The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 992
30 July 2018
60 seconds of summer BACK FROM THE DEAD A childhood dream that lead to Virgin
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AIR Charter Service (ACS) transported six wild black rhinos to Zakouma National Park in Chad to reintroduce them to the country almost 50 years after they were wiped out in the central African state by poaching. The flight supported a project between the governments of South Africa and Chad, the conservation non-profit African Parks and South African National Parks. ACS Africa managing director, Lyndee du Toit says: “The rhinos were sedated for the flight and accompanied by support staff and vets and were closely monitored throughout the trip to Chad.” The move was the culmination of two years’ extensive preparation to ensure the welfare of the animals during the 3,000 mile flight from Port Elizabeth to Zakouma’s Airfield in Chad.
Qantas Freight to link Darwin with Hong Kong
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antas Freight will launch a seasonal freighter service between Darwin and Hong Kong, providing exporters with easier access to Asian markets. The new services, which will be the only direct link between the Northern Territory and Hong Kong, will provide capacity to carry up to 50 tonnes of fresh produce including chilled meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetables, as well as general cargo. Starting in late August, the weekly Boeing 767-300 Freighter service will depart Darwin on Sunday night and arrive in Hong Kong six hours later at 11pm local time. Qantas Freight chief operating officer, Nick McGlynn
SILK WAY AND JAL TO SHARE CARGO CAPACITY
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says: “Producers throughout the Northern Territory often find themselves transporting large volumes of perishables via road to the east coast to meet a cargo connection to Asia. This process can take up to five days, which reduces the shelf life of the product when it arrives at its destination.” He adds: “Our direct service is a great alternative for freight customers in and around Darwin. It also shows Qantas’s commitment to providing vital connectivity to Northern Australia. We’d like to acknowledge the support of Darwin Airport in launching this new freight service, in collaboration with the Northern Territory Government.”
SWISS ROLLS OUT IATA CEIV ACROSS NETWORK
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ETHIOPIA LEADS THE WAY WITH 2025 VISION
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60 SECONDS OF SUMMER WITH DOMINIC KENNEDY
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Silk Way and JAL to share cargo capacity
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ilk Way West Airlines and JAL Cargo have agreed to a cargo services cooperation to use capacity on each other’s aircraft. The co-operation has been described as a “win-win situation” for both partners, as JAL Cargo stopped full freighter operations, the use of Silk Way West Airlines’ capacity on scheduled routes out of Europe via Baku into Japan and vice versa will create an “interesting option” for both carriers. Silk Way will increase weekly connections out of its global hub in Baku from three to four times a weekly operations, and will boost its weekly operations between Baku and Europe offering sequenced connections to and from Japan. Silk Way West Airlines president and chief executive officer, Wolfgang Meier says: “It perfectly fits into our growth strategy we are pursuing in reference to our footprint in Japan. Right from the start of our Japan services more than two years ago, we have always been eager to increase our exposure. “The co-operation with JAL CARGO does represent a quantum leap in our development and I am happy both carriers will benefit from this agreement.” JAL Cargo executive officer cargo/mail and board member, Hiroo
Hiroo Iwakoshi (left) shakes hands with Wolfgang Meier Iwakoshi says: “Having these kind of positive communications is pleasing JAL CARGO and we welcome very much more capacities especially with the use of Silk Way West’s Boeing 747-8F aircraft within our network.” Silk Way West Airlines vice president APAC, Nurid Aliyev says: “As our global hub is perfectly located along the ancient Silk Road our geographical position is at the crossroads between orient and occident and Silk Way West Airlines, thus, very much favours this partnership.”
NCA told to improve operations Nippon Cargo Airlines has received a Business Improvement Order from the Japanese government’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) following aircraft maintenance issues. The order from the MLIT is due to violations relating to “inappropriate maintenance for the aircraft structure”, “the report delay to the MLIT”,
and “organised manipulation and concealment of corresponding maintenance records”. In a statement on its website, the Japanese airline apologises to customers for the inconvenience will the fleet was grounded from 17 June to 4 July to check aircraft safety. Two aircraft, registered JA18KZ and JA05KZ are operating again but most services remain suspended.
Correction: ECS
WE have been asked to clarify a small detail in last week’s Page 1 story: ECS Group moves to its samba beat. In the list of represented airlines, Qatar Airways, LATAM and TAP were inadvertently included while IAG Cargo and TAAG were mistakenly left out. These errors were corrected on ACW online.
ACW REWIND
A SOVIET freighter, which first came to the notice of the West at the 1971 Paris air show, was being refurbished 35 years later for a post-Soviet career in a very different aviation world.
Volga’s ‘quiet’ IL-76 returns to UK Vol 9, Issue 28 17 July 2006
VOLGA DNEPR’S super-quiet IL-76TD-90VD whispered into East Midland Airport on 6 July. The 50-tonne capacity aircraft arrived empty from Fujairah to operate an out-bound cargo charter carrying eight tonnes of outsize cargo bound for southern Europe. The new IL-76TD-90VD has upgraded engines that reduce the fuel consumption by 15 percent (sic) and extend the aircraft’s range to 10,200km. These engines have also enable the aircraft
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to gain clearance to operate globally after the award of a Chapter 4 noise certificate from the International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO). Volga-Dnepr said the modernised IL-76 freighter is a unique aircraft type capable of transporting outsize cargo to almost any country in the world - and it will be able to perform such operations for at least another 25 years. Nearly 1,000 of the 1970s-era aircraft were built. Some 80 IL-76s have been written off in crashes and other incidents in 40 years.
AirBridgeCargo says “good morning Vietnam”
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irBridgeCargo Airlines has increased its Asian footprint with flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a major manufacturing hotspot in Asia. The Boeing 747 Freighter flight will link customers from Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City with other destinations in ABC’s network through its cargo hub in Moscow, Russia to guarantee 48-hour delivery times including ground handling. Ho Chi Minh City is ABC’s 12th online destination in Asia and adds to its international network of more than 30 destinations. AirBridgeCargo general director, Sergey Lazarev says: “On the back of economic growth of more than seven per cent and increasing export volumes, Vietnam seems like the right place to offer direct freight services to other regions, especially Europe and North America – something we can offer to the market with a diversified number of destinations and high level of service quality, including for special cargoes.” Tan Son Nhat International Airport vice director, Nguyen Nam Tien says: “We strongly believe that our co-operation will strengthen the position of SGN airport, as local freight forwarders will get access to direct freighter services to Russia, the EU and North America.
FedEx speeds up services between Europe and Hanoi
FedEx Express is speeding up services between the European Union and Vietnam by connecting Hanoi with its hub in Guangzhou, China. The new route will significantly cut the delivery time between Europe and Vietnam, and substantially improve transit times for all inbound flights to Hanoi. The European Union and Vietnam are finalising a trade and investment agreement, which would deepen trade links between the two. The new route will use a Boeing 757 Freighter flying four times a week to and from Hanoi, with Vietnamese exporters benefiting from better transit times to major business centres in Asia including China, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines in just one business day. Shipments to Europe and North America will arrive in two business days, and for all shipments to Hanoi, transit times will be reduced by one business day. Shipments from Europe will reach Hanoi in two business days and shipments from North America arriving in two business days. FedEx Express has been serving Vietnam since 1994 and was the first international express transportation company to operate its own flights into and out of the country. FedEx Express Europe president and chief executive officer for TNT, Bert Nappier says: “This new flight demonstrates our continued commitment to enhance our global capabilities to connect customers and create opportunities for individuals, entrepreneurs and businesses large and small to grow. “With ongoing expansion in the manufacturing and technology industries, rapid growth in e-commerce and an increasing demand for healthcare services, the enhancements from this new flight strengthens our capabilities and supports the further development of trade possibilities between Europe and Vietnam.”
CEVA creates role for Carter CEVA Logistics has appointed Terry Carter to the newly-created position of senior vice president transportation for contract logistics. He will be based in the US and report to Brett Bissell, chief operating officer contract logistics. Carter is charged with driving operational and commercial best practices and standardisation across CEVA’s Contract Logistics transportation business worldwide. His work will involve coordinating closely with the company’s global transportation group to ensure its work fits seamlessly together with the overall strategy. He will be responsible for defining, standardising and implementing it throughout CEVA and for any third party contractors working for the business.
“The ability and professional services of AirBridgeCargo Airlines, together with the solid experience of the TIA, will facilitate market development of freight services in Vietnam and serve as a solid ground for the Asia market.” ABC says adding Ho Chi Minh City to its network strengthens the airline’s presence in Vietnam, as coupled with Hanoi, it will cover the entire country, providing more options for deliveries for customers.
DHL fashions deal with Holt Renfrew
Canadian speciality retailer of luxury brands Holt Renfrew has picked DHL Global Forwarding as its sole logistics provider for airfreight and customs brokerage services. The multi-year deal includes airfreight shipments of designer brand clothing, accessories, beauty products and fragrances from Europe, the USA and Asia to the retailer’s nine stores in Canada. DHL Global Forwarding will provide a dedicated warehouse with specialised IT infrastructure managed by DHL Supply Chain in Europe, which is also part of the partnership providing key warehousing needs and expertise. DHL Global Forwarding Canada managing director, Renata Mihich says: “At DHL Global Forwarding we are excited to enter into a new relationship with Holt Renfrew to provide them with unparalleled logistics expertise for their air freight and customs needs. “They are in a unique position as Canada’s specialty luxury retailer with close to two centuries of experience in providing high-end fashion products to Canadians throughout the country. Coupled with DHL’s unmatched global network, Holt Renfrew is able to deliver those luxury goods into the hands of consumers in a more timely and efficient manner.”
Moderate growth in June International air cargo demand grew in June but at a moderate pace, in line with underlying trade conditions, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) reports. Freight tonne kilometres (FTK) increased by 3.4 per cent to 6.1 billion, though capacity measured in available FTK grew at a faster rate, up 6.4 per cent to 9.5 billion, pushing load factors down 1.9 percentage points to 64.5 per cent. In the first six months of the year, FTK were up 4.9 per cent to 35.2 billion and AFTK increased by seven per cent to 56.2 billion, with load factors decreasing by 1.2 percentage points to 62.6 per cent. AAPA director general, Andrew Herdman says: “International air cargo demand registered an encouraging five per cent increase, bolstered by further expansion in the manufacturing sectors, although growth in new export orders has slowed in recent months.”
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WorldNews Airfreight throughput at Singapore Changi has dipped by 0.8 per cent in June to 170,630 tonnes compared to the previous year. During the first six months of the year, airfreight throughput grew by 2.7 per cent to 1.04 million tonnes. Exports grew by five per cent and imports by three per cent, while transhipments remained “steady”. Among Changi’s top cargo markets, Japan and India grew the fastest, with 10 per cent for the former and seven per cent for the latter. LOT Polish Airlines added another frequency on its Singapore-Warsaw service, bringing the total to four a week. On 2 July, Scoot launched a thrice-weekly service to Nanchang, China from Singapore. Dubai International Airport handled 214,612 tonnes of cargo in June, a contraction of 0.5 per cent compared to the same month of 2017. Year-to-date cargo volumes are down by 2.7 per cent to 1,268,161 tonnes. Cargo and mail volumes fell by four per cent at Aeroflot in June, with domestic services seeing the largest drop. In June the airline carried 17,224 tonnes of cargo and mail, with international cargo and mail down 0.7 per cent to 11,424 tonnes and a fall of 10 per cent to 5,799 tonnes on domestic services. On a year-to-date basis, cargo and mail is down 2.5 per cent to 101,550 tonnes, with an increase of 1.5 per cent on international services to 68,722 tonnes not being able to make up for a 10.1 per cent fall to 32,827 tonnes on domestic routes. AirAsia X has ordered an additional 34 Airbus A330neos, with the first aircraft expected to join the fleet in the fourth quarter of 2019. The deal for the larger A330-900s was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in a deal signed by AirAsia co-founder and AirAsia X Group chief executive officer, Kamarudin Meranun; AirAsia X chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz; and Airbus chief commercial officer, Eric Schulz. The A330neos will be operated out of AirAsia X’s bases in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, and will allow the airline to operate long-haul services to Europe including from Kuala Lumpur to London. Kuehne + Nagel has been awarded a three year logistics and supply chain contract with Malaysia’s government-owned oil and gas organisation, Petronas. The contract was won as part of a competitive tender signed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Under the agreement Kuehne + Nagel will assume end-to-end integrated supply chain responsibilities for Petronas. Support includes freight forwarding services, logistics management plus off-site and on-site warehouse operations. Kuehne + Nagel will utilise Petronas fuel, lubricant and petrochemical products when performing overland activities in Malaysia. Jeju Air has taken delivery of its first direct-buy Next Generation Boeing 737-800 during a ceremony at the Seattle Delivery Center. The airline is the first low cost carrier in Korea to own and operate 737-800 Next Generation, and the delivery marks the first of three it has on order with Boeing. Jeju Air president and chief executive officer, Seok-Joo Lee says: “Owning and operating our own airplanes will further differentiate Jeju Air and our local competitors. We are fully prepared to introduce this new airplane into our expanding fleet and they will play an integral role in our growth strategy.” The Jeju Island, South Korea-based airline serves 40 domestic and international routes with 150 daily flights. On 20 June, Delta Air Lines’ first direct flight between Atlanta and Shanghai took off. The service uses a Boeing 777-200LR. Atlanta is Delta’s fourth US gateway to Shanghai after Detroit, Seattle and Los Angeles.
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Swiss rolls out IATA CEIV Pharma across entire network
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the few airlines who have earned this recognition. Bhat says: “Quality, reliability and long-standing experience underscore all our efforts in shipping products around the globe, and we are delighted to have been recognised at not just our hub, but throughout our entire airline and network. Our commitment to upholding safety standards throughout our global network offers us opportunities to carry out pharmaceutical shipments around the world. We are happy to play a valuable role in the shipment of pharmaceutical and life-saving products every day.” De Juniac adds: “IATA congratulates Swiss WorldCargo on this important achievement, which demonstrates their commitment to the critical safeguarding of the integrity of pharma products. CEIV Pharma certification ensures these lifesaving products are handled using the best global standards of safety, security, compliance and efficiency.”
wiss WorldCargo has received International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification covering the entire airline and organisation. The certification was awarded following an extensive review from IATA-recognised independent auditors, and the certification was handed over by IATA’s director general and chief executive officer, Alexandre de Juniac (pictured left presenting the certificate to Swiss International Airlines CFO, Michael Niggeman and Swiss Internatinal Airlines head of cargo, Ashwin Bhat). The airline’s hub in Zurich received CEIV certification in 2016 and is recognised as GDP compliant by Swiss authorities, Swissmedic. IATA now recognises Swiss WorldCargo’s globally consistent pharmaceutical handling and processes to safeguard product integrity and maintain high standards, making it one of
United signs lease deal with Sonoco
United Cargo has signed a global lease agreement with Sonoco ThermoSafe, allowing TempControl customers to lease PharmaPort 360 bulk shipping containers directly from the airline. The PharmaPort 360 is the industry’s only active temperature-controlled container with a fully integrated Federal Aviation Administration-approved telemetry system, providing real-time, cloud-based data, precisely synchronised with GPS location on payload, ambient temperature and key mechanical components. The PharmaPort 360 utilises proprietary thermal technology to provide precise,
long-duration temperature control for the transport of highly valuable biopharmaceutical shipments. United Cargo president, Jan Krems says: “Along with our relentless focus on speed, reliability and quality, TempControl customers appreciate our drive to ensure our services remain relevant and valuable to the evolving pharmaceutical marketplace.” “We are excited to offer customers the ability to lease the PharmaPort 360, a smart active packaging option, for the safe transport of healthcare material throughout our TempControl network of 68 certified locations.” Sonoco ThermoSafe Leasing Services director of global business development, Christopher Day says: “With the reach of United Cargo’s TempControl network, this partnership enables the pharmaceutical supply chain to cost-effectively ship across the Americas, EMEIA and Asia Pacific regions. Additionally, Sonoco’s 300+ global locations allow the ThermoSafe division to quickly and efficiently expand the depot network for leasing PharmaPort units across the globe.”
GEFCO hits the road with GDP certificate GEFCO Group has been awarded Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance certification by Bureau Veritas for transporting pharmaceuticals across its road network. The certificate, which is valid for three years, demonstrates GEFCO’s fulfilment of the European Commission Guidelines on GDP of Pharmaceutical Products for human use, and reflects the company’s quality of service as well as understanding clients’ challenges including the traceability of goods to reduce the risk of counterfeit or falsification. The external auditor assessed GEFCO’s quality system and its ability to answer customer requirements in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, Romania and the Group’s
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headquarters in France. GEFCO head of management system, Alain Vignon says: “GEFCO has a strong history in the Life Science and Healthcare sector and is fully aware of its clients’ stakes. The GDP compliance is further proof of GEFCO’s commitment to supplying secure and compliant Life Sciences and Healthcare shipments and ensuring the integrity of all products.” The company offers door-to-door, temperature-controlled, integrated logistics, multimodal and fully compliant solutions for the life science and healthcare logistics industry, and in 2019 GEFCO will extend the GDP certification for road activities to other European countries.
Cathay Pacific trials track and trace Cathay Pacific and Unilode Aviation Solutions have successfully concluded trials for next generation track and trace services with OnAsset Intelligence. The trial to enable end-to-end shipment tracking with real-time information using Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons in the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal in Hong Kong focused on the practicality of using wireless devices in the multi-storey, concrete surroundings of the cargo terminal. Results proved successful and have enabled the airline to prepare for a proof of concept with actual shipments. Next-generation track and trace is part of Cathay Pacific’s digital strategy to help answer the industry’s needs for greater transparency in airfreight. The ambition is to provide customers with real-time tracking of their cargo shipments with multi-dimensional readings, and the use of BLE means data can be captured automatically. Cathay Pacific general manager cargo service delivery, Frosti Lau says: “It’s important to
explore technologies that work towards the air freight industry’s aim of offering both customers and operators transparency and data accuracy throughout the entire supply chain.” Unilode chief executive officer, Benoit Dumont says: “Our recent field trial with Cathay Pacific proves that our approach to digitalisation, including benefit realisation and technology choices, is on the right track to provide the industry with sustainable and compliant unit load device (ULD) tracking data and services. Unilode is committed to explore other digital initiatives for Cathay Pacific within 2018.”
Turkish approves RAP containers Turkish Cargo has approved CSafe Global’s RAP active container for in-flight use on its fleet. The RAP utilises CSafe’s proprietary ThermoCor VIP insulation together with a compressor driven cooling and radiant heating system to precisely maintain the user-defined payload temperature set point through the journey. CSafe Global vice president of global marketing and partner management, Brad Jennings says: “Turkish Cargo have long been experts when it comes to transporting temperature-sensitive healthcare products globally. CEIV accreditation further demonstrates their commitment to providing our mutual life-science customers with precision cold-chain services
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that have been validated to exceptionally high standards.” Turkish Airlines senior vice president of cargo marketing, Fatih Cigal says the RAP will be an “excellent addition” of active temperature controlled containers, adding: “With volumes of pharmaceutical shipments growing on a global scale, active temperature-controlled containers for larger cargo payloads are required.” Cigal adds: “Partnership with CSafe Global, the company that shares the same customer-centric values and business attitudes as we do, provides Turkish Cargo with confidence in the preservation and integrity of our shipments, every single time.”
NEWS
You are my cargo.one and only for live spot rates
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eisure Cargo has joined the cargo.one platform giving freight forwarders the chance to book capacity at live spot rates with immediate confirmation. The innovative user interface of cargo.one provides important routing information, as well as capacity dependent live spot rates. It says visualising hundreds of options per routing means customers can identify the most suitable offers, and all offers are based on available capacities and live spot rates, which can be booked directly in real-time. Leisure Cargo managing director, Dr Wolfram Simon says: “With the connection to cargo.one as the world’s first platform that allows booking at dynamic spot rates with immediate confirmation, we now offer our customers even better possibilities to place bookings efficiently with us.” cargo.one founder, Moritz Claussen adds: “We are pleased to have integrated Leisure Cargo, another leading cargo airline, quickly and easily on the cargo.one platform. This means that not only will Leisure Cargo customers now benefit from unparalleled booking options, but Leisure Cargo itself will also have access to a data-driven and wide-reaching sales channel after only a few
weeks of integration.” Lufthansa Cargo and cargo.one have also sealed their cooperation to allow the airline to open up a new digital sales channel for the spot segment. The partnership between Lufthansa Cargo and cargo.one enables air freight forwarders to book available capacity for the airline’s td.Flash and td.Pro completely digitally and in real time
A LOT of quotes and analytics with CHAMP
LOT Cargo has signed for CHAMP Cargosystems’ Cargospot Quotes and DataAnalytics to assist their sales and revenue team and support expansion on cargo routes. Cargospot Quotes is a new module, which streamlines the process of quotes creation, authorisation, distribution to customers, and upon acceptance, automated conversion of the quote into a booking. DataAnalytics provides Artificial Intelligence
based insights via dashboards as part of a wider performance report. CHAMP says it leverages the cargo, shipment, and operational data processed by various services in the CHAMP portfolio including Cargospot, Traxon CDMP, Traxon Global Customs and Traxon cargoHUB. CHAMP Cargosystems vice president of global sales and marketing, Nicholas Xenocostas says: “Our new wave of performance and sales-focused products and services will not only bring more productivity for any airline, but also streamline the sales process.” Cargo director at LOT Cargo, Michal Grochowski says: “CHAMP’s solutions are a happy addition to a moment of modernisation for LOT Cargo. We are embracing much of the newest technologies to bring all aspects of our business to the cutting edge. CHAMP powered data analysis, improved sales processes and internal communication will bring us there.”
across the entire Lufthansa Cargo network. The platform available at www.cargo.one offers customers up-to-date online information, including connections as well as real-time capacity dependent and dynamic live spot rates being clearly displayed. For each connection, numerous alternatives are displayed at a glance. Lufthansa Cargo chief executive officer and chairman of the board, Peter Gerber says: “Digitisation allows information to be distributed around the globe in fractions of a second. This has given rise to new expectations with which both carriers and freight forwarders are confronted. We are therefore now offering our customers the opportunity to exchange prices and capacities even faster and to book services even easier.” cargo.one co-founder, Oliver Neumann says: “We are pleased to partner with Lufthansa Cargo as the leading air cargo airline in our mission to make air cargo bookable digitally and in real time. Many solutions on the market promise digital bookability. “The reality is that in most cases the rates offered do not give access to capacity. In particular at times of high demand, our solution offers airfreight forwarders a quick and easy access to capacities with immediate confirmation at live spot rates.”
Qatar Airways to fly to Gothenburg
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atar Airways will start flying between Gothenburg and Doha in December, providing export opportunities for companies in western Sweden. The five times a week flights will be launched on 12 December using a Boeing 787, providing belly hold cargo capacity for exports heading to destinations across Asia and Africa.
Gothenburg Landvetter Airport is operated by Swedavia, and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, Jonas Abrahamsson says that Sweden is the largest economy in Scandinavia and is experiencing some of the strongest growth in Europe. He says: “This direct route is the result of successful cooperation, where we, together with the region, have shown Qatar Airways the potential in the Western Swedish market. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that Swedavia and western Sweden jointly welcome this large Middle East airline to Gothenburg Landvetter.” West Sweden Chamber of Commerce CEO, Johan Trouve adds: “Now it will be far smoother for global companies in western Sweden to get to the Middle East and Asia through the 150 destinations that are reached via Qatar Airways’ network.”
Etihad supports Chinese development
FAA threatens shipper with HazMat fine The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is threatening to hit a Hong Kong-based shipper with a $160,500 fine for violating hazardous materials regulations. The US Department of Transportation’s FAA alleges that on 3 January 2017, Woodioso Technology knowingly offered a shipment of 30 lithium ion batteries to UPS for shipment by air from Hong Kong to Louisville, Kentucky. UPS employees in Louisville discovered the batteries when the shipment arrived on 4 January. The FAA alleges Woodioso did not keep the batteries separated to prevent them contacting each other during shipment. It alleges that the shipments were not
accompanied by a shipper’s declaration of dangerous goods and were not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labelled or in the proper condition for shipment. Woodioso is also accused of failing to ensure that each of its employees received required hazardous materials training, and failed to provide emergency response information with the shipment. The Hong Kong company did not respond to the enforcement letter the FAA sent to the company in April 2018, and last week the FAA sent a final notice explaining it has 15 days after receiving the notice to pay the proposed civil penalty or request a hearing.
Etihad Aviation Group and Jiangsu Provincial Overseas Cooperation and Investment Company (JOCIC) have signed a deal to support the development of logistics between China and the United Arab Emirates. The parties will cooperate on a wide range of areas to support the development of the China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Park in Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi including air logistics, procurement, mutual promotion on respective premises and digital channels. Under the memorandum of understanding, which was signed during Chinese premier Xi Jinping’s three-day state visit to the United Arab Emirates, Etihad will provide the companies investing in the China-UAE Industrial Park with preferred air transportation and cargo rates on the routes and services between China and other cities on Etihad Airways network.
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Etihad and JOCIC will jointly explore marketing opportunities through appropriate channels, promoting Abu Dhabi’s investment environment for Chinese companies and its geographic location supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Etihad Aviation Group chief executive officer, Tony Douglas says: “The partnership will demonstrate the long-standing commitment of Etihad, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, to acting as a bridge for economic and cultural exchanges between the UAE and China, as well as to strengthen the position of Abu Dhabi as an aviation hub to connect China with the economies along the Belt & Road Initiative by leveraging our strong global network.” JOCIC chairman, Luo Hua adds: “The China-UAE Industrial Capacity Cooperation Demonstration Park is a major project under the Belt and Road Initiative. It represents an important consensus reached by the leadership of China and the UAE to strengthen international industrial capacity cooperation between the two countries.” Established in July 2017 with a 50-year agreement signed between Abu Dhabi Ports and JOCIC, the China-UAE Industrial Park has achieved investments agreements with 16 Chinese companies totalling $1 billion.
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Ethiopia leads the way with 2025 vision
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n Ethiopia, there is something better than 20-20 vision, and that is Vision 2025, an ambitious plan to make the country’s flag carrier the leading aviation group in Africa, writes Stuart Flitton. The airline’s freight business is key to this dream with Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services operating eight all-cargo aircraft to 39 destinations in Africa, the Gulf, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, carrying an average of 650 tonnes a day with a further 150 tonnes being carried as bellyhold to more than 95 airports around Ward
the world. In January, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics began a direct service from Ginbot Haya airport in the northeastern town of Bahir Dar to Liège in Belgium, mostly for fresh produce such as flowers and vegetables.
No slowdown for Ethiopian
Ethiopian Airlines is already Africa’s largest carrier, with a modern combi fleet. As well as the agri trade, there are significant movements of oil well equipment, motor vehicles and electronic equipment. Some of these areas have been hit by competition from slower but cheaper sea freight with volumes from Africa as a whole at 51,000 tonnes in 2015, reducing to 46,000 tonnes last year.
However, there is fight back and Ethiopian Airlines recently took on its 101st aircraft and during the rest of this year will add increased frequency from London Heathrow, as well as bringing other destinations such as Manchester, Chicago, Barcelona, and Geneva.
Vision 2025
A major building-block to realising Vision 2025 was the opening of Cargo Terminal II at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport last year. Together with the existing terminal, the new facility provides around one million tonnes of capacity a year, the largest in Africa. Terminal II covers 150,000 square metres, including 40,000 square metres of warehousing, with just over half for dry cargo and the rest for perishables. There are storage facilities are various temperatures for goods such as agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, and life science products. It is fully automated with the latest technology Elevating Transport Vehicle and has an apron that can take up to five large aircraft. The British GSA, the HAE Group has been working with Ethiopian Airlines since 2006. “HAE has a strong background in generating cargo from the US and Europe to a number of key African destinations which has helped us make a success of working with such as key airline partner as Ethiopian Airlines,” says HAE UK & Ireland director, John Ward. He says that Ethiopian Airlines is cargo focused, has made significant investments in fleet and facilities and is domiciled in the heart of one of the most dynamic parts of Africa. “CEIV Pharma accreditation is the next steps in Addis Ababa, and this will help the airline and its sales partners to take cargo sales to a new level. It is an exciting time to be part of the Ethi-
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opian Airlines team,” Ward says. HAE has opened a regional office at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi to help its clients with imports and export in East Africa.
Very important region
“East Africa in general is a very important region for HAE,” Ward says. “In line with our growth, we have been involved in moving material on charter/part charter and scheduled services into Djibouti for almost four years, servicing key clients from the Middle East the rest of our network.” The company moves more than 500 tonnes per month between East Africa and the Middle East, mostly fresh produce. “This, coupled with our charters into the more difficult regions in East Africa, give us a very competitive offering to our network of global customers,” Ward says.
Handling further growth
The Nairobi-based Siginon logistics group operates throughout the region with further Kenyan offices at the important southern port of Mombasa and Eldoret in the west, as well as Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and in Kampala, Uganda. Its other key markets include Rwanda, Burundi, Somali, Northern DR Congo and southern Sudan. The Siginon Aviation arm is a ground handler based at JKIA and Eldoret. Its customers include Qatar Airways Cargo, Cargolux, Singapore Airlines Cargo and African Express. The Siginon Group, which has operated for more than 30 years, won the Transport & Logistics Industry category in the 2018 East African Business Council Business Excellence Awards.
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he pretends to know what he’s talking about
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ACW: You have been involved with cargo at Virgin Atlantic for a decade. Is there anything left for you to learn? Kennedy: I am learning a lot from working with our JV partner Delta and from the great relationship I have with Shawn Cole, VP of Delta Cargo. ACW: Any surprises since you have become managing director? Kennedy: One of the best surprises so far has been to really appreciate how passionate the team is about delivering great service to our customers. I’m not saying we’re perfect all the time but I know we have people across the business who take it personally when we suffer a dip in service and who will take responsibility to get back on track for our customers as quickly as possible.
ACW: In terms of Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s business, what are the main opportunities you see over the next five years? Kennedy: 2017 was a great year of growth for our cargo business and we made another valuable contribution to the airline. There will also be great opportunities from leveraging our JV partnership with Delta Cargo, which we’re very excited about and from growing our established relationship further with Virgin Australia.
ACW: Will Brexit produce any problems for Virgin Atlantic Cargo once the UK has left the EU? Are you making contingency plans? Kennedy: Like everyone, we’re waiting to see the final terms of the deal. Virgin Atlantic is working closely with the Government to achieve the best possible outcome for the UK, the aviation industry and our customers. We’re
Dominic became managing director of Virgin Atlantic Cargo in August 2017, having been a key member of the airline’s cargo leadership team for nine years. Previously he had responsibility for the commercial planning of Virgin Atlantic’s cargo division. Dominic joined Virgin Atlantic in March 2005.
dominic kennedy
confident that a new bilateral deal between the UK and USA to replace existing arrangements will be agreed in good time before the UK’s exit from the EU. From a cargo perspective, the free movement of goods to and from the UK and EU is clearly essential to support imports and exports. We need to see an agreement that ensures goods continue to flow seamlessly across borders as they do today. ACW: What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your CV alone? Kennedy: Good question. My wife and I organised a surprise wedding. I proposed on Christmas Day and it’s my wife’s birthday in January. We brought our families and friends together in Devon for what they thought was her belated birthday party in early February, before finding out it was actually our wedding day. ACW: We finish the interview and you step outside the office and find a lottery ticket that ends up winning £10 million. What would you do? Kennedy: I genuinely love my job and I’m very motivated to continue. So, I’d invest it for my children… and I’d probably also treat myself to a new Pinarello road bike.
ACW: Rugby or football? Kennedy: Football. I support Burnley FC, my hometown club – and we’ve had a great season! ACW: What’s the last thing you watched on
TV and why did you choose to watch it? Kennedy: Paw Patrol with my children before leaving for work this morning. Unsurprisingly I had little choice in the matter.
ACW: What did you want to be when you grew up? Kennedy: A pilot. One of my relatives was a pilot with Cathay and from an early age, I was fascinated by air travel and seeing the world. So what better way to do this than be a pilot, even though I didn’t actually fly on a plane until I was 15 years old.
ACW: What was the last film you saw? Kennedy: The American on a flight to New York.
ACW: Steak or spaghetti? Kennedy: It has to be spaghetti due to our family connections in Italy.
ACW: Coke or Pepsi? Kennedy: Coke … and Diet!
ACW: What terrible movie do you love? Kennedy: Clear and Present Danger, an American spy thriller with Harrison Ford as acting deputy director of the CIA.
ACW: What are the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made? Kennedy: My best purchase was my Brompton bike, which I bought about nine years ago. If I’m in the office, I ride to work every day. It’s a six-mile journey and I’ve been doing it since I joined Virgin 13 years ago. The worst? Shares in Kodak. A joke, obviously.
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