ACW 27th February 23

The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals

DoKaSch Temperature Solutions and All Nippon Airways sign master ...

SAUDIA CARGO AWARDS MULTI-STATION CONTRACT TO WORLDWIDE FLIGHT SERVICES

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INSIDE

SINCE the devastating earthquake hit the Turkey/ Syrian border in the last few days, Network Airline Management’s charter ...

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WFS WELCOMES CHINA ...

CHINA Eastern Airlines has extended its cargo partnership with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) with a new contract to handle Boeing 777 ...

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Saudia Cargo has awarded a landmark multi-station contract to Worldwide Flight Service (WFS), which significantly extends cargo handling services across major key airport gateways in Europe and the United States of America.

The contract was formally signed by Teddy Zebitz, CEO of Saudi Cargo, and John Batten Executive Vice President of EMEAA at WFS, at a ceremony held in Saudia Cargo’s Jeddah headquarters to inaugurate the new agreement.

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.

“WFS is a global leader in providing cargo handling services and by awarding this contract to them, we are certain that our operations in stations on the European and American continent that are part of WFS’ network, will considerably benefit from their highly reliable expertise,” CEO of Saudia Cargo, Teddy Zebitz said.

“Saudia Cargo is dedicated to delivering the highest standard of customer satisfaction and a seamless experience to consumers. WFS will productively contribute towards this. We will continue to form strategic partnerships with other logistics providers, both in the public and private sectors, ultimately supporting the creation of a more cohesive and efficient logistics ecosystem in the Kingdom and beyond,” he added.

“We are honoured by Saudi Cargo’s trust and confidence in WFS and to be extending our partnership with one of the leading air cargo carriers in the logistics industry. Together, we will combine our efforts to provide the very best service experience for the airline’s customers. Our strategic operations in the Eastern hemisphere are exceptionally advanced and well-equipped to meet the needs of Saudia Cargo’s services and we look forward to achieving many new milestones together over the course of our partnership,” WFS EMEAA Executive Vice President, John Batten said.

The contract with WFS covers its services at

several important stations including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Manchester, Brussels, New York, and Washington. As part of its rigorous tender process, Saudia Cargo carried out essential technical visits to each WFS station to ensure the quality of each facility met the company’s standards. Key meetings were also held with integral local WFS staff responsible for managing the airline’s cargo operations to streamline communication and connectivity. The responsibilities, contractually agreed upon, will commence from 1st of February 2023 onwards.

“This partnership will contribute to the growth of both Saudia Cargo and WFS in providing seamless cargo services, with WFS playing a substantial role in the success of Saudia Cargo’s operations at these stations. Both companies are also exploring future opportunities for furthering their partnership by expanding to new destinations where WFS possesses cargo handling capabilities,” Mohanned Badri, Vice President of Operations at Saudia Cargo explained.

MERCURY ULD LOOKS TO ... INDEPENDENT service provider Mercury ULD, based in Hong Kong, has entered the market at a time when the industry is booming ...

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HONG KONG AIRPORT

AIRPORT Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement (CFA) with Dongguan Municipal People’s Government in ...

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Network Airline Management transports relief aid to Turkey with B747F flights

Network Airline Management’s first relief flight operated into Turkey in the afternoon of the 9th February where its B747F aircraft carried 76 tonnes of field hospital equipment and relief goods to Adana Airport, ADA. This flight was operated in partnership with NAM’s customer Air Charter Service.

CAAi and Saudi aviation regulator partner to develop world-leading safety frameworks

SINCE the devastating earthquake hit the Turkey/Syrian border in the last few days, Network Airline Management’s charter team has been working with haste to provide solutions for relief flights into Turkey to support the local rescue and recovery efforts.

NAM’s second B747F relief flight operated into Ankara, ESB, Turkey carrying further vital cargo, a total of 28 tonnes, including tents, blankets and scarves. This flight was operated in partnership with Network’s customer, Zeus Cargo Solutions. NAM’s charter team operated extremely quickly with this flight, from the initial enquiry to the flight landing in Ankara all in less than 24 hours!

Atlas Air and Turkish Airlines team up to provide humanitarian supplies for earthquake victims

THE General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and CAA International (CAAi), part of the UK CAA, have signed a regulator-to-regulator partnership to assess and enhance Saudi Arabia’s aviation safety regulatory frameworks in line with global best-practice.

recommendations to enhance the State Safety Programme and National Aviation Safety Plan.

ATLAS Air has announced an Atlas Air 747-8F departed from Washington Dulles International Airport carrying tonnes of humanitarian and relief supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. The two companies, along with the Turkish Embassy, are working together to expedite this relief mission to support the critical needs of thousands of people impacted by this natural disaster. Atlas Air is providing the aircraft and crew and Turkish Airlines is collecting clothes, shoes, medical supplies and other essentials.

“Through our partnership with Turkish Airlines, we are honoured to contribute air freight capacity to deliver critical supplies to this region where they are needed the most,” John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide, said.

“We are moved by the heroic work of first responders and humanitarian organisations to provide relief to the communities impacted by this natural disaster. On behalf of our 5,000 Atlas employees around the world, we are grateful for this opportunity to show our support.”

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms are opening and diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy and society, including the recreation, travel and tourism sectors. The Saudi aviation regulator is leading the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, a sector-wide transformation programme with a target of tripling passenger numbers to 330 million per annum by 2030.

GACA has recently launched an Aviation Standards Optimisation programme to apply world-leading aviation safety standards and enhance the passenger experience. CAAi and GACA intend to support this programme by examining global best-practice regulatory frameworks for aviation safety and making

“We look forward to partnering with the UK CAA on this important project and bringing the best of global aviation safety regulations to the Kingdom for the benefit of passengers and our aviation industry,” Captain Sulaiman Almuhaimedi, Executive Vice President of Safety & Aviation Standards at GACA, added.

“It is an honour to strengthen cooperation arrangements with GACA. The UK CAA looks forward to working with our regulatory counterparts at GACA and assisting Saudi Arabia to deliver its vision and goals for air transport,” Ben Alcott, International Director at the UK CAA, said.

“There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has become a globally influential player in civil aviation, with new airlines, airports, and infrastructure well underway since the launch of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Aviation Strategy,” Maria Rueda, Managing Director at CAAi, commented.

AfA calls for the TSA to urgently work with shippers regarding cargo export legislations

Panellists concurred 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 1st November 2023 deadline.

PANELLISTS at Airforwarders Association’s (AfA) Annual General Meeting have called for the TSA to urgently work with shippers to address the impact of mandated freighter cargo screening for exports taking 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 amount of TSA alternative security measures. However, the TSA has stated that these security measures will expire at the end of October and won’t be renewed.

Panellists expressed concern 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 programmes across the various segments of the air cargo supply chain need to be aligned,” Brandon Fried, Executive Director, AfA, said. “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.”

WFS welcomes China Eastern in Liege with new contract to handle B777 cargo flights

CHINA Eastern Airlines has extended its cargo partnership with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) with a new contract to handle Boeing 777 cargo-only flights in Liege.

The new three-year agreement between the companies will see WFS handling a forecasted 32,000 tonnes of cargo per annum carried onboard up to nine B777 flights a week into the Belgian airport from Yantai Penglai International Airport in China’s Shandong Province.

As well as warehouse operations, WFS is also providing ramp handling for the airline’s 777 services.

The contract in Liege increases WFS’ role as one of China Eastern’s preferred cargo handling partners. WFS is also supporting the airline’s cargo operations and growth at other important airport gateways, including Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Stockholm, and New York JFK.

“Having handled charter flights for China Eastern in Liege last summer, we are delighted to have won this opportunity to support the airline’s scheduled cargo-only services to and from Yantai. Liege is a very important and growing cargo hub for WFS in Europe, so it is especially pleasing to welcome another long-term WFS partner as a customer at the airport. We see this as a sign of China Eastern’s trust in WFS and our high reputation for handling freighters and cargo-only services. This new route for the airline also shows the resilience of the LGG freighter market and the role WFS is playing in the development of it,” said Nathan De Valck, Managing Director, WFS Belgium.

Why are we a WACA Sponsor

ECS Group is proud to renew its support for this year’s Air Cargo Week’s Awards by sponsoring the “Cargo Airline of the Year” category.

Being a GSSA today involves doing more for airlines than ever before. They are the lifeblood of our industry, and we are proud to have stood by them for decades. It is for them that we have transformed our business model to become an Augmented GSSA. Being their best strategic partner is part of our DNA.

This award is a tribute, and we are honored to present it.

ECS Group, will continue to do everything in its power to maintain its unwavering support for airlines.

Through thick and thin, through pandemics and beyond, and whatever the future holds.

Chapman Freeborn appoints James Edwards as General Manager – UK

CHAPMAN Freeborn, the global air charter specialist and part of Avia Solutions Group, has appointed James Edwards as General Manager – UK.

Joining Chapman Freeborn with a wealth of aviation experience, Edwards has successfully grown and worked with companies such as Airways Aviation Ltd, British Airways and American Airlines. He brings expertise from a variety of sectors, including commercial flight training, airline revenue growth and MRO (maintenance, repairs and overhaul). Most recently he was based at London Stansted Airport at Inflite The Jet Centre Ltd.

“The UK teams and people are very important for the success of the organisation and therefore need dedicated leadership and management. James will be key to supporting the growth plans for the UK across all products and verticals, as well as managing the teams and ensuring the right structure is in place. We are very happy to

UPS Healthcare & Oxford Nanopore partner to deliver DNA sequencing tech across APAC

OXFORD Nanopore Technologies have announced an extension of its collaboration with UPS Healthcare to accelerate the delivery of Oxford Nanopore DNA/RNA sequencing products and consumables across the Asia Pacific region.

By tapping on UPS’s specialised healthcare logistics solutions, Oxford Nanopore’s customers will enjoy faster delivery with less complexity, removing many customer pain points and leaving more time to pursue high-impact, time-sensitive genomics research and discovery in areas such as human disease, cancer, and agriculture.

Oxford Nanopore’s flow cells will be stored in UPS Healthcare’s temperature-controlled distribution facility in Singapore for the first time and be delivered within 24- to 48- hours through UPS’s cold chain distribution capabilities to destinations across the Asia Pacific. Oxford Nanopore will also tap on UPS Premier’s premium tracking, prioritisation, and recovery service for its time- and temperature-sensitive shipments.

The goal will be same-day despatch and faster delivery of flow cells—the consumable cartridges that contain the technology and chemistry needed for nanopore-based sequencing and are run in conjunction with Oxford Nanopore’s product line.

“We are proud to announce our expanded partnership with UPS Healthcare, which we expect to create an improved experience for our growing customer base throughout Asia Pacific,” Gordon Sanghera, CEO, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, said.

“We’re excited to build on our trusted partnership with Oxford Nanopore Technologies to deliver its next-generation DNA sequencing technology to their customers in Asia Pacific, as the demand for such innovations open up possibilities for new applications and scientific research that can have a positive impact to the world,” Ianne Loh, senior director for UPS Healthcare in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, said.

have him on board,” Reto Hunziker, President –Europe, explained.

“I am looking forward to drawing upon a blank canvas as I take on this new role. Whilst increasing our revenue year-on-year will always be a target, it is equally important to focus on recruitment and retainment. From my first day at Chapman Freeborn it became clear that I am working with the best talent in the industry, and that everyone has the shared goal of maintaining the company’s excellent reputation. I look forward to helping increase the company’s success further, and ensuring that we continue to attract the highest calibre of aviation professionals,” Edwards added.

“I don’t see working in aviation as a job. It truly is a lifestyle and I love everything about it, from STEM programmes to flying. I particularly enjoy flying vintage jets to airshows, and my aim for 2023 is to begin my training in a Harvard T6 with the goal of flying solo in a Spitfire,” he continued.

MERCURY ULD LOOKS TO MAKE ITS MARK ON THE AIRFREIGHT INDUSTRY

Independent service provider Mercury ULD, based in Hong Kong, has entered the market at a time when the industry is booming but becoming increasingly competitive. The company looks to offer ULD leasing services to help airlines overcome the challenge of ULD imbalance.

“Since our establishment in early 2022, we have launched our short-term leasing services...Although we are a new name in the industry, all our staffs are experienced in managing ULD fleets for a number of the world’s largest airlines and are familiar with cargo operations,” Kenneth Poon, General Manager of Mercury ULD, stated.

“Hong Kong has always been a major cargo hub in the world; it is a market that we are familiar with. We see Hong Kong as our base and reaching out to other opportunities around the world,” Poon said, explaining the decision to launch in the Far East region.

Mercury ULD has PMC, PGA pallets available in the region with a plan to offer other types of ULDs to fit requests from those in the airfreight industry. Its leasing services look to be simple and flexible, with deliveries being made at short notice to solve ad-hoc operation requirements swiftly. Similarly, Mercury ULD offers cargo nets, tie-down straps, spreader boards and more for airfreight, ensuring it can meet the needs of clients at any given time through its wide array of products.

Competition

With the airfreight market growing, there is rising demand for ULDs to protect cargo and keep planes safe. While this brings opportunity for companies, it also means there has been an influx of competition into the sector. It’s something that Poon cites as a challenge for a new entrant into the ULD sector: “This is a very competitive market and being dominated by several service providers that have been there for a long time.”

However, Mercury ULD has a plan in place for standing out in a crowded field, looking for the specific markets that they see as ripe for the picking. “We see airlines/carriers are looking for customisation solutions and more flexibility that allow them to do things differently and agilely,” Poon said. “Short term leasing is our first service that have launched. We are exploring opportunities in maintenance services where it allows us to support our operations. Our short- to medium-term strategy is to build our network on a global scale to combat in the market.”

Beyond competition though, one of the biggest challenges a company has to be able to face in order to appeal to potential customers and fulfil the needs of existing clients is addressing the imbalance in the global ULD fleet, with places like the US often having a surplus, while Asian nations have a shortage.

“There is a lot of consistent planning and communication required. To keep it short, we need to uplift the surplus ULD to other online stations where there is less surplus inventory before returning to Asia; this could also be done through collaboration with other carriers,” Poon said.

Digitalisation and visibility

Digitalisation is something that is spreading throughout the airfreight sector, and other industries globally, as companies look to use technology to streamline their services and improve efficiency. This is no different for Mercury ULD, which expects to see an increase in the use of automated loading systems, which could be enhanced by the growth of artificial intelligence.

“The AI will learn how to handle cargo in different dimensions, weights, and shapes. I can also imagine robots replacing labour in future to build-up and breakdown of cargo. We are exploring replacing human inspection by performing inspection on ULD in an MRO through 3D and AI technologies,” Poon highlighted.

“We want to assist the customer to minimise the time to deal with all the administration work and focus on their operational issues. We have developed our own management system where our customers would be able to login to our system and check the history of their records. All our transactions are paperless. The system would be able to send out transaction records by API upon the request by the customer. On the other hand, we are looking into technologies that enable our customers to track leasing units using their track and trace devices,” he continued.

The expansion of digitalisation in the airfreight industry and at Mercury ULD is helping to fulfil the desire of customers to be able to track cargo throughout the entire supply chain. “It is important to be visible on the supply chain. Part of increase supply chain visibility means having sufficient data, information and analysis before making certain decisions,” Poon said. “That’s why we think it is important that we establish close collaborate relationship with our vendors and having transparent and honest communication with them to understand what is going on.”

Expanding West

Although Mercury ULD only began operations last year, the company is already excited to be looking at opportunities to grow, capitalising on the demand seen at other major cargo hubs in Asia and Europe.

“We are based in Hong Kong, but we also have operations centre setup in Europe to serve our customers in Europe and North America,” Poon explained.

Despite the increase in demand for airfreight operations, the overall climate is challenging with Poon accepting that “inflation is going to play a big part in global economies in the next two to three years.” This is not an issue limited to Mercury ULD but, like others in the industry, the company “will not be able to get away from this issue.”

“In Mercury ULD, we are in constant communication with our partners, as we feel it is important to understand each others’ plan and to work together to minimise unnecessary cost due to ad-hoc requests and demands,” he added. “We want Mercury to be able to provide variety services in major cargo hubs around the world. These services are to be delivered using different types of technologies to minimise manual work, to increase efficiency of our agents and customers.”

“Hong Kong has always been a major cargo hub in the world; it is a market that we are familiar with”

HONG KONG AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND DONGGUAN SIGN AGREEMENT TO DEEPEN COLLABORATION ON SEA-AIR INTERMODAL CARGO TRANSSHIPMENT

AIRPORT Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement (CFA) with Dongguan Municipal People’s Government in Hong Kong, to deepen collaboration in facilitating the novel intermodal cargo transshipment for the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The CFA was signed by Lyu Chengxi, Mayor of Dongguan, and Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, and witnessed by Liu Guangbin, Deputy Mayor and Yan Jizong, Secretary General, of Dongguan Municipal People’s Government; Jack So, Chairman of AAHK; and Lam Sai-hung, Secretary for Transport and Logistics.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is an international cargo gateway for the GBA, handling about three-fourths of international air cargo from the GBA. To further enhance the time efficiency and cost effectiveness of cargo transshipment services for the GBA, AAHK is developing a novel model with the setting up of HKIA Logistics Park in Dongguan and a new airside intermodal cargo pier at HKIA. With the two new facilities, security screening, palletisation and acceptance for GBA’s export cargo can be completed in Dongguan, and then shipped seamlessly to the airside of HKIA by sea for direct air transshipment to overseas destinations, without the need to undergo security screening again at HKIA.

Further to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the

two parties in 2020 on the establishment on the transshipment model, the CFA covers various areas on which the Dongguan Government and AAHK will work together to enhance air cargo services in GBA, and to implement customs clearance facilitation initiatives by Dongguan authorities.

With the acceptance by the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong, all operating procedures were extended from Hong Kong to Dongguan. All procedures comply with Hong Kong’s air cargo security regulations, with the whole transshipment process under secured conveyance. The project extends HKIA’s cargo services into the GBA.

“The intermodal cargo transshipment initiative is an innovative model aiming to attain unparalleled efficiency in international cargo handling between GBA and Hong Kong. I would like to express my gratitude to the Dongguan Government, as well as relevant government departments in Hong Kong and business partners for their support in making this project possible, enabling HKIA to maintain its role as the number one international air cargo hub,” Jack So, Chairman of AAHK, said.

The project will be completed in 2025. A pilot scheme has been operating smoothly. Going forward, the scale of the pilot scheme will be expanded with more cargo terminal operators, airlines and freight forwarders taking part in providing upstream services, extension of operations to cover import cargoes.

DoKaSch Temperature Solutions and All Nippon Airways sign master rental agreement

ALL Nippon Airways (ANA) and DoKaSch Temperature Solutions have signed a Master Rental Agreement. The German specialist for active temperature-controlled packaging solutions is henceforth providing its Opticooler containers to ANA’s PRIO PHARMA, a dedicated product for pharmaceuticals, and PRIO TEMP, a temperaturecontrolled product for non-pharmaceuticals. By combining ANA’s strong global network with the extremely high reliability and safety of the Opticooler, Japan’s fast-growing pharma and biotech industry gains further important and life-saving access to secure cold chains.

ANA has been reinforcing its pharmaceuticals transport and started providing PRIO PHARMA in 2012 while acquiring the IATA CEIV certification in 2017 as the first Japanese airline.

The MRA now provides access to DoKaSch TS’s globally available container fleet. The temperature-controlled packaging solution is available in two sizes: as Opticooler RAP, providing space for five euro pallets and as RKN for one pallet. Redundant systems for electrification and full air-conditioning enable precise heating and cooling without dry ice. Thus, they are able to transport valuable and sensitive pharmaceuticals while avoiding temperature excursions on an extremely high level and with high independence of outside conditions.

“Securing cold chains are becoming increasingly relevant as Japan’s pharma and biotech industry is growing strong. By introducing the active temperaturecontrolled Opticooler and with very high levels of reliability and safety, we would like to enhance our service level to meet our valued customers’ increasing demand to secure cold chains,” Dai Yuasa, Vice President of Global Marketing, Cargo Marketing & Services, of All Nippon Airways underlined.

“Japan’s strong pharmaceutical and biotech industry continues to strengthen its relevance in the entire AsiaPacific region as well as globally. With ANA, we are gaining a strong partner with whom we can further expand our Opticooler network to serve the increasing demand of secure, fast and responsive cold chains in the important Asian market. Together with the opening of our new service station in Narita and the founding of our own Japan subsidiary, the Master Rental Agreement with ANA is another important step in providing Japanese customers in particular with a reliable option for temperaturecontrolled transports,” Andreas Seitz, Managing Director of DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, added.