market, and the new Halifax Stanfield Air Cargo Logistics Park begins operation. In 2021, Halifax Stanfield processed 34,769 tonnes of cargo, up 5.4% from 2020. The value of exports in 2021 was C$496 million, up 6.3% from the previous year.

Importance of air cargo Halifax International Airport Authority president and CEO, Joyce Carter, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly underscored the importance of air cargo to global supply chains. “Air cargo has supported our collective fight

against Covid-19 through deliveries of PPE and vaccines, maintained local jobs through exports of Nova Scotia products, and aided our communities through efficient transport of e-commerce orders. In every instance, air cargo has played a critical role in moving important goods to and from our region.” Cargo at Stanfield was transported by 12 carriers and Air Canada Cargo is now including Halifax in its scheduled freighter operations. Nova Scotia seafood, specifically live lobster, continued to be the top export. In 2021, 12,757 tonnes of live lobster, at a value of C$293 million, were shipped from Halifax to Asian and European markets. Other top exports were medical equipment (C$53.2 million) and aerospace-related parts (C$41.4 million).

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NEWS

Deutsche Post DHL surmounts global challenges DEUTSCHE Post DHL Group said it continued to grow in the first quarter of 2022, despite global challenges. Revenue improved by 19.8% to €22.6 billion, following the significant jump in earnings in the 2021 financial year (FY). The Group said it also recorded an excellent opening quarter 2022 with operating profit (EBIT) of €2.2 billion compared with €1.9 billion in Q1 2021. Global B2B business was the key growth driver in the first quarter of 2022. Global forwarding, freight and supply chain in particular, but also express, benefited from a solid development in trade and stronger B2B business. Earnings at Global Forwarding almost tripled thanks to an exceptionally positive performance in the air and ocean freight business. In domestic and international parcels, as expected, B2C shipment volumes normalised at the start of 2022 after an exceptionally high

level in the previous year. Accordingly, earnings of e-Commerce Solutions and Post and Parcel Germany were below the very strong level of 2021. CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group, Frank Appel, said: “The first quarter saw the expected normalisation in e-commerce. However, we were able to over-compensate that development with strong results in our global logistics activities. “Once again, our portfolio – balanced by region and sector – proved to be a strong and resilient foundation for our success. Overall, we had a good start into the year and further increased our earnings.” As to the war in Ukraine, Frank Appel added: “Following the outbreak of war, global trade has so far proven resilient, yet we are closely monitoring the increasing challenges to global economic development.”

Geodis to open Spanish e-Commerce site GEODIS is investing in a dedicated 55,000 sq m warehouse at Torija in Guadalajara, Spain. It is the French-owned transport and logistics company’s first such investment in the country, and comes in response to growth in e-commerce sales of 17% last year, driving the total value of the market to $27 billion (€24.3 billion). While Geodis already had a presence in Spain in Palencia and Burgos providing contract logistics services, the Torija facility will be a turnkey project specifically tailored to an e-commerce retailer. Located an hour from the centre of Madrid on the main highway to the industrial city of Zaragoza, the 110,000 sq m site includes a warehouse with a capacity of about 50,000 pallets and 55 loading bays; direct employment for 150 will be generated. Country operations manager for the contract logistics line of business of Geodis in Spain, David Pele, explained: “Undoubtedly the logistics challenges of servicing a fast-growing and at times unpredictable sector such as e-commerce requires flexibility in designing and implementing traffic flows as well as skilled and

motivated manpower. “These considerations were paramount in our choice of location in a region where logistics skill-sets are well established within the local workforce. Fast efficient transport links to Spanish retail consumers and international road, rail and air links were also factors.”

Market penetration Managing director in Spain, Iván Sánchez Intxaurbe, also pointed out: “E-Commerce as a retail channel had 58% market penetration in 2021, meaning over half of Spaniards bought at least one product online last year. “A maturing market such as this is regarded as both stable and one of potential steady and consistent growth as long as customer experience standards are maintained by retailers. “It is these very attributes of guaranteed high service standards and a persistent drive for continual improvement that we believe marks out Geodis. We expect Torija to be the first of a number of e-Commerce fulfilment centres within our future Spanish operations.”

Forwarder’s tenacity gets cargo in the air THE project logistics team at CH Robinson recently completed three air shipments from Belgium to the US. The cargo, a compressor and booster, were due to be delivered by ocean vessel but due to worldwide port congestion, it was decided that transport by ocean shipping would cause too many delays. In order to keep the project on track, the customer turned to CH Robinson for a solution. The forwarder’s experts got to work to ar-

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range air transport, despite the perceived difficulty of finding enough space on an aircraft in the current market. The issue was compounded because the cargo had already been packed and secured in shipping containers. The forwarder was however able to secure the space needed on a 747 aircraft, arrange customs clearance, wrap the cargo and truck it to and from the departing and arriving airports.

ACW 16 may 2022 11/05/2022 12:40

Chennault International Airport is the ideal site for locating air cargo operations. Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is an emerging national aerospace hub that has kept military, corporate and personal aircraft in tip-top condition for more than three decades. Much of the industry is already familiar with Chennault and the Lake Charles region because of its first-class tenant partners — including Northrop Grumman, Million Air, LandLocked Aviation Services and Citadel Completions. Chennault serves the needs of business, civilian and military aircraft from around the world with world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art facilities and an array of tenant partners. It is also home to non-aerospace manufacturing and service businesses. Chennault has a 10,701-foot-long runway, the longest at any airport between Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. It’s capable of handling all aircraft flying today. There’s ample adjacent ramp space.

Chennault is served by an accredited air traffic control tower. FBO services are provided by Million Air. Even with all the development at Chennault, there’s still room to grow. There are more than a dozen tracts of land totaling nearly 1,000 acres available for development. WHY CHENNAULT? Chennault’s attractive competitive advantages include: • Uncongested airspace. • Landing fee incentives / waived landing fees. • A new 10,000-square-foot air cargo facility, with room to expand. • Significant ramp space with room for oversized cargo, equipment staging, and trucks. • Connected to deepwater port by adjacent rail service. • Adjacent interstate .• South-central location. • Experience in hosting air cargo operations. That’s just the top of the list! The proof of Chennault’s power is best seen by its tenant partners and visitors — from Northrop Grumman to Landlocked Aviation … from Citadel Completions to regular Air Force One arrivals … and from FBO Million Air to ongoing military training exercises.

YOUR NEW FACILITY Construction will be completed this summer on the $4 million air cargo passthrough facility, the newest component in Chennault’s emergence as an aerospace center. Upon its completion, the facility can be certified for international cargo by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “The willingness to change and look for opportunities outside of the norm is critical to remaining relevant in our dynamic world today,” says Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton. National consultant David Whitaker, who has more than 30 years of airport and air cargo operations experience, is part of the effort. “Chennault is a very robust airport with enormous potential, and Southwest Louisiana is a cargo-rich region of the world,” he says. TOP HONORS Chennault is Louisiana’s reigning Airport of the Year as judged by the state Department of Transportation and Development. It also earned the designation as the 2021 Southwest Region leader in Louisiana Economic Development’s ranking of top achievements statewide. “The willingness to change and look for opportunities outside of the norm is critical to remaining relevant in our dynamic world today,” said Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton. “Chennault remains a game-changer — we continue to work toward new tenant partners, more development and more jobs.” THE BOTTOM LINE • Chennault offers relief to airlines and freight forwarders who need space and attention. • Chennault offers value for companies to move goods through a brand-new facility built specifically for air cargo. • Chennault provides a low-cost alternative to the larger markets — where expense, ground delays, and airspace delays limit the efficient flow of goods. • Chennault offers capability, capacity and value. LET’S TALK Contact Chennault International Airport’s economic development team at ciaa@chennault.org or 1-800-272-2422.

Connect with us at: www.afklcargo.com

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Advertorial

NEW CONSTRUCTION, AMPLE ACREAGE, RAMP SPACE ALL MAKE CHENNAULT IDEAL FOR AIR CARGO OPERATIONS

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NEWS

AG HANDLING ADOPTS QSTEP CARGO HANDLING SOFTWARE AT RIGA LATVIA-BASED cargo handler AG Handling SIA has onboarded a new generation SaaS-based air cargo handling platform from Qstep for its handling operations at Riga International Airport (RIX). The cargo operator which handles, among others, Lufthansa and LOT Polish Airlines, went live with the Tallinn-based software platform Qstep in Q1 2022. “Having long-term experience in cargo handling in Riga, we went through a detailed selection process to choose the best available air cargo terminal handling system available for our size and type of business. Apart from reviewing the tender documents, we also visited many locations where systems we reviewed were operating, in the end, we felt Qstep was the right choice,” says Gunars Peize, director of AG Handling. “Now, when we have been operating Qstep for several months already, we have received positive input from the cargo forwarding community who now have much more control over both their export shipments starting from the moment they pre-advice shipments in our extranet (Qclient), giving us a possibility to plan the flow of resources in the warehouse, as well as their import shipments – having clear notifications showing transparent stor-

age conditions and costs, complemented with automated invoicing,” he continues. “All in all, compared to previously used systems where we basically had a weakly integrated warehouse, cargo handling and invoicing modules, we now have a reliable system providing all cargo terminal and invoicing functionalities in one place. Also, important to note we now have not only all messaging to airline systems automated, but also integration to Latvian Customs electronic data system,” wraps up Peize. “For Qstep the move marks a new chapter in its expansion as Riga becomes the fourth airport where our air cargo handling platform is being deployed after Helsinki, Tallinn and Vilnius,” says Haiti Arendi, CEO of Qstep. “Qstep platform enables all elements in a single window, from cargo operations and paperless warehouse management to automatic and intuitive communications with various stakeholders. intelligence helps to prevent any unchecked shipments from being loaded to the aircraft such as security or DGR check. Invoices are automatically generated based on the actions performed in the warehouse which substantially increases the efficiency in the back office as well,” he concludes.

TIACA to start programme of regional symposia THE International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has launched a series of regional symposia, aimed at engaging and bringing the air cargo community together to discuss issues it is facing. The first event will be held in Amsterdam city centre on June 28 and will be hosted by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The events aim to identify specific issues at a regional level that TIACA can incorporate into its overall work on behalf of the industry. The programme will include discussions on sustainability, market challenges, people issues and the economic outlook.

Attractive attendence fees Digitalisation, safety and security issues will also feature heavily in the programme. Each symposium will develop a regional action plan that will be incorporated into TIACA strategic objectives and activities. Attendance fees are attractive to encourage members and non-members to join so that they can get a full understanding of the local needs for air cargo, TIACA adds. TIACA chairman Steven Polmans said: “TIACA is committed to being connected to its membership. By organising the regional symposiums, we are able to interact more in-

timately with our members in each region and discuss what issues they face on a day-to-day basis. “TIACA is greatly appreciative for the support of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for inviting us to launch the inaugural event. We look forward to excellent discussions and outcomes.” The Amsterdam event will include one-day interactive conference sessions and an evening reception. A tour of the airport and its facilities is planned for June 29.

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NEWS

Strong start to 2022 for Transatlantic airfreight Atlas Air Worldwide capacity takes off but rates descend

ATLAS Air Worldwide announced first-quarter 2022 net income of $81.5 million compared with $89.9 million in 2021. Earnings totalled $202.8 million (EBITDA) in the first quarter of 2022 compared with $181.3 million in the prior-year period. President and CEO John Dietrich said: “We are off to an excellent start in 2022. We delivered strong earnings, despite the pandemic-related operational challenges we continue to navigate. I would like to thank the entire Atlas team for their ongoing commitment to deliver this great performance.” He added: “Atlas continues to demonstrate the value of airfreight as a vital component of the global supply chain. We are seeing a sustaining shift in long-term customer demand for Atlas’ dedicated aircraft, and the speed and reliability airfreight provides. During the first quarter, our customers continued to enter and enhance long-term contracts with Atlas for dedicated freighter capacity. “We are expanding and diversifying our customer base, and increasing flying under long-term contracts with attractive rates and guaranteed levels of flying. To meet customer demand, we are also investing in our world-

class fleet by adding four new 747-8F and four new 777 freighter aircraft. All four of our new 747-8Fs have been placed with customers under long-term contracts, and we have strong interest for the new 777Fs as well.”

Well positioned Dietrich concluded: “We are very well positioned for the years ahead. We have significantly strengthened our balance sheet and have a healthy cash balance. This provides us the financial flexibility to opportunistically deploy capital, including investing in our business and returning capital to shareholders.” The airline is purchasing five of its existing 747-400Fs at the end of their leases during this year, one of which was acquired in March. Atlas Air expects to complete the remaining four aircraft acquisitions between May and December 2022. For the second quarter of 2022, Atlasair said it expects revenue to exceed $1.1 billion from flying more than 85,000 block hours. For the full year, Atlas expects to fly more than 350,000 block hours, with revenue of approximately $4.6 billion.

Trevor Caswell to chair Pharma.Aero TREVOR Caswell has become the new chair of Pharma.Aero for the next two years. He is manager, demand and product development (cargo) at Edmonton International Airport. Caswell takes over from Nathan De Valck, who presided over the board of directors since its creation, in 2019. De Valck is head of cargo – product and network development at Brussels Airport Company – a founding strategic member of Pharma.Aero since 2016. Caswell said: “Edmonton International Airport has been an active strategic member of Pharma.Aero since early 2019. EIA strongly supports the role that Pharma.Aero plays in the global pharmaceutical supply chain. “I am thrilled and honoured to begin my new role as chairman, following the tremendous work that Nathan De Valck has successfully led over the past six years.

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THE latest analysis from Oslo-based Xeneta shows marked fluctuations in air freight rates and dynamic load factors between Western Europe and the US, as increased appetite for travel drives cargo capacity to new heights for 2022. According to Xeneta, which crowd sources real-time ocean and air freight data from leading global shippers and dynamic load factor data from airlines, capacity surged by 21% between mid-March and the end of April. With high passenger demand for the transatlantic corridor, and new summer schedules rolling out, capacity in April was actually higher than pre-pandemic, currently sitting above 2019 levels. Xeneta chief air officer, Niall van de Wouw, commented: “The aviation industry is obviously keen to put an extremely challenging period behind them and get back to normal… even if it is a new normal. “So, this healthy passenger demand is a very welcome development, helping drive strong capacity growth. “Of course, you can’t have your cake and eat it, meaning freight rates are impacted by having more ‘bellies’ to fill - especially when the volume and weight of cargo has dropped between mid-March and the end of week 17 (by 1.4% and 6% respectively).” Van de Wouw points out that this has led

the westbound dynamic load factor to drop to its lowest since the beginning of January – although week 17’s 67% was an improvement on the 63% recorded the week before (which also helped rates climb a little). The eastbound transatlantic load factor has also fallen to its lowest level since the start of the year, now sitting at 57%.

Weekly developments On rates development, Van de Wouw said: “Our shipper community informs us that spot prices have been impacted by added capacity, with an average short-term rate of $4.1 per kg from Europe to the US. “That’s around $1.7 per kg below the average for the long-term contracts signed across the last three months (approx. US$ 5.9 per kg). On the backhaul the rates are substantially lower, with spot prices of US$1.5 per kg against longterm contracts of $2.3kg.” He concludes: “It’s early days for May, but our market intelligence so far points towards a softening of both short- and long-term rates in the next couple of weeks. “I’d advise all parties looking to negotiate to stay informed of the very latest weekly developments to get the optimal value for their businesses in a fast-changing marketplace.”

Ostend-Bruges renews environment certificate

“I would like to thank him for all of his time and dedication,” he added.

OSTEND-BRUGES Airport has once again received an ISO 14001 certificate for environmental management. ISO 14001 is the internationally accepted standard for environmental management systems, focusing on controlling and improving performance, such as reducing energy consumption. “We attach great importance to environmental care and sustainable business practice,” says CEO Eric Dumas. “We take a structured, policy-based approach to environmental care.”. He continued: “It is our ambition to continue

our commitment to the environment and to limit our impact as much as possible. “This approach therefore fits into the overall framework of reducing the environmental impact of the entire aviation industry, which, through concerted efforts, will enable the sector to become carbon neutral in the medium term. “To keep our footprint as small as possible, we are also looking further afield. For example, we are looking at the options of installing solar panels on the grassed areas at the airport. “That way, we might also be able to generate energy,” he concluded.

ACW 16 may 2022 12/05/2022 10:49

NEWS

Kales Group Emirates back in Bali after inks Cainiao two gap-years network deal KALES Group has signed a partnership with Alibaba Group’s Cainiao Network to optimise global airfreight line-haul capacity. Through its Cargonet Asia subsidiary, Kales Group will support Cainiao with fixed allotments and block space agreements, allowing it to sell available capacity on flights chartered or leased by Cainiao on their way back to China. Kales Group CEO Sebastiaan Scholte, said: “We are very proud to sign this partnership with Cainiao and contribute to the development of a global smart logistics network supporting the growth of e-commerce and beyond. We will support Cainiao on their different trade lanes in different parts of the world. Cainiao will be a very welcome addition to the already extensive portfolio we offer to our forwarders’ base.”

Experienced partner

EMIRATES has landed in Bali for the first time since the suspension of flights in 2020 due to the pandemic. Flight EK398 arrived in Denpasar International Airport (DPS) on the evening of 1 May, and was welcomed by a spectacular water cannon salute to inaugurate the airline’s return. The operating cabin crew of the flight and the passengers were

treated to a traditional joged bumbung dance performance, which reflected Bali’s unique culture and rich heritage, followed by a cake cutting ceremony with representatives from DPS Airport. The airline is currently operating five weekly services, and will scale up to daily from 1 July.

Cainiao senior logistics advisor, James Lu, added: “We are happy to work with such an experienced partner like Kales, with the right knowledge and network to support us when we are expanding our business relationships around the world. This partnership will allow us to better leverage our logistics infrastructures such as the Liege eHub and to help our clients to better export to China.”

Alaska airports snow efforts rewarded TED Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) and Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) have received Balchen Post awards for excellence in the performance of snow and ice control. ANC won first place in the large airport category and FAI earned an honourable mention in the medium airport category. FAI saw an accumulation of 91.9 inches of snow in the winter of 2021-22. The most challenging were the two weeks from December 24 to January 6. Fairbanks experienced several back-to-back weather patterns - rapidly warming temperatures combined with heavy snowfall, followed by freezing rain, heavy snowfall, strong winds and temperatures dropping to 40°F. Rachel Webb, chief of operations at Fairbanks International Airport said: “Fairbanks operations and maintenance personnel work incredibly hard during a typical winter. The 21/22 season was like no other, requiring long hours, difficult decisions, and seemingly endless storms. I am proud to be part of such a dedicated and professional team.”

Sub-zero temperatures Fairbanks typically has long periods of sub-zero temperatures, allowing time between weather events to remove snow and work on surface areas. This year’s winter season required many snow removal operators to work numerous days without a break. Jason Jacobs, FAI chief of maintenance said: “I am proud of the maintenance department and the entire FAI team who dedicate themselves to ensuring the airport remains safely open. This team has earned this recognition and they embody the department’s mission to Keep Alaska Moving.” ANC, which is home to hubs for UPS and FedEx and is the fourth busiest cargo airport in the world and second in North America, received 89.3 inches of snow this winter, more than 13 inches above average. “ANC and much of Alaska experienced severe ice storms in late December,” said Zaramie Lindseth, ANC airfield maintenance manager. “The events were significant enough to shatter historical records in terms of de-icing products used to keep ANC open and operational. Our ANC team performed exceptionally well during this difficult winter and demonstrated why they are the best in the industry.”

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View from the maindeck COVID-19 vaccine is just the beginning

PS has delivered over 1.5 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to around 110 countries on five continents to date, but there is plenty more to come, says Graham Cromb, vice president for Europe at UPS Healthcare. Not only is there a major task still to do to get yet more doses of the Covid-19 vaccine delivered, especially to developing countries that until now have perhaps not received as many supplies as the rest of the world, but medical science continues to evolve. It’s a certainty that UPS will be delivering yet more treatments around the globe, even when and if the push to deliver the Covid-19 vaccine reduces. With UPS involved with the Covid-19 vaccine drive even at the clinical trial stage last year, there are perhaps some signs that the initial drive is at last reducing, for the very good reason that many people have received multiple doses and there are signs, one hopes, that the pandemic is being brought under control, at least in some parts of the world. “Perhaps volumes are not what they were a year ago, but there is still the question of equitable distribution of the vaccine to developing countries,” says Cromb. UPS has been doing its bit to ensure that this happens, for instance delivering well over 300,000 doses to rural Ghana by late 2021, often using drones to reach rural clinics. It has also moved a million doses to Nigeria. The carrier has also donated a lot of technol-

ogy to developing countries such as mobile freezer units that can maintain temperatures down to as low as -80°C. The war against Covid-19 has been very much a technological one, says Cromb, who says he prefers not to think how the world would have fared if the outbreak had happened a few years ago when none of this kit was yet available. For instance: “The latest packaging materials can maintain temperature for up to 96 hours. And the Covid-19 pandemic took place at almost the same time as commercial use of global sensor technology that can track packages to within two metres.” All this helped UPS maintain an on time delivery record for the vaccine of 99.99%, which may sound like a boast but was in reality “where we knew we needed to be,” Cromb declares.

Covid-19’s legacy The legacy of the Covid-19 campaign will include the development of over 500 trade lanes that will be of immense benefit in delivering the new generation of biological medicines. UPS’s own Healthcare division continues to evolve, now operating one million square metres of regulated, controlled space to store and deliver medicines in 32 countries. “A lot of the technology is redeployable for other products and there is no doubt that demand for cold chain in medicine is going to increase. Also, the trend towards more person-

alised medicines will mean that supply chains will get longer” – which will also raise demand for cold chain medical delivery. However, supply lines for the Covid-19 vaccine have started to shorten as more vaccine manufacturing sites have opened, which has led to something of a shift from air to road transportation. Throughout the Covid-19 campaign, UPS was able to obtain the airfreight space it needed by deploying its own ‘brown tail’ capacity, though it was able to obtain bellyhold space on third party carriers where it needed to.

Drone deliveries The wider use of drones for delivery are another legacy of Covid-19. “Again, the timing was fortuitous. We used them to deliver 330,000 doses to Ghana and this was arguably the first time they were used en masse – and it is very repeatable. Drones could be appropriate for rural areas or anywhere where it is desirable to travel as the crow (or drone) flies. Payloads are now quite respectable and the drones also incorporate some useful technology such as sending out proofs of delivery. Altogether, UPS has delivered a million vaccine doses using drones. The machines the carrier uses have a payload of 3.5 to 5.5lbs, depending on flight routing and geography. “Naturally, drones will be used in situations

where they are delivering something with a high value, and healthcare will be a prominent part of that. But there is really no barrier now to the use of drones, other than weight and dimensions.” As healthcare evolves, so will UPS Healthcare and the services it offers. One important trend that Cromb foresees is the development of home delivery of medicines, something that it is already offering for home clinical trials through UPS’s Marken clinical supply chain subsidiary. The service could be extended and developed further, for example coordinating medicine deliveries with nurse visits to the patient’s home.

Comprehensive network UPS Healthcare can, if required, almost operate in ‘difficult’ environments, the war in Ukraine being a case in point. UPS has a comprehensive network in eastern Europe, including Poland, and this has been pivotal in getting vital supplies – including medicines – into the hands of NGOs and aid organisations. In a scenario that has been repeated in many war zones around the world but not, within most peoples’ memory, in Europe, UPS’s Ukraine partner continues to operate, making the difficult and often risky journey from Poland and other neighbouring countries into Ukraine itself. UPS has also delivered vital goods to the many refugees in neighbouring countries, many of whom have pressing medical needs.

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