As a part of its climate protection strategy, Dachser is initiating measures for greater sustainability in the airfreight industry.
From March 1, 2023, Dachser's airfreight customers will benefit from an additional booking option called Sustainable Fuel. By blending "Sustainable Aviation Fuel" (SAF), air freight shipments can be transported with 30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.
SAF are made from biological raw materials, e.g. residual and waste materials from the food industry, catering, agriculture and forestry, or from synthetic base materials. Since today's aircraft engines cannot manage without fossil fuels, SAF is blended with conventional kerosene. Sustainable fuels are thus an important lever for greater climate and environmental protection in air transport.
Dachser has secured a large contingent of SAF for the launch of the new service, so that it will be available to customers on all routes worldwide. The "SAF" booking option will not be offered free of charge, but is intended to be within an affordable range. The current price per liter for SAF is several times that of conventional kerosene, which is expected to remain so for years to come due to the limited supply. Consumption depends on various factors of the flight, such as aircraft type, load factor, and route. To prove the purchase of the fuel and the creditability of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the carbon footprint, each customer receives an emissions report on request as well as, in the following year, a certificate indicating the emissions saved, the amount of SAF liters used, the year of consumption and the exact SAF raw material base.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) today kicked off a 50-day countdown to April 17, 2023, the day FedEx celebrates 50 years of operations, with its 50 Days of Caring initiative.
During this time, FedEx team members will be giving back to their communities through service projects around the world. In addition, the company will hold events and share stories that celebrate its team members, shine a spotlight on its customers, and give the world a glimpse into what’s next.
To further celebrate this milestone, FedEx is proud to announce it exceeded its FedEx Cares 50 by 50 goal to help 50 million people by the company’s 50th birthday. In recognition of these events, the company plans to start the celebrations with a $50,000 gift to World Central Kitchen (WCK).
“For the last 50 years FedEx has transformed the world by connecting people and possibilities, and we want to celebrate this milestone anniversary by giving back,” said FedEx President and Chief Executive Officer Raj Subramaniam. “Exceeding our 50 by 50 goal of supporting 50 million people globally demonstrates the incredible dedication of FedEx team members and our steadfast commitment to deliver more than packages, but also hope, opportunity, and good in the world.”
Launched in 2019, FedEx Cares worked around the world with more than 900 nonprofits to have a direct and positive impact on more than 50 million people. Team members engaged in community service, invested in philanthropic endeavors, and provided in-kind shipping to many organizations. Some highlights include: Delivering hope and healing by leveraging the company’s global network to deliver basic necessities and medicine to people when natural disasters and crisis strike; Making dreams come true by investing in inclusion and the next generation of entrepreneurs; Prioritizing the planet by investing in solutions and innovations to create more sustainable cities and empower team members to restore and protect the environment through community service; Volunteering time in the community to help keep kids warm and feed the hungry.
Though FedEx met the 50 by 50 goal, the job is never done. Team members around the globe are encouraged to show support to the communities they serve every day and engage in 50 Days of Caring by volunteering for a nonprofit or donating items to an agency in need.
“The success of our first 50 years and the impact of our charitable and volunteer efforts inspires us to create a future as transformative as our first five decades,” said Subramaniam. “For all that we have achieved, doing our part to build a better, brighter world will be our most important delivery yet.”
Whether it is fashion, design prototypes, or critical documents, there are times where air cargo is the only possible logistics mode in question to urgently transport an item from one part of the world to the other.
The swift and steady rise of e-commerce, too, brings new challenges to the air cargo industry: shipments have become smaller, less standardised, and require faster delivery. Within its Next Generation approach, Qatar Airways Cargo has enhanced its Courier service to maximise efficiency, sustainability, speed, safety, and ease of operation, pre-empting and addressing these changing air cargo market needs.
“Our industry is in an unprecedented state of flux. Traditional business boundaries are being disrupted, as market requirements dictate the need for a differentiated approach to logistics processes. New technologies are being developed that enable efficient change and open up greater opportunities,” says Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways. “The transport of small cargo shipments is a perfect example. Previously considered to be typical integrator business, these urgent medical transports, fashion samples, small prototypes, or the huge increase in e-commerce parcels, form a rapidly growing segment in Qatar Airways Cargo’s daily business operations.” Qatar Airways Cargo transported 40,000 tonnes of Courier shipments in 2022, with a prime focus on e-commerce. This figure is likely to increase again in 2023, with London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Doha being prominent Courier destinations for the airline.
“In the normal world of large air cargo pallets and containers, small, urgent shipments require particular attention and care. Following a detailed Next Generation analysis of the Qatar Airways Cargo’s small shipment journey, we are now relaunching our Courier product as a faster, more streamlined and future-fit service,” Miguel Rodríguez, Senior Manager Climate Control Products at Qatar Airways Cargo, explains. His Doha-based Product Management team is responsible for defining the Courier product strategy, managing the product offering and maintaining customer relationships. An example of the Courier modification based on customer feedback and the Next Generation approach, is the recent global phase-out of the Courier Baggage Voucher (CBV) mode of booking in favour of the more common air waybill format. This enables a far more streamlined process and greater adherence to regulatory requirements and cargo messaging standards, thus reducing any negative risks. Another development is the global review of acceptance cut-off times to offer the best possible drop-off deadlines to customers, based on local regulations, airport infrastructures and operational factors.
“Our dedicated Qatar Airways Cargo Courier team ensures that each parcel is swiftly screened, handled, loaded and transferred so as to make its flight connections in the shortest possible time. Depending on the origin, destination and flight options chosen by the customer, Courier shipments can be delivered in as little as a few hours to up to 2 days.” Miguel Rodríguez concludes. Qatar Airways Cargo also provides a long list of approved data loggers that customers may use to track their shipments themselves if they prefer to. “We are convinced that our Courier product is one of the fastest, most reliable and far-reaching express solution on the market,” he says “and we aim to always maintain that Next Generation position.”
Professor Max Mejia selected to succeed Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry as the new President of the World Maritime University.
The new President of the WMU, Prof Max Mejia, is himself a graduate of the University, based in Malmo, Sweden
Following a competitive selection process, Professor Max Mejia has been selected by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Chancellor of the university, to succeed Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry as the new President of the World Maritime University (WMU), based in Malmö, Sweden.
It is expected that Professor Mejia will take over the president's role on 29 June 2023, when Dr. Doumbia-Henry's term expires.
The World Maritime University (WMU) was founded in 1983 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and ocean education, research, and professional training, while building global capacity and effective implementation of the IMO Conventions and regulations and promoting maritime sustainable development. It also promotes the roles of women in the maritime and ocean sectors.
As an entity within the UN system, WMU has been delivering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) on education, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, sustainable industrialization and innovation, climate action, the oceans, peace and justice, and working in partnership.
To date, WMU has 5,807 alumni from 170 countries and territories.
Professor Maximo Q. Mejia Jr. is currently Director of the PhD Program and Associate Academic Dean at the World Maritime University.
He studied Political Science at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland and went on to obtain a Master of Arts in Law & Diplomacy at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, United States.
He is himself a graduate of WMU, having received a Master of Science in Maritime Safety Administration in 1994. Professor Mejia also has a Licentiate of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy from Lund University in Sweden.
Before joining WMU in 1998, Professor Mejia saw duty on board various naval and coast guard vessels, as well as in shore-based facilities in the Philippines.
During a sabbatical from WMU between 2013 and 2016, Professor Mejia served as the Administrator (Director-General) of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) in the Philippines.
Recently, representatives of Mercedes-Benz Vans and BLG LOGISTICS together symbolically sealed the first container to be transported by BLG to the USA on behalf of the automotive manufacturer.
In future, the seaport and logistics service provider will take over the logistics for supplying the Mercedes-Benz Vans assembly plant in Charleston, South Carolina (USA).
Christian Dieckhöfer, Managing Director of BLG LOGISTICS, underlined the good cooperation in the project: "In a very short time, the interdisciplinary team brought everything together and rolled out all the complex IT processes. So, just four months after order placement in September 2022, we started operations on January 2, 2023."
BLG is responsible for order processing and shipment of components from European suppliers as well as for bundling the goods and information flows at the Düsseldorf facility. The company operates its own goods management system with interfaces to Mercedes-Benz Vans, the customs authorities and shipping lines. This ensures smooth communication and process flows between the various participants along the whole supply chain.
Apart from physical handling, which includes repackaging and consolidation processes, crossdock and full-container loads as well as handling returnable packaging, the logistics company also manages container requirements, takes care of customs clearance and provides all partners in the transport chain with the necessary transport documents.
The facility in Düsseldorf is characterized by good transport connections, especially to the seaports of Rotterdam and Antwerp via the neighboring Rhine ports.
Gross Fuchs, a leading freight forwarder network with members worldwide, has announced that it will be providing its members with access to the latest product from CargoAi, CargoWALLET.
CargoWALLET is a modern payment solution for air cargo with supply chain financing capabilities, allowing freight forwarders to make payments for their air cargo shipments directly within the CargoMART booking flow.
Developed by CargoAi, airfreight’s fastest growing digital enabler, CargoMART is a digital marketplace that simplifies air freight processes for freight forwarders of all sizes. Using CargoMART, freight forwarders are empowered to drive every stage of the air freight procurement process with greater efficiency and visibility - from planning, booking, monitoring shipments right through to monitoring their carbon emissions with Cargo2ZERO, CargoAi’s sustainability solution.
Integrated in the CargoMART booking flow, Cargo2ZERO provides CO2 visibility emission data on all CargoAi’s airline schedules, Routes and AWBs, calculated as per IATA RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1678 STANDARD. With data provided from Cargo2ZERO, Gross Fuchs forwarders can report on their Scope 3 emissions and be fully aligned for environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting requirements. During each booking, they can take the further step to Optimize emissions for each shipment using Cargo2ZERO’s CO2 Efficiency Score as their industry benchmark by always selecting the route with least carbon emissions for their shipment. Gross Fuchs forwarders can also purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with Neste, the leading producer of SAF, as an ‘add-on’ to each booking to scale climate action rapidly from an individual level.
With CargoWALLET, Gross Fuchs members can additionally benefit from a seamless payment solution, all within one interface. One of the key benefits of CargoWALLET is its streamlined booking and payment process, which allows freight forwarders to search and book shipments instantly, without the need for IATA Cass Number, AWB stock, or bank guarantees. CargoWALLET also provides flexible finance options, such as extended payment terms (PayLater), which can help freight forwarders manage their cash flow more effectively. Additionally, CargoWALLET enables bookings to be made from any origin as well as the lowest exchange rates in over 30 currencies, increasing the global reach and business potential for Gros Fuchs members.
"We are thrilled to offer the full scope CargoAi’s digital ecosystem to all our members," said Viktor André Fuchs, COO of Gross Fuchs. "We believe that Cargo2ZERO and CargoWALLET will enhance the overall freight procurement process for all our members. Sustainability is a key focus for us and our members, and with the added advantages of flexible finance options and global reach, CargoMART is the perfect digital marketplace to our network of freight forwarders."
CargoAi CEO, Matthieu Petot, added, "We are delighted to see our solutions adopted by Gross Fuchs. By simplifying the procurement process, CargoMART empowers freight forwarders to focus on what they do best - moving goods around the world."
Gross Fuchs members who have a CargoMART account can use all Cargo2ZERO sustainability features as well as apply for their CargoWALLET activation for free.
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest network operating carrier in Africa, is pleased to announce the resumption of its direct flights between Abidjan and New York John F. Kennedy Airport as of 29 May 2023.
Ethiopian first started serving New York from its main hub Addis Ababa via Abidjan in June 2019. However, the route was suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Later, the flight resumed serving New York via Lomé starting in October 2020.
Regarding the resumption of the flight, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said “We are excited to bring back our direct flight between Abidjan and New York. We have long been offering flights with the best connectivity between the US and Africa.
The resumption of our Abidjan-New York flight brings back the flexibility that our passengers love. We have been increasing frequencies and adding new destinations in Africa, Europe, Middle East, and Asia in the past couple of months and we are delighted that the Abidjan-New York route is coming again.”
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates to more than 130 international passenger and cargo destinations from its main hub Addis Ababa including to Abidjan, where Ethiopian provided 42 years of uninterrupted service since November 1980. Ethiopian will also be commencing a new passenger service to Atlanta, USA starting from 16 May 2023. Atlanta will be Ethiopian Airlines’ 6th destination in the US following its passenger services to New York, Newark, Chicago, Washington DC and cargo service to Miami.
Silk Way West Airlines is expanding its network in the Middle East and Central Asia through regular cargo flights twice a week to and from the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam, as well as to and from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
These scheduled routes will enable freight to be delivered directly from Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport to Dammam King Fahd International Airport and Tashkent International Airport, both of which are among the most important international air cargo gateways in their respective regions.
Over the past decade, Silk Way West Airlines has served both destinations several times per year through charter services, shipping general cargo including textiles, cars, perishables and other goods.
With the launch of these routes to Dammam and Tashkent, the airline will enhance its role in the Middle Eastern and Asian continental freight network and improve the quality of air cargo transportation services for both local and international partners. These new routes will also enable Silk Way West Airlines to meet its strategic goals of serving increased international demand and significantly expanding its global network.
Underlining the strategic importance of these new services, Silk Way West Airlines Vice-President CIS and Central Asia Vugar Mammadov said: "The demand for transportation to the Middle East and on the Middle Corridor route continues to rise. As a result, Azerbaijan is gaining increasing importance as a central logistics hub. We are pleased that now we can offer our customers regular flights from Baku to Dammam and Tashkent. We will continue to increase the number of flights we operate, as well as the destinations we serve, as Silk Way West Airlines continues to expand opportunities for its customers around the world."
In an effort to rally businesses and consumers, United today launched the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund SM, a first-of-its-kind investment vehicle designed to support start-ups focused on decarbonizing air travel by accelerating the research, production and technologies associated with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The fund starts with more than $100 million in investments from United and its inaugural partners** Air Canada, Boeing, GE Aerospace, JPMorgan Chase, and Honeywell. Through the fund, these and potentially additional corporate participants will invest alongside United in SAF technology and production start-ups identified by United. In the past two years alone, United Airlines Ventures has invested in start-ups such as Cemvita, Dimensional Energy, and NEXT Renewable Fuels.
And in a first among U.S. airlines, anyone who buys a ticket on the United website or app now has the option to contribute to supplement United's investment in the fund. The first 10,000 people who choose to contribute will each receive 500 MileagePlus Miles as a thank-you.
SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that, on a lifecycle basis, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with air travel compared to conventional jet fuel alone. SAF, which currently must be blended with conventional jet fuel to meet regulatory requirements for use within the aircraft, is being made from used cooking oil and agricultural waste, and, in the future, could be made from other feedstocks including household trash or forest waste. To date, United has invested in the future production of over three billion gallons of SAF - the most of any airline in the world.***
"Solving climate change is doable but it requires hard work and real leadership," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "This fund is unique. It's not about offsets or things that are just greenwashing. Instead, we're creating a system that drives investment to build a new industry around sustainable aviation fuel, essentially from scratch. That's the only way we can actually decarbonize aviation."
The UAV Sustainable Flight Fund is open to investment by corporations across industries and the fund will prioritize investment in new technology, advanced fuel sources and proven producers, all in an effort to scale the supply of SAF. Partners of the fund also have the potential to gain preferential access to environmental attributes associated with United's supply of SAF.
Companies interested in joining the fund can visit united.com/ventures.
United has already made investments in or signed purchase agreements with companies using a variety of ingredients and technologies to produce SAF, including feedstocks like ethanol, animal byproducts, forestry and crop waste, and municipal waste, as well as early-stage, promising technologies like synthetic biology and power to liquids. United Airlines Ventures will move selected existing SAF investments to establish the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund portfolio.
United is also educating consumers about their air travel carbon footprint and giving them the option to take action.
Starting today on United.com and the United app, United becomes the first U.S. airline to show customers an estimate of each flight's carbon footprint in their search. Green shading will indicate a lower-carbon option on a per economy seat passenger basis in a customer's chosen itinerary. A flight's carbon footprint is measured in kg CO2e (kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent) and United's estimates, which could differ from actual flight emissions, are based on aircraft type, flying time, seat capacity and the number of people and cargo on a given flight.
And consumers who book travel through United for travel within or from the U.S. will now see an option to contribute to supplement United's investment in the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund before check-out. Customers have the choice to contribute $1, $3.50 or $7.00.****
The default option for customer contributions is set at $3.50 to illustrate the potential impact of customer action at scale: if the 152 million people who flew on United in 2022 each contributed just $3.50 to the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund, that would be enough to design and build a SAF refinery capable of producing as much as 40 million gallons of alternative fuel annually.*****
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act includes the largest governmental climate change investments in U.S. history - a new blender's tax credit specifically for SAF along with other critical incentives for clean energy and carbon capture – that will help spur an increase in SAF infrastructure and supply while lowering costs for SAF consumers.
The U.S. military currently uses nearly five billion gallons of jet fuel annually and the Department of Defense will use a jet fuel blend containing at least 10% SAF by 2028 because of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
And according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the country's vast feedstock resources are enough to meet the projected SAF demand of the entire U.S. aviation industry.
United aims to be 100% green by reducing its GHG emissions 100% by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets. In addition to the UAV Sustainable Flight Fund, United has launched a SAF purchasing program called the Eco-Skies Alliance and established a venture fund - United Airlines Ventures - to identify and invest in companies and technologies that can decarbonize air travel. These strategic investments include carbon capture, hydrogen-electric engines, electric regional aircraft and air taxis.
DP World has signed a cooperation agreement with the Caspian Containers Company SA (CCCSA) to help digitalise trade across the Greater Caspian Region and parts of Africa, by using innovative technology to enable the booking and tracking of shipments at the click of a button.
Through the implementation of DP World’s SeaRates, a digital platform that allows the process of identifying and booking cargo routes to take place in seconds, cargo owners will be able to compare quotes from multiple providers and make informed decisions on the optimal route for their shipments. Serving as a ‘digital freight forwarder’, the SeaRates platform will enable CCCSA’s customers to monitor the status and movement details of a container at any point during its journey, allowing full visibility as well as the efficient movement of items from A to B.
In addition to supporting the digitalising of trade, the partnership will further strengthen ties in the two growing markets of the Greater Caspian Region and Africa. The particular focus will seek to attract customers for project cargo shipments in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, as well as Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana and Kenya in Africa.
The lack of standardisation in many Greater Caspian and African countries when it comes to transportation and logistics has made it difficult for customers to compare prices and services from different providers. As a result of the partnership with DP World’s SeaRates, CCCSA’s customers will be able to compare quotes from multiple providers and make informed decisions in minutes.
Mike Bhaskaran, Group Chief Technology Officer, Digital Technology, DP World, commented: "There is a great opportunity to enable further development of the Greater Caspian Region and Africa’s trade routes to unlock more economic benefits. The digitalising of the supply chain will help us do this, with innovative technology such as SeaRates enabling cargo owners to find the most efficient routes to transport their goods via an online platform. As a technology leader in the supply chain and logistics space, we are proud of the role that we can play when it comes to providing digital products for all stakeholders in the value chain, and we look forward to building on the relationship we have with the Caspian Containers Company to facilitate the flow of trade".
Murat Seitpesinov, Chairman of the Integral Petroleum Group, commented: "As one of the leading players in commodity trading, logistics and related digital projects in the Greater Caspian Region, Integral Group is excited to partner with DP World, the leading global port operator and logistics integrator. This cooperation will drive adoption of innovative logistics solutions and digital technologies as well as facilitate trade in two regions with the highest growth potential in the World -- the Greater Caspian Region and Africa".
Customers simply input the place of loading and required destination. SeaRates then offers the most streamlined way of making that delivery from its network of freight forwarders. It provides multiple shipment options to customers to enable them to check vessel schedules and track their shipments once the booking is made, all in one digital platform. If rates are not immediately available, SeaRates connects to CARGOES Logistics, a digital solution, providing access to instant online cargo booking, to work on a tailormade quote based on DP World-owned assets being used to ship a container.
As a member of Vietravel Group - the leading tour operator in Vietnam, Vietravel Airlines wish to accompany customers to explore new destinations, experience fascinating cultures, so that each journey is an unforgettable memory.
Vietravel Airlines also give to all forwarding company daily lose cargo capacity from Bangkok (BKK) to SGN and HAN by A.320 and A.321
Sky Pacific Air Services operates as a General Sales & Service Agent (GSSA) with a dedicated focus on representing and supporting the interests of airline in different countries worldwide. Headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, Sky Pacific has expanded to become a key Asian player in the airline distribution & logistics environment, offering outsourced services such as passenger & cargo sales and marketing, reservations, finance and fare filing. With airlines looking for global presence and cost reductions, we are working under our slogan “Serve Locally, Act Globally” by providing our airline partners with local knowledge as well as expanding and serving our global network of partners to increase our service efficiency, reliability and flexibility.
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