Qatar Airways Cargo has evolved and grown into the world's leading air cargo carrier, with an extensive fleet and a robust network.

To commemorate this remarkable journey, the carrier reflects on its major achievements and innovations.

In 2003, Qatar Airways Cargo took delivery of its very first freighter, an Airbus A300-600, which was a converted passenger aircraft. It began regular operations to Amsterdam and Chennai, and shortly thereafter, to New Delhi. Today, the cargo airline operates to more than 160 belly-hold and over 70 freighter destinations with over 200 passenger aircraft and 31 dedicated cargo freighters.

Elisabeth Oudkerk, Senior Vice-President, Cargo Sales and Network Planning, expressed her joy and gratitude, stating: "As Qatar Airways Cargo celebrates 20 years of freighter operations, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers for their continuous trust in our services. We take immense pride in our history and anticipate contributing to the promising future of air freight."

Over the past two decades, Qatar Airways Cargo has continuously expanded its fleet, network, and product portfolio, becoming the world's number one cargo carrier. With the launch of its Next Generation strategy, Qatar Airways Cargo has defined its role in the air cargo industry by bringing a fresh and innovative approach to business across its network and operations: through enhanced products and services, cutting edge technology, a commitment to sustainability and diversity, investing in existing talent and attracting new ones.

Under the complete corporate mindset shift that is The Next Generation, Qatar Airways Cargo has achieved significant accomplishments including being the first airline globally to complete the suite of IATA CEIV certifications, the launch of the Kigali Africa hub in partnership with RwandAir, and the introduction of innovative products like Pharma, Fresh, Courier, and SecureLift.

Furthermore, Qatar Airways Cargo’s commitment to customer experience and innovation has made it a preferred partner for businesses worldwide. Having embraced digital transformation early, it has successfully launched its new website and a state-of-the-art ebooking portal Digital Lounge and partnered with marketplace platforms, bringing added-value to its customers. Additionally, Qatar Airways Cargo has committed to sustainability through its WeQare program, championing initiatives such as ‘Rewild the planet’ and launching a CO2 emission calculator.

As Qatar Airways Cargo enters its next decade, it remains dedicated to digitalization and sustainability and looks forward to continuing being at the forefront of air cargo’s innovation and customer-centric solutions.

The 2023 Women Automotive Summit, hosted by Women Automotive Network, has been deemed a resounding success, with the Network registering a record number of attendees at its first in-person event since 2019.

With 350+ visitors, nearly 800 online attendees and 31 speakers, the Summit welcomed a vast array of automotive professionals, all of whom flocked through the doors in their numbers to embrace the unique opportunity to meet the next generation of leaders and network with current industry role models.

Held on 20th September at Forum am Schlosspark, Ludwigsburg, Germany, the event celebrated the benefits of adopting a diverse workforce, with an esteemed list of industry professionals sharing key insights and advice with the fully engaged audience.

Attendees were offered a unique experience, with the Summit holding their attention with a number of different talks and activities throughout the day, including informative talks from well-known industry names, regular networking opportunities, on-stage interviews, engaging panels and a grand total of 13 breakout workshops, with visitors able to choose to attend sessions focusing on their preferred topic.

Caroline Trudeau, Senior Industry Advisor Chairperson & Host got the show on the road before Domiziano Pontone of Gi Group Holding shared exclusive insights from a comprehensive, forthcoming report developed by the company in collaboration with Italy’s largest technology university Politecnico di Milano, highlighting the importance of embracing women in order to maximise upcoming opportunities brought about by changing trends and technologies.

Kirsty Skinner-Gerth of BMW then covered ‘The Power of Digitalisation’, discussing how connected vehicles can help drivers to feel more reassured, while also revealing BMW’s plans to revolutionise vehicles and transform them into a ‘digital companion.’

Thilo Koslowski, Strategic Advisor, Board Member, Founder & former CEO Porsche Digital and Nicole Scott, ‘Producer at Beyond Innovation’ Airing on Bloomberg TV Globally, then took to the stage for an on-stage interview, again looking at new technologies and the exciting prospects in store for those in the industry.

Next up was Marie-Fleur Revel, Managing Director of XL2 GmbH by Audi & Capgemini, with her talk ‘There’s never been a better time to be a woman in automotive,’ giving key tips to women looking to progress in the industry, telling them: “Find your own leadership style and go for it, and even if it’s outside the box, that’s a good thing. It’s an enrichment for your company.”

Other popular topics discussed included ‘Shaping a New Era of Mobility. Together’ from Nina Roeck of Bosch and a talk on ‘Charisma – Myths and Realities’ by the FLEX team.

Key highlights also included an on-stage interview with Andrea Seidel, Director IT Infrastructure, Member of the Supervisory Board from Daimler Truck AG and Micha Goebig from GO BIG Coaching & Communication.

There was also a segment from Patricia Bernstein Vice President Development Workshops, Porsche AG who inspired attendees by sharing her personal experience on navigating the hard times in business and using them to your advantage, advising: “Show grit! This means sticking to things until you master them – don’t give up! Stay curious and enjoy learning, as if you lean into novelty and leave your comfort zone, you will increase your ability to understand that different situations enable different skills to develop. Think big, as things get small anyway!”

Finally, Trudeau hosted the closing Panel Discussion on ‘What Makes a Good Leader?’, before the day drew to a close with the first-ever Women Automotive Awards, featuring an esteemed list of professionals being recognised for their remarkable achievements and contributions within the automotive sector.

Stephanie May, Commercial Director of Women Automotive Network, said: “Wow – what an incredible day it’s been! We could never have anticipated the amazing turnout and response that we’ve received for the first in-person Summit in four years!

“It’s been an absolute honour to welcome each and every one of the attendees and speakers, and it is so humbling to hear such positive feedback and conversations throughout the day. A huge thank you to all involved for contributing to such a fantastic Women Automotive Summit!”

Women Automotive Network aims to bring together industry leaders, visionaries, and aspiring professionals, and provide a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration.

 

 

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), the global integrated logistics company, has opened its doors to a brand-new and technology-driven Warehousing & Distribution (W&D) facility in Douala, Cameroon.

Situated within the Douala Port Zone, Maersk’s new facility is the ideal site for cargo moving in and out of one of the most important ports in the country along the West African coast, one that also serves as a gateway to several markets within Central Africa.

"With the rapid expansion of the middle-class population in the region, there is a growing demand for goods, especially in the FMCG sector. The Port of Douala plays a crucial role in meeting this demand, as it handles over 70% of imports into Cameroon, serving both the nation's population and its landlocked neighbours within the Central African Economic and Monetary Community. The conversations with our customers have revealed a gap between the demand and supply for modern Warehouse & Distribution (W&D) facilities that can provide the additional capacity needed in this market. As a response, we have decided to invest in a technology-driven Warehouse Management System (WMS) facility. This strategic move not only bridges the demand-supply gap, but also offers our customers a cost-effective and efficient solution. We are expanding our logistics footprint in Southern West Africa and will scale up as per the customers’ demands." Michel Koffi, Managing Director, Maersk Southern West Africa.

Maersk’s new W&D facility in Douala will be spread over 16,000 sq. m., including more than 12,000 sq. m. covered space that provides more than 8,000 pallet positions. The facility will provide for dry warehousing and distribution with a focus on deconsolidation and fulfilment. Being a bonded facility, it will also provide for the storage of cargo in the customs clearance process. Maersk will also arrange value-added services at this facility, such as palletisation, packing and kitting.

The state-of-the-art facility with modern WMS will provide customers with accurate and real-time visibility of their inventory. Full traceability using lot, batch, and serial numbering will ensure efficient movement of goods. Ultimately, the optimised operations using technology will aid in reducing waste and inventory errors and provide an improved experience to customers.

Maersk has a clear goal of being Net Zero by 2040, and every new investment being made has deep considerations in terms of the decarbonisation of logistics. The new facility by Maersk in Douala is no exception. 100% internal lighting will be done using low-consumption LED lights, and all external lighting will be powered by solar energy. All forklifts required in the W&D operations will be battery-operated and charged using solar energy. At the beginning of operations, 15% of the site’s electricity requirements will be fulfilled by solar panels installed at the site itself, with a plan to scale up in the coming years.

Maersk’s customers will get several benefits by utilising this facility for bonded as well as non-bonded storage and distribution. Bundled with ocean transportation, customs clearances, intermodal transportation and other services, Maersk will provide truly integrated logistics solutions to its customers. Such a solution also adds greater control over supply chains and offers higher resilience. With everything put together, customers will get cost advantages, too, as all their logistics requirements get fulfilled under the same roof.

Southern West Africa encompasses the following countries: Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinee and Sao Tome and Principe.

DHL Supply Chain has today announced plans to begin operating biomethane fuelled trucks with an investment worth €80 million into a dedicated biomethane production facility in Cork, run by Stream BioEnergy.

Biomethane is a renewable gas with the capacity to be carbon neutral. The new facility will provide fuel for up to 150 trucks, resulting in an annual carbon reduction of 15,000 tonnes, the equivalent of more than 38 million miles driven by an average petrol-powered passenger vehicle.

As part of a shared commitment to decarbonising Ireland’s transport network, DHL has joined forces with leading grocery retailer, Tesco Ireland. To support the initial vehicle roll-out and whilst production ramps up, DHL will subsidise the biomethane from other sources. Once the new facility is fully functioning, DHL will operate 92 locally fuelled biomethane trucks across Tesco’s country-wide network.

DHL is fundamentally decarbonising a significant proportion of the retail transport sector in Ireland, and they intend to continue to roll this out to all the other sectors in which they operate; consumer, technology, aviation, life sciences and healthcare. Given the scale of the rollout, this will be a game changer for the transportation industry in Ireland.

The biomethane production site at Little Island, Cork, owned and operated by Stream BioEnergy, will process 90,000 tonnes of industry and consumer food waste per annum which could otherwise have been sent to landfill. The deployment of biomethane at scale requires no infrastructural upgrades to Ireland’s existing gas grid and given its capacity to be carbon neutral, biomethane is a flexible, cost-effective way to decarbonise commercial road transport.

The project reflects DHL’s commitment to delivering sustainable logistics solutions and the company’s global GoGreen agenda. The deployment of biomethane trucks, as well as investment in domestic biomethane energy production will play an important part in helping the company achieve its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Managing Director of DHL Supply Chain, Ireland, Ciaran Foley said: “We are extremely proud to be enhancing renewable energy production here in Ireland and our collaboration with Tesco marks a significant step in our shared journey towards achieving net-zero emissions. Our customers' transport networks are a vital focus area when looking at how they can achieve their overall sustainability goals so by making alternative fuels a reality we can really prove our value as a strategic partner.”

Tesco Ireland’s Retail and Distribution Director Ian Logan said: “We have one of the most sophisticated distribution networks in the country, and improving its efficiency and environmental impact will play an important role in our journey to net zero. Our current HGV transport fleet makes over 2,000 trips weekly, serving our growing network of 166 stores nationwide, so moving to a cleaner fuel in our value chain will play a vital role in achieving this.

“DHL’s credentials in leveraging renewable transport solutions are complimented by our own strong commitment to embracing sustainable practices and driving down our emissions. We are both committed to promoting collective environmental objectives; and to advance our ambition to achieve carbon neutrality in our value chain by 2050, and indeed in our own operations by 2035.”

The creation of the first-ever green shipping corridor across the Pacific is taking shape.

Today, a voluntary partnership of leading maritime goods movement stakeholders, including the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Shanghai, some of the largest carriers in the world, and key leading cargo owners unveiled a Green Shipping Corridor Implementation Plan Outline to accelerate emissions reductions on one of the world’s busiest container shipping routes across the Pacific Ocean. The plan is the first of its kind and was developed with support from C40 Cities as part of its effort to reduce carbon emissions from the largest cities in the world.

The plan is an important step toward decarbonizing the global supply chains that power our economies, and transitioning toward zero lifecycle carbon emission ships. It will showcase cutting-edge goods movement technologies, decarbonization applications and best management practices to enhance efficiency, and catalyze technological, economic and policy efforts to progressively decarbonize shipping and port-related activities.

As part of the historic plan, the carrier partners will begin deploying reduced or zero lifecycle carbon capable ships on the corridor by 2025, and work together to demonstrate by 2030 the feasibility of deploying the world’s first zero lifecycle carbon emission container ship(s). Carrier partners include CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping Lines Co., Ltd., Maersk, and ONE. Core partners include the Shanghai International Port (Group) Co., Ltd., the China Classification Society, and the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre of Asia.

Participants of the Green Shipping Corridor Partnership will take steps to reduce carbon emissions and harmful pollutant emissions impacting air quality, through methods such as expanding use of shore power and supporting the development of clean marine fueling infrastructure. Cargo owner partners have set goals to contract with carriers to use zero lifecycle carbon emission shipping services, and in an effort to measure progress toward decarbonization, all partners will develop metrics to track decarbonization progress.

Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, said: "This trans-Pacific green corridor will be a model for the global cooperation needed to accelerate change throughout the maritime industry. Reducing emissions in this corridor will yield substantial reductions. For perspective, most of the emissions associated with moving cargo by ship occur in the mid-ocean part of the journey between ports. This corridor will help reduce mid-ocean emissions while continuing the work we have done to cut emissions within our ports."

Mario Cordero, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Long Beach, said: "This initiative will drive emissions reductions across the world's largest ocean and lead to greener practices from supply chain participants along these vital trade routes. The new and innovative vessel technologies, increased availability of sustainable fuels and better practices created through this green corridor will also impact society's transition to a cleaner future far beyond the areas served by our ports."

Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 said, “C40 is proud to support this first-of-its-kind green shipping corridor aimed at demonstrating that zero-carbon shipping at scale is feasible by 2030, and that less polluting ships and ports will also mean cleaner air, less noise and more jobs for local communities.”

Menzies Aviation, the leading service partner to the world’s airports and airlines, has announced three new senior appointments to drive forward its growing air cargo business, including a new Global Head of Cargo.

Beau Paine has been appointed as Global Head of Cargo and will retain his current role of Senior Vice President Cargo OSEA. Beau joined Menzies in 2005, and has been instrumental in leading the Australian cargo team since 2018, and the wider Oceania and South East Asia (OSEA) team since 2021.

Beau takes the reigns during an exciting period for Menzies’ cargo business, which has recently opened several new locations including Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in the US and José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) in Colombia. A joint venture (JV) with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BLR) in India, involves the construction of a new domestic cargo facility with the initial capacity of 250,000 tonnes and increasing the capacity of the international cargo facility, while a JV at Santiago International Airport (SCL) in Chile will include all-new import cargo facilities.

In South Africa, Menzies has partnered with South African Airways (SAA) Cargo to undertake a significant refurbishment of its cargo terminals at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) and Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Renovations at the terminals include investment in electric vehicles and ground service equipment, solar energy, energy efficient lighting and a full recycling programme.

In his new role, Beau will be tasked with working closely with the company’s regional cargo teams, helping to grow and develop the business as part of its cargo expansion strategy. He will be responsible for fortifying Menzies’ position as the leading cargo handler in the market, enabling it to grow its services and use of new technologies. This includes the global roll-out of its next generation warehouse management system, Menzies Aviation Cargo Handling (MACH), delivered in partnership with Wipro.

Supporting Beau and Menzies’ OSEA operations, Kayla Moa has been appointed Vice President Cargo Operations, Australia. Kayla, who joined Menzies in 2005, will oversee the company’s local cargo operations, with a focus on delivering safe and secure services for its customers.

Karl Aldwinckle has also been announced as the new Vice President Cargo Europe. Based at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), Karl will be responsible for increasing Menzies cargo footprint in Europe, along with supporting the roll out of new technologies.

Philipp Joeinig, CEO, Menzies Aviation, said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Beau, Karl and Kayla to new positions within our cargo team. Our cargo business has rapidly expanded, growing from 49 locations in 2021 to 75 this year, and we have ambitious plans to take this even further. With signs that cargo demand is strengthening, we’ve created a solid platform for growth, and I look forward to working with Beau, Karl and Kayla as we undertake this new chapter in our cargo journey.”

 

Since last week leading aircraft charter specialist, Air Charter Service, has been working around the clock to arrange flights to send aid to Libya following Storm Daniel and has already chartered aircraft carrying over 500 tons to the country, with more to follow in the coming days.

The storm caused catastrophic floods, leading to more than 11,000 losing their lives and thousands more displaced due to the extensive damage caused.

Ben Dinsdale, Director for Government and Humanitarian Services at ACS, commented: “At the weekend we had our first flights to Libya, into Benghazi, Al Abraq and Tobruk airports, with several more booked over the coming days – they mostly are carrying aid including shelter equipment, such as tarpaulins, tents and sleeping bags, as well as water purification tablets.

“Our European and Middle East offices have been the busiest in arranging these charters and so far we have used a variety of aircraft, including Boeing 747, Airbus A300 and Ilyushin IL-76. We are still receiving requests now, but the rate at which they are coming in has slowed down.”

Storm Daniel came just a week after the devastating earthquake that hit Morocco, which also caused a large loss of life, as well as widespread destruction. Dinsdale continued: “It seems unbelievable that there were two such devastating natural disasters, so near to each other geographically and in such a short period of time – I can’t remember anything remotely similar to this happening before. We were at the stage of trying to arrange a number of search and rescue flights into Morocco when the Moroccan government announced that it had restricted aid senders to just four governments. Then we heard about Libya, and most governments’ and NGOs’ attention turned to helping the victims there.”

Air Canada Cargo will offer customers year-round capacity to key European cities following Air Canada’s strategic decision to extend passenger service to year-round on routes that were previously summer seasonal operations.

Key routes that will remain available for customers throughout the winter include Montreal to Rome, Toronto to Copenhagen and Toronto to Madrid. Air Canada Cargo will also offer customers service to Lyon with the restart of Air Canada’s passenger route in mid-October.

“We are pleased to offer additional cargo capacity on widebody routes year-round, and provide customers with more options on key markets between Europe and Canada. The belly capacity of Air Canada’s passenger network complements our freighter service, and these new routes together with additional passenger schedule frequencies will bolster the offering over the Atlantic,” said Matthieu Casey, Managing Director, Commercial, at Air Canada Cargo.

In addition to the new year-round routes, Air Canada Cargo will also benefit from increased frequencies on routes out of either Toronto or Montreal to Barcelona, Casablanca, Paris, Lisbon, Athens, Rome and Edinburgh.