This year, FedEx Freight will deliver the 300,000th tree for the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation’s annual Trees for Troops® program.
The milestone tree is set to arrive at Fort Liberty on Dec. 1, 2023, alongside nearly 16,000 trees slated for families at over 90 military bases across the United States this December.
“Every year, the FedEx Freight team puts in tireless effort to support Trees for Troops and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation. This milestone 300,000th tree delivery is a direct reflection of our dedication to both causes,” said Lance Moll, President and CEO, FedEx Freight. “Through our industry-leading transportation network, we are honored to give back to local communities and military families whose values have always been closely tied to the core mission of our company.”
Since 2005, FedEx Freight has supported the Trees for Troops program, an initiative that delivers farm-grown Christmas trees to domestic and international U.S. military bases. This long-standing collaboration has become a cherished tradition for FedEx Freight, with drivers logging over 600,000 miles for tree deliveries over the years.
“This program started on a crazy idea and started small. We delivered 4,300 trees to only five bases that first year,” said Wendy Richardson, Chair of the Christmas Spirit Foundation Board of Trustees. “It’s hard to believe we’re now going to exceed 300,000 total trees since we began working with FedEx 19 years ago. The commitment and dedication of all involved is truly inspiring. We love providing Christmas spirit to the men and women and their families in our military, one tree at a time.”
Trees for Troops kicks off Nov. 27, as hundreds of donors and volunteers come together to help make this effort a success. There are two ways the public can support Trees for Troops:Donate a tree for delivery to a base at one of the official Trees for Troops locations. Some locations offer online tree purchase options for shopper convenience. Donated trees must be purchased by Dec. 3, to ensure pick-up and delivery by FedEx Freight; Visit the Trees for Troops website to donate online, and follow Trees for Troops on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
A full list of participating locations can be found at treesfortroops.org.
FedEx Freight participates with the Trees for Troops program as part of FedEx Cares, the company’s global community engagement program. For more information on how FedEx team members around the globe “Drive forward.
The offtake agreement between A.P. Moller - Maersk and Chinese developer Goldwind, a global leader in clean energy, reaches into the next decade and marks the first large scale green methanol offtake agreement for the global shipping industry.
"This deal is a milestone for Maersk as it enables us to significantly reduce our emissions footprint in this decade and stay aligned with the 1.5-degree Celsius trajectory as set out in the Paris Agreement, ensuring continued supply of low carbon shipping services to our customers in the second half of this decade." Rabab Raafat Boulos, Chief Infrastructure Officer at A.P. Moller - Maersk.
A.P. Moller - Maersk aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 across its business. The deal significantly de-risks the initial stages of Maersk’s net-zero journey and supports expectations for a competitive green methanol market towards 2030. The record-high volumes can annually propel more than half the methanol-enabled capacity Maersk currently has on order.
"Goldwind respects Maersk as a pioneer in the field of maritime green fuel and we are excited to jointly promote the green transition with Maersk. With this project, Goldwind will continue to explore the innovative application of new technologies, pursue the organic combination of green electricity and green fuel production, and optimize the production process of green methanol. Goldwind is committed to collaborating with companies involved in the green methanol industry, with the aim to make green methanol one of the most important and economically feasible clean maritime fuels in the future." Wu Gang, Chairman, Goldwind.
The volumes combine a mix of green bio-methanol and e-methanol, all produced utilising wind energy at a new production facility in Hinggan League, Northeast China, around 1000km northeast of Beijing. Production is expected to begin in 2026. Following this signed offtake agreement, Goldwind expects to confirm a final investment decision for the facility by the end of the year.
"We are encouraged by the agreement because its scale and price confirm our view that green methanol currently is the most viable low-emission solution for ocean shipping that can make a significant impact in this decade. The deal is a testament to the momentum and vast efforts we see among ambitious developers driving projects forward across geographies, however, we still have a long way to go in ensuring a global green fuels market that can enable the decarbonisation of global shipping." Rabab Raafat Boulos, Chief Infrastructure Officer at A.P. Moller - Maersk.
A.P. Moller - Maersk will take delivery of its first large ocean-going methanol-enabled vessel (16,000 TEU) in the first quarter of 2024 and is diligently working on sourcing solutions with a broad range of global partners for the entire vessel series being delivered in 2024-25.
Emirates has become the world’s first airline to operate an A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Today’s flight, proudly commanded by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Philippe Lombet, took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) with one of four engines powered on 100% SAF, helping demonstrate its potential as a drop-in replacement that matches jet fuel’s technical and chemical requirements, while being a more sustainable alternative. SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85%* over the fuel’s life cycle when compared to conventional jet fuel.
Demonstration flights like the one conducted today pave the way for future standardisation, qualification and adoption for 100% SAF flying, as governments adopt broader strategies to support the production and scale up of SAF. The A380 demonstration flight underlines the performance and compatibility of SAF, making it a safe and reliable fuel source, and contributes to the growing body of research carried out by the industry to evaluate the beneficial effects of 100% SAF on aircraft performance. SAF is currently capped at a 50% blend limit in engines for commercial flights.
The Emirates A380 demonstration flight comes as the aviation industry, international organisations, regulatory bodies and high-level officials driving policy-related decisions converge in Dubai for the Third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3). Dedicated collaborators from Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Neste, Virent and ENOC have been working on the testing, technical assessments and data analysis for today’s flight.
The 100% drop-in SAF used on today’s flight includes renewable aromatics and closely mimics the characteristics of conventional jet fuel. This is the first time that drop-in SAF has been used on an A380 aircraft, with the expectation of full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing systems. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, comprised of HEFA-SPK provided by Neste (hydro processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene). ENOC helped to secure the neat SAF comprised of HEFA-SPK, and blended it with Sustainable Aviation Kerosene (SAK) at its facility in Dubai International Airport ahead of the demonstration, and also carried out into-plane services.
The 100% SAF was used in one Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, while conventional jet fuel was used in the other three engines. The PW980 auxiliary power unit (APU) from Pratt & Whitney Canada also ran on 100% SAF.
Last week, robust engine testing for one A380 Engine Alliance GP7200 engine using 100% SAF was carried out, with the objective of validating the engine’s capability to run on the specially blended 100% drop-in SAF without affecting its performance or requiring any modifications. Ground engine testing took place at the state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai.
Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates Airline said: “Emirates is the first passenger airline in the world to operate an A380 with 100% drop-in SAF powering one of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines. This is another proud moment for Emirates and our partners, as we put words into action with the research into and the trialling of higher concentrations of SAF to eventually lead to industry adoption of 100% SAF flying. This marks another significant step in validating the use of SAF in one of the engines of the A380, a wide-body aircraft with four engines. The growing global demand for lower-emission jet fuel alternatives is there, and the work of producers and suppliers to commercialise SAF and make it available will be critical in the coming years to help Emirates and the wider industry advance our path to lower carbon emissions.”
Julie Kitcher, Airbus Executive Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs commented: “Seeing Emirates flying an A380, the world's largest airliner, powered by an engine running on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuels is a symbolic moment. These fuels are the most effective way to address CO2 emissions in the aviation industry today and that they are supported increasingly by the world's leading airlines. SAF is vital to meeting the sector's target of net-zero emissions in 2050, but needs the backing of the whole industry. At Airbus, we are working to make all our aircraft 100% SAF-capable by 2030. We're also working with partners to grow the global SAF market in the coming years. Airbus's purpose as a company is to pioneer sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. Through our partnership with Emirates, we're matching ambition with action.”
“Engine Alliance and Emirates have a strong relationship that dates back 15 years to the A380 entry into service. We are proud to power Emirates’ latest SAF demonstration flight – and share a commitment to more sustainable aviation looking forward,” said Amy Johnston, president of Engine Alliance, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney.
“Innovation and collaboration are the keys to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 as this 100% SAF demonstration flight shows. GE Aerospace congratulates Emirates on this major achievement, and we are proud to be powering industry efforts toward a more sustainable future,” said Aziz Koleilat, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing for the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Turkey at GE Aerospace. “All GE Aerospace and Engine Alliance engines can operate on approved SAF blends today and through extensive research and testing, GE Aerospace is helping lead the approval and adoption of 100% SAF in the aviation industry.”
“Increasing the use of SAF is critical to achieving the goal of net-zero carbon emissions for aviation, and we are dedicated to ensuring all of Pratt & Whitney’s engines and APUs are compatible with current and future SAF specifications, up to 100%,” said Pratt & Whitney Chief Sustainability Officer Graham Webb. “This in-flight demonstration on an Emirates A380 continues to build momentum towards establishing future standards for 100% SAF, which will help maximize the potential lifecycle emissions reduction for all commercial aircraft flying in the decades ahead.”
"Sustainable Aviation Fuel plays a crucial role in reducing the emissions of air travel, but to fully leverage its decarbonisation potential we need to enable 100% SAF use. Test flights like this Emirates A380-flight using Neste’s SAF are an important step towards 100% SAF certification and we applaud Emirates for its efforts to help pave the way forward. Neste is working closely together with partners to accelerate the availability and use of SAF and we look forward to growing the supply of SAF also to Dubai,” said Jonathan Wood, Vice President Commercial Management and Business Development from the Renewable Aviation business at Neste.
“Virent congratulates Emirates Airline on another successful demonstration flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel featuring Virent’s cleaner-burning BioForm® SAK”, said Virent President and General Counsel Dave Kettner. “With Virent’s plant-based fuels technology, this test flight showed that 100% renewable fuel can meet current specifications and work flawlessly in today’s commercial airline engines. It’s critical that a consortium of companies, like this group, come together to bring sustainable aviation fuel into more widespread use. Virent will continue to collaborate with future-focused companies, and through this collaboration we can continue to reduce emissions and power a more fuel-efficient airline industry.”
His Excellency Saif Humaid al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “At ENOC, we recognize the importance of working collaboratively with strategic partners and industry experts to realise a more sustainable future for all. We are pleased to have contributed to fueling Emirates’ first 100% sustainable aviation fuel demonstration flight on an Airbus A380, which brings us a step closer to decarbonising the UAE’s aviation sector and transforming it into a regional hub for low carbon aviation fuels. We remain committed to supporting the UAE’s efforts in the aviation sector to ensure continued sustainable growth.”
Earlier this year, Emirates successfully completed the first 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight in the region on a GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ER.
Last month, the first Emirates flights operating with SAF provided by Shell Aviation took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Shell supplied 315,000 gallons of blended SAF for use at the airline’s hub in Dubai.
The airline recently expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of over 3 million gallons of blended SAF in 2024 and 2025 for flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol and Singapore Changi airports.
Emirates currently uplifts SAF in Norway and France and the airline continues to seek opportunities to use SAF at various airports as supply becomes available.
Emirates participates in a range of industry and UAE government working groups, along with ongoing stakeholder engagements to help scale the production and supply of SAF. Last year, together with the UAE GCAA, the airline contributed to the development of the UAE’s power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap, driven by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the World Economic Forum, and has been an active participant in the UAE’s National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap launched in January 2023 by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and GCAA.
Wexco Group & Wexco NZ, subsidiaries of ECS Group, are partnering with DHL Aviation to provide GSSA services in Australia and New Zealand from 01 December 2023.
Effective from 01 December 2023, all DHL Aviation air cargo sales activities from Australia and New Zealand will be managed by Wexco Group & Wexco NZ, two long-established subsidiaries of ECS Group. The four-year GSSA contracts were concluded at the end of September 2023. Since then, both companies have been preparing the smooth transition of sales operations for a total of 45 weekly flights: 26 flights from Australia and 19 flights from New Zealand.
“The wide variety of perishable commodities alongside regular horse shipments, make DHL Aviation a particularly interesting airline partner and we are therefore all the more delighted to enter into this partnership,” states Wexco General Manager, Richard Valenzuela. “With 550 tons of capacity to be filled each week, often with shipments requiring meticulous planning and expertise, our Wexco teams are able to demonstrate what they do best while playing a key part in DHL Aviation’s regional and international success.”
DHL Aviation connects to many international destinations out of Australia and New Zealand, including Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bahrain, USA, and various European locations. Its Australian flight schedule offers a Melbourne (MEL) – Singapore (SIN) connection, 5 times per week, Sydney (SYD) – Singapore (SIN) operations, 7 times per week, Melbourne (MEL) – Auckland (AKL) – Christchurch (CHC), 5 times per week, and Sydney (SYD) – Auckland (AKL) – Christchurch (CHC), 6 times per week. The weekly uplift consists of meat, chilled salmon and other perishable produce to Asia, whilst exports to New Zealand include general cargo, e-commerce, regular horse movements, and perishables – predominantly stone fruits.
Out of New Zealand, DHL flies from Christchurch (CHC) via Auckland (AKL) to Sydney (SYD), 6 times per week, and Christchurch (CHC) – Auckland (AKL) – Melbourne (MEL), 5 times per week, connecting with intra-Australian road feeder services where necessary. Main commodities are including fish, dairy, general cargo and horses to Australia, and meat, fruit, and seafood to destinations in Asia.
“DHL operates a fleet of more than 20 Asia Pacific dedicated aircrafts and is committed to ensuring reliable and efficient service performance, in particular when it comes to supporting trans-Tasman trade. We have invested heavily in Oceania over the past five years and partnering with equally driven partners is essential to the success of our challenging growth strategy,” says Nathan Vellasamy, Vice President at DHL Aviation, Air Capacity Sales, Asia Pacific. “Wexco has a proven track-record as a highly professional, digitally advanced and unique GSSA and, as part of ECS Group, is another solid link in our well-functioning international partnership. We look forward to an excellent 2024 and beyond.”
“As Australia’s longest-serving General Sales & Services Agent (GSSA) since 1979, and two decades of existence in New Zealand, I can confidently claim that no one knows our regional air cargo markets better than Wexco does. Thanks to our team of highly skilled professionals, coupled with our customer centric business approach and state-of-the-art digital solutions, we are in an excellent position to provide DHL Aviation with the best possible representation it deserves,” says Cedric Millet, Managing Director of Wexco Group & Wexco NZ and Chief Strategy & Digital Officer of ECS Group.
ECS Group now represents DHL in more than 20 countries across the globe.
As part of the company's transformation process and with a firm commitment to delivering better service levels to its customers, avianca cargo redesigned its GSA network and announced new partnerships that will allow it to continue working closely with specialized teams in different key global markets.
“We reconfigured our sales agents’ network to further strengthen our presence in strategic markets. We relied on collaborations with best-in-class business partners with extensive experience in cargo sales. Combined with avianca cargo's wide network and value proposition, it will contribute to our tireless pursuit of new opportunities and efficient solutions to continue offering an exceptional customer service," said Juan Correa, Vice President of Sales at avianca cargo.
This redesign resulted from a massive bidding process in which the company provided transparent access for different experts who shared their values and desire to boost sales, becoming dynamic and innovative allies that join the current GSAs with which avianca cargo continues to work successfully.
Key GSAs joining this reconfiguration and collaboration include ATC Aviation for Germany, Hit Cargo for Amsterdam and Brussels, Hermes Aviation for the United States, GSA Force for Chile, GOCargo for China and Hong Kong, and ECS for India, Korea, and Japan.
“As ECS Group, we truly enjoy the partnership with Avianca cargo. Their network, consisting of freighters, belly-lift, as well as a large set of quality interline agreements allows us to bring value to our mutual customers. The intense co-operation between Avianca cargo and ECS Group is focused on delivering service to our customers, every day. We are honored to be part of avianca cargo’s success story over the last decades”, commented Robert Van de Weg, CCO of ECS Group.
On the other hand, Timothy Pfeil, President Americas for World Freight Company, the world’s largest GSA portfolio of air cargo capacity, commented: “Hermes Aviation is proud to be chosen by avianca cargo as its partner for expansion in the USA. Our new tandem sales partnership strongly positions the avianca cargo's network to a wider cross section of customers in the United States, and brings together the best aspects of reliability, flexibility, and growth from avianca cargo's new vision, together with the creativity and enthusiasm of Hermes Aviation team to deliver exceptional results.”
Finally, "It is a great honor for GoCargo, a subsidiary of GSA Force Group and Megacap China, to have been selected as representatives of avianca cargo in China and Hong Kong. We work tirelessly to strengthen the connection between the China and Hong Kong markets with Latin America through avianca cargo's robust network, the oldest airline in America. We are committed to facilitating and enhancing trade between these regions, delivering a first-class service that contributes to the continuous growth and development of our region," said Maximiliano Vicente, Vice President of Sales at GoCargo GSA.
In the coming months, the cargo airline will continue to announce new changes on different continents, prioritizing efforts to ensure a coordinated sales approach and expand its global cargo offerings.
WestJet Cargo proudly unveils a strategic arrangement operating on behalf of Awesome Cargo, a rising star in the Mexican air freight industry.
This collaboration represents a groundbreaking venture, connecting Awesome’s Cargo NLU hub with North America.
Kirsten De Bruijn, SVP Cargo of WestJet, enthusiastically declares, "This collaboration brings together two visionary cargo airlines, weaving our strengths into an innovative tapestry of enhanced services for Awesome’s Cargo customers. We're thrilled to embark on this journey with Awesome Cargo, unlocking endless possibilities for both organizations and setting new standards in the industry."
Initiated by a longstanding industry relationship, a testament to their shared vision and past triumphs in collaborative ventures. Awesome Cargo secured its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from Mexico's Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) on October 13 of this year. The airline strategically operates from NLU Airport (Felipe Angeles) in Mexico City. Awesome Cargo aims to become a pivotal partner in the North American and Latin American region through its NLU hub. Less than a month into its inception Awesome Cargo operated 17 missions bringing over 800 tons of humanitarian aid into Acapulco, which demonstrates the DNA of the airline and its commitment to its community. Luis Ramos, CEO of Awesome Cargo, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "This partnership is a significant milestone for Awesome Cargo. By uniting forces with WestJet Cargo, we not only expand our reach into North America but also contribute to the evolution of air cargo transport in the region. Our shared values and commitment to excellence make this collaboration a dynamic force in the industry."
As the inaugural flight approaches on December 4th, symbolizing a new era in air cargo collaboration, we unveil the technical brilliance that defines this strategic partnership. The specific routes that WestJet Cargo will operate on behalf of Awesome Cargo will facilitate connectivity between North America and Mexico via Awesome Cargo's NLU hub allowing feeding options towards Awesome’s Cargo two newly deployed A330s, fostering enhanced connectivity and efficiency in air cargo transportation.
Routes: US - Mexico via Awesome Cargo's NLU hub.
Enhanced connectivity and efficiency for air cargo transport to and from Latin America.
To ensure the safe and secure transportation of various cargo types, the collaboration leverages the combined expertise of WestJet Cargo and Awesome Cargo, establishing new standards for safety in air cargo transport. Technical highlights include: Utilization of reefer trucks for temperature-sensitive cargo; Implementation of temperature-controlled facilities to maintain cargo integrity; Enhanced security measures throughout the transportation process; Connectivity of different types of cargo across networks; Horse transfers between Mexico – the USA and Canada.
Movu Robotics, one of the leader supplier for designing, developing, and implementing innovative and easier warehouse automation solutions, announces the launch of the innovative Movu eligo robot picking arm.
A fully integrated robotic bin picking solution, developed in close collaboration with Righthand Robotics, Movu eligo can automatically piece-pick from a single-SKU source bin and place the individual items into multiple mixed-SKU destination bins. Developed to close the gap between manual and fully automatic pick operation, Movu eligo provides warehouse operators with a huge step forward in order picking.
It also provides a solution for labour shortage issues, with a robot that can work through inconvenient work hours at reduced cost but with higher pick accuracy and quality. Other key benefits include: Reliable and effective robotic picking of up to 600 items per hour at any time; Enabling the picking and placing of a wide variety of SKUs;Providing a unique plug and play sub-system that is integrated with the Movu escala bin shuttle, resulting in an innovative end-to-end automated solution from storage to picking; Easy way to automatically pick SKUs that are suited for robotic picking, store the bins and then finish the order with a manual pick when the time is convenient; Reduced cost per pick, resulting in a strong Return on Investment (ROI).
Provided with seamless integration as a pick station option for the Movu escala bin shuttle, the Movu eligo combines advanced software with intelligent grippers and machine vision to ensure reliable throughput. Gently grasping an item from a bin retrieved from the escala while picking, the robot then places the item in a delivery bin. Providing feedback on grasp success, the intelligent grippers ensure an accuracy of 100%. In addition to a low gripping failure rate the Movu eligo reduces the number of manual ‘touches’ required for order fulfilment or replenishment and can reach a pick success rate greater than 99%.
Able to achieve 600 picks per hour, depending on the specific implementation, the robot can pick goods up to 2 kg and with dimensions of 1 cm minimum to a maximum of 30 cm. Being completely product agnostic gives it the flexibility to handle changing product mixes.
The robot arm stands 2.2 metres high and has an operating radius of 1.3 metres. A safety interface makes robotic work cells safe when human interaction is required.
Driven by software, the system leverages machine learning to continuously improve picking. Movu eligo runs on a plug-and-play Application Programming Interface (API) which integrates directly with the Movu escala bin storage solution. This user-friendly complete solution allows the seamless integration of robotic and manual picking operation for maximum efficiency. Movu escala interacts with overlying Warehouse Management Software (WMS), Warehouse Control Software (WCS) and Warehouse Execution Software (WES) as needed to mission the piece picking operations. By planning tasks for the robot such as robot arm movements around the source and destination bin exchange phases, the software optimises pick cycle times to maximise throughput.
Real-time operational data is presented to staff stationed away from the active systems to resolve exceptions quickly and efficiently. Performance dashboards enable warehouse operations to visualise current and historical data.
Available with full 24/7 support, the Movu eligo allows customers, particularly those involved in pharmaceuticals, apparel, e-commerce, manufacturing and kitting, to realise the benefits of reliable robotic piece-picking without worrying about integrating all the elements.
Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “Movu eligo is the next level for Movu Robotics to offer innovative and easier Automation solutions to our customer. It is a data-driven, intelligent piece picking platform unlike any other. Automating the conventionally manual operation or piece picking results in a lower cost per pick, leading to a strong return on investment. Integrated seamlessly as a work station for the Movu escala bin storage system, eligo offers a flexible and scalable automation solution for predictable and accurate order fulfilment, adding value for warehouses pursuing improvements in efficiency, productivity and customer service levels.”
The world’s leading air cargo carrier, announced its latest product, Drive.
Designed to transport various types of automobiles by air, Drive caters to the unique requirements of each vehicle - be it regular cars, vintage cars, premium or luxury models, new cars and sports cars. It underscores the carrier’s commitment to delivering meticulous solutions for both personal and commercial vehicles.
Miguel Rodriguez Moreno, Head of Cargo Products said, "Drive exemplifies our unwavering commitment to precision and customer centricity. With this product, we combine technical proficiency, experienced teams and charter solutions to offer a tailored experience for the transportation of automobiles. We take pride in our expert and dedicated teams who have been involved in transporting vehicles for several years including vehicles for many global racing events. Our rigorous and meticulously designed training ensures that our dedicated staff follow handling protocols diligently at every stage of the journey."
Drive offers customers the ability to move different types of high value vehicles with engine and wheels in a safe and efficient manner, on the airline’s freighters and passenger flights to more than 160 belly-hold and over 70 freighter destinations as well as to those destinations that are not part of its scheduled services. The Drive product is equipped to offer full or part-charters catering to the airline customers’ requests, and ensuring that even the most unique and exclusive automobiles are transported with the utmost care.
The airline’s specialist teams from Special Loads, Dangerous Goods, Operations, Charters and its Loadmasters collaborate to offer the optimal loadability and cost-effective solutions for all vehicles being transported. Safety is paramount and the teams take extreme caution ensuring all safety measures are followed, and vehicles are tied down and secured properly before being flown on the flight. The vehicles are monitored throughout the entire journey by the airline’s operational experts.
The airline has been transporting cars for several years. In 2022, Qatar Airways Cargo transported over 1400 vehicles, asserting its proven capability and expertise in handling different segments of vehicles. The introduction of Drive showcases Qatar Airways Cargo's position as a global leader in air cargo transportation, delivering solutions that meet the unique demands of the market and its discerning customers.
Challenge Group, an international air cargo conglomerate offering tailored end-to-end logistics solutions for complex verticals, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Canavan as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
In his new role, Canavan will be responsible for leading, planning, directing, coordinating, aligning and overseeing all Group Operations, bringing his extensive experience and expertise to drive operational excellence and contribute to the company's overall expansion plan and fleet growth.
Canavan comes to Challenge Group with a proven track record of more than 30 years’ international experience in strategic planning, operational efficiency, supply chain management and logistics, having previously led various multinational teams and business units in senior management roles both in Europe and Asia at FedEx.
"We are thrilled to welcome David to our Executive Team," said Yossi Shoukroun, CEO of the Challenge Group. "His wealth of experience and demonstrated leadership will be instrumental in propelling Challenge Group to new heights. We are confident that he will play a key role in developing and implementing efficient and cost-effective operational processes to meet the current and future growing business needs of the Group to better serve our customers and partners."
From 1 January 2024, train traffic in the Antwerp port area will be organised differently.
For Single Wagon Load, there will be a new operational model that is neutral and usable by all interested parties. In order to bundle this traffic, Railport launched a tendering process, and the winners are now known. This is a first result of the rail vision for the port and should lead to a more efficient and better offering.
Efficiently organising what is known as the first mile and last mile traffic in the port area is a very difficult exercise. First of all, rail traffic is expected to grow. In addition, there are many different rail operators, each with its own operational model. There is also currently no collaboration between these companies. All that rail traffic has to go over the limited available rail infrastructure with some bottlenecks, such as the bridges over the locks.
The deliveries of railcars are many and fragmented. This dramatically increases costs and has a negative impact on the environment.
Significant efficiency and sustainability gains can be achieved by better coordinating railcar deliveries and collections and by bundling the delivery and collection within the port area. As such, longer trains can be used instead of many short trains.
Nils van Vliet, CEO Railport: Although this was not an easy exercise, we are extremely happy with the result and with the huge support and backing from the industry and freight payers. Without their support we would not have succeeded. The project shows that together we can effectively change things by joining forces. Moreover, the project does not stop here. Railport will continue to monitor quality, organise area meetings to increase efficiency and take the necessary initiatives to accelerate the digitalisation exercise that has already started. We look to the future with hope.
In order to achieve this, Railport has divided the port into zones based on consolidated volumes and operational optimisation. On that basis, Railport has organised a tender for the first and last mile in each zone. It received a mandate for this from freight payers in these zones.
In doing so, Railport is aiming to make first-mile and last-mile traffic more accessible to both rail operators and freight payers. The model counters fragmentation and increases transparency as to their own goods.
After evaluating the bids received, the results of the tendering are known: Area 1 – Kanaaldokken: Lineas; Area 2 – Buitenschoor: Lineas; Area 3 – Bevrijdingsdok: Railtraxx; Area 4 – Oorderen : DB Cargo; Area 5 – Old Port: individual solution tailored to each freight payer; Area 6 – Oosterweel: Lineas; Area 7 – Deep sea: Railtraxx; Area 8 – WLH: Railtraxx; Area 9 – Zwijndrecht: Railtraxx
The participating freight payers can now enter into a first and last mile agreement with the selected railway operators.
The selected operators will offer their services in a neutral manner, to all interested parties. This means that even freight payers who had not (yet) submitted their volume in the tendering process can still join the project and make use of the services offered.
This regulation will take effect on 1 January 2024.
Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) today announces it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a comprehensive TotalCare service agreement with Ethiopian Airlines for 22 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engines.
The Trent XWB-84 exclusively powers the Airbus A350-900 aircraft.
TotalCare is designed to provide operational certainty for customers by transferring time on wing and maintenance cost risk back to Rolls-Royce. This industry-leading premium service is supported by data delivered through the Rolls-Royce advanced engine health monitoring system, which helps provide customers with increased operational availability, reliability and efficiency.
Ethiopian Airlines became Africa’s first A350 operator in 2016, and has been a customer of Rolls-Royce for many years. This order will complement the airline’s existing fleet of 40 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 engine. Rolls-Royce also powers the airline’s fleet of 10 Boeing 787s with their Trent 1000 engine.
Rolls-Royce congratulates Ethiopian Airlines on their continued route development and looks forward to the inaugural flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to London Gatwick, UK, later this month using their Trent XWB powered A350 aircraft.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew, said: “We are excited to place this commitment for 11 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 powered Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which will be supported by a comprehensive Rolls-Royce TotalCare services agreement. We are keen to expand our fleet size, acquiring the latest technology aircraft to offer a convenient and memorable onboard experience to our esteemed passengers.”
Rob Watson, President – Civil Aerospace Rolls-Royce plc, said: “Today’s announcement marks an exciting day for Ethiopian Airlines and Rolls-Royce. It is proof that the Trent XWB-84 continues to perform and deliver for our customers. It is the perfect engine platform to support Ethiopian Airlines’ growth ambitions as a leading airline in Africa.
“We have enjoyed a relationship with Ethiopian Airlines for many years and we would like to thank them for yet again putting their trust in the Trent XWB and Rolls-Royce. We look forward to supporting them with their global route development.”
As versatile as it is reliable, the Trent XWB has already shown it is equally efficient at powering short-haul or long-haul flights, which makes it the ideal solution for passenger and freighter operators with a varied network. As the world’s most efficient large aero engine in service, the Trent XWB will also help fast track Ethiopian Airlines’ sustainability journey.
With a 15 per cent fuel consumption advantage over the first generation of Trent engine, the Trent XWB goes further on less fuel, and offers leading performance and noise levels. It is also certified to operate on a 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend today and has been proven to be compatible with 100% SAF for the future.