PRESS RELEASE
June 20, 2014: TIACA has welcomed the US Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) decision to lift requirements for air cargo screening reports, less than a year after calling for the regulation to be axed.
TSA has announced that it will no longer require the industry to provide air cargo screening volume reporting, a requirement which TIACA warned last Fall was putting strain on the industry.
"This will significantly relieve the reporting burden on industry, saving many labor and IT hours," said Doug Brittin, Secretary General, TIACA. "All passenger carriers, and over 1,200 Certified freight forwarders and shippers in the US, have been required to measure and provide these reports monthly.
"We applaud this move as a positive step towards adopting a risk-based approach versus forensic compliance."
Last September, TIACA chairman Oliver Evans wrote to TSA Administrator John Pistole commending the TSA's collaborative approach to implementing security programs, and its successful implementation of 100% mandatory screening for all cargo on passenger planes into and out of US airports.
Evans called for TSA's screening achievement to be certified and the reporting requirement to be lifted.
"We are delighted the requirements have now been lifted," said Evans.
"This move allows industry and government to properly focus limited resources on measures that materially benefit security.
"We represent all sections of the air freight supply chain and we are dedicated to continuing our close work with regulators to ensure global cargo security measures are effective and efficient, while ensuring the flow of commerce."
Brittin said regular and ongoing inspections of industry's cargo screening processes made the reports unnecessary, and suggested the personnel and IT resource being used to fulfil the requirement, for both government and industry, could be better deployed.
After the September 11 th 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the US Government's Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act, passed in August 2007, required 100% of all cargo on passenger aircraft into and out of US airports to be physically screened.
PRESS RELEASE
June 19, 2014:The idea was as simple as it was ingenious. DHL Express largely un
dertakes express operations during the working week, while Lufthansa Cargo's main business happens at the weekend. This proved the perfect starting point for synergies, so both companies decided to set up an airline together. The goal: to make the best use of aircraft capacities. What began as a bold vision is now the success story named AeroLogic.
The cargo airline, which is based in Schkeuditz at the airport of Leipzig-Halle (LEJ), started operations precisely five years ago and has been flying around the globe for DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo ever since. AeroLogic has experienced strong growth since its maiden flight on 29 June 2009 from Leipzig-Halle to Singapore via Bahrain. The fleet of brand new Boeing 777Fs increased in less than two years to eight freighters. "We now have one of the largest Boeing 777 freighter fleets worldwide", said Managing Director Ulf Weber. "Building this up from scratch with our team has been a strong achievement."
AeroLogic has safely and reliably operated 25,300 flights for parent companies DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo in the past five years. The Leipzig airline now has 21 destinations in 15 countries in its schedule. In the last five years AeroLogic served a total of 51 destinations on behalf of their customers and shareholders.
"When compared internationally, AeroLogic is synonymous with outstanding punctuality and maximum efficiency", said Marcus Niedermeyer, Director of Administration at AeroLogic. "We want to continue on this successful course into the future with our some 280 employees."
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2014: Delta Air Lines is partnering with the Carbon War Room, a nonprofit founded by Sir Richard Branson, in an effort to accelerate low-carbon jet fuel production worldwide. This is part of the global carrier's commitment to environmental accountability, transparency and carbon emission reduction.
In 2010 airlines spent US$140 billion on jet fuel. In 2012, that cost grew to more than US$200 billion.
Delta and Carbon War Room agree that the development of a secure, sustainable, renewable fuels supply will strengthen the airline industry's access to high-quality jet fuel, reduce price volatility and the industry's overall carbon footprint and meet the needs of increasingly climate-conscious customers.
Additionally, access to a competitively-priced renewable jet fuel will be advantageous in meeting future regulatory requirements to reduce emissions from the burning of petroleum-based jet fuel.
"Delta recognizes that our commitment and responsibility extends well beyond our customers and includes being good global corporate citizens," said John Laughter, Delta's senior vice president – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. "Supporting the Carbon War Room is a great step forward as we strive to lead the industry in innovation and sustainability."
"I am very excited to welcome Delta Air Lines as the newest partner in this game-changing effort. By joining, Delta is further elevating its commitment to environmental sustainability and supporting real action to face the most important challenge of our time," said Jose Maria Figueres, President of the Carbon War Room.
Additionally, Delta is reducing its carbon footprint through initiatives such as improving the efficiency of our fleet, partnerships in air traffic management, airport and facility green practices and a robust recycling program in the air and on the ground. The airline also has successfully verified its complete greenhouse gas emissions inventory under The Climate Registry and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index three years in a row.
Since 2009, Delta has supported the greenhouse gas emissions goals of IATA and Airlines for America, including improving average annual fuel efficiency by 1.5 percent through 2020, stabilizing emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020 and reducing net emissions 50 percent by 2050, relative to 2005.
PRESS RELEASE
June 19, 2014 — CargoSmart Limited, a global shipment management software solutions provider that leverages big data for greater visibility and benchmarking, today announced SSM+, a new version of its sailing schedules application for Android™ and iPhone®. For the first time, shippers and logistics service providers can view schedule reliability rankings in the sailing schedule search results screen so that users can quickly compare services and select the schedules that are the best fit for their supply chain planning.
Expanding ocean carrier alliances, skipped sailings, and slow steaming to conserve fuel are causing an increase in vessel schedule changes. Visibility to schedule reliability along specific routes provides transparency for shippers and logistics service providers to benchmark their carriers' on-time performance. "We are pleased to offer customers more information about their route options so that they can make informed decisions to improve planning and on-time delivery," said Kim Le, director of CargoSmart North America.
SSM+ allows users to access the latest sailing schedules and schedule reliability information anytime, anywhere. The free mobile application includes sailing schedule information for 27 ocean carriers and schedule reliability information for the top 30 ports, over 250 port pairs, 20 leading ocean carriers, over 12,000 vessel schedules, and over 200 services each month along four major trade lanes including Asia-Europe, intra-Europe, trans-Atlantic, and trans-Pacific. CargoSmart's schedule reliability data is updated weekly.
Ocean carriers have previewed the sailing schedule application's search results and rankings and praise the application for its data quality and ranking methodology. "When on-time performance is paramount, CargoSmart's application empowers our customers to select the services that best meet their needs," said Wan Min, managing director and director of the board of COSCO Container Lines Co., Ltd. "We are impressed with CargoSmart's sailing schedules and the schedule reliability results that reflect the on-time historical performance of our vessels."
The mobile application raises the bar of schedule reliability measurement with a new, defined methodology for calculating on-time performance. The application uses a designated timestamp for each port pair, based on an event-driven system architecture, to determine carriers' port-to-port reliability performance. "CargoSmart analyzes carriers' operational schedules to measure reliability," said Andy Tung, chief executive officer of Orient Overseas Container Line Limited. "The methodology provides a new industry standard to benchmark with and help carriers identify where customer service enhancements are needed."
"We collect and analyze schedule information from multiple sources including, but not limited to, the data ocean carriers provide," said Angela Tsang, head of product design and marketing of CargoSmart. "The new schedule reliability methodology measures carriers' operations in a neutral manner, enabling customers to save time managing big data to have a clearer view of carrier performance."
The free SSM+ application for Android and iPhone is available to download from Google Play™ and the App Store℠. Currently, users can look up sailing schedules with schedule reliability results for one port of origin or destination of their choice. CargoSmart will offer expanded and customizable schedule reliability information to enable customers to continuously improve their shipment planning processes.
Hong Kong-based CargoSmart Limited provides global shipment management software solutions that enable shippers, consignees, logistics service providers, NVOCCs, and ocean carriers to improve planning and on-time deliveries. Connected to over 30 ocean carriers, CargoSmart leverages big data sources and a cloud-based platform to offer award-winning sailing schedules, visibility, documentation, contract management, compliance, and benchmarking solutions. Launched in 2000, CargoSmart helps over 130,000 transportation and logistics professionals to increase delivery reliability, lower transportation costs, and streamline operations.
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2014: UPS announced today that the company has pledged to complete 20 million hours of global volunteerism and community service by the end of 2020. The goal was announced by David Abney, UPS chief operating officer and CEO-elect, at the opening day of the Points of Light National Conference on Volunteering and Service. By achieving this goal, UPS's total volunteer hours will increase more than 12% and non-profits will receive volunteer assistance valued at more than $460 million* by the end of the initiative.
"Volunteerism has always been an integral part of our company culture," said Abney. "UPS's founder Jim Casey continually advocated for employees to give back to the communities in which they live and work. Our pledge of logging 20 million hours of volunteer service by the end of 2020 reinforces our corporate giving strategy and our commitment to our volunteering and philanthropic efforts that advance and enrich communities around the world."
Each year, UPS employees, alongside their families and friends, have logged millions of hours and provided countless resources that benefit local community development, youth education, social issues and the environment. Since 2011, UPS employees have logged 5.3 million hours of employee service around the world. Through the focused 2020 agenda, UPS employees will build upon their existing volunteer efforts to continue contributing impactful service to local communities.
In addition to its volunteer pledge, The UPS Foundation last year granted more than $1 million to Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer services. As the convener of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, Points of Light mobilizes millions of people to take action in philanthropic activities that change the world. This significant grant will support Points of Light's global volunteerism efforts, which include disaster relief, veterans' services, financial literacy, economic development resources and education.
"The UPS Foundation has been working with Points of Light for more than a decade," said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation. "Our programs with Points of Light have built capacity to mobilize new and existing volunteers and increased engagement with communities, businesses and non-profit organizations in volunteer leadership. Together, we are paving the way for innovation, action and impact to make a difference around the world."
In a related move the UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, has donated US$10,000 to the Saigai Fukko Shien Volunteer Net, a non-profit organization that provides recovery assistance for the affected areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake. In addition to funding the operational costs of the coordinating office, the grant will also be used for the rental and maintenance of cleaning equipment and supplies.
Masato Umeno, president of UPS Japan, said, "Three years after the devastation, more support is still needed in the disaster affected area. As part of UPS's strong culture of giving back to the local communities where we do business, UPS continues to dedicate resources toward the relief efforts. By supporting the Saigai Fukko Shien Volunteer Net, we are very pleased to contribute to activities that have a direct impact to the local community in the Odaka Ward."
PRESS RELEASE
June 19, 2014: The UK Port of Felixstowe has taken another step to improve both its operational and environmental efficiency with the introduction of its first electric-powered Rubber-Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs).
The four machines, originally manufactured by ZPMC in Shanghai, have been converted from diesel to electric primary drive in the first project of its kind in Western Europe. The work was undertaken by Kalmar, part of the Cargotec group.
Commenting on the initiative, Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs, Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, owners of the Port of Felixstowe, said:
"The Port of Felixstowe is fully committed to providing the highest levels of operational performance whilst at the same time reducing the impact of its operations on the environment. This pilot project to electrify four RTGs will help us achieve both objectives. The greener machines are the latest in a programme of measures which has seen carbon emissions at the port cut by 12% since 2007, keeping us on course to achieving a target reduction of 30% by 2017."
The electric RTGs are expected to make a significant contribution to further increase carbon savings. It is estimated that each machine will deliver energy savings of at least 45% compared with conventional diesel machines. With a comparable reduction in emissions, the conversion programme will also contribute to improving air quality in and around the port.
The conversion project involved installing electrical infrastructure along the full 217 metre length of two of the port's RTG container storage blocks. The RTGs themselves were modified to install an automatic drive-in collector unit to connect to the electric supply as well as fitting new operator controls and a conductor bar system to supply power to the electric motors.
Importantly, the design allows RTGs to move between storage blocks and connect quickly and easily to a new electricity supply. This retains the inherent advantage of RTGs over rail-mounted alternatives, allowing greater flexibility and an improved ability to match equipment to variable patterns of demand.
The converted machines have also been fitted with an auto-steer function when connected to the conductor bar system through which the electricity is supplied. This system reduces the demand on the driver, minimizing fatigue and allowing him to focus on the efficient movement of containers.
PRESS RELEASE
June 17, 2014: Qatar Airways Cargo sponsored the opening ceremony of the Qatar Solar Energy factory and research facility in Doha last week. The facility which can produce solar panels, capable of generating as much as 300 megawatts of energy annually, is located in Doha's new industrial area.
In alignment with Qatar's National Vision 2030, Qatar Solar Energy's mission is to help Qatar take a significant and strategic step towards establishing itself as a global and renewable energy technology development and research hub.
Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Ulrich Ogiermann, said: "Qatar Airways Cargo operates from its Doha hub to more than 130 destinations worldwide, offering freight forwarders access to one of the youngest airline fleets, as well as a truly global network. "We look forward to working with Qatar Solar Energy, and supporting them in shipping solar panels, and other leading-edge equipment, around the world.
"Qatar Airways takes its takes corporate social responsibility very seriously, and is committed to protecting the environment," added Mr. Ogiermann.
"Qatar Solar Energy is dedicated to democratizing sustainable energy by delivering environmentally responsible solutions to the world's pressing energy challenges. By lowering the cost, our technology will empower individuals and businesses with affordable electricity in developed and emerging markets," said Salim Abbassi, CEO of QSE. "This is a significant milestone for Qatar and proves that the region can be on the leading edge of an industry that will secure sustainable energy for future generations."
QSE also announced that it signed agreements with Jermyn Capital to supply 150MW of solar power to the Japanese market and additionally with Power Capital to supply 150MW to the Thailand market. QSE was chosen as the solar provider of choice for its ability to deliver higher efficiency solar solutions at lower costs with plans to work together into the future with both companies on a range of solar power initiatives.
PRESS RELEASE
June 19, 2014: Amerijet International, Inc. is gearing up for its U.S. Domestic Freighter Operation by awarding the east and west‐coast road feeder bid to its ITS Logistics. The contract connects nine U.S. cities to Amerijet's new U.S. Domestic air cargo hubs at Reno‐Tahoe International Airport and Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus utilizing dedicated 53 foot air ride trailers.
Starting July 7th, Amerijet International, Inc. will begin daily B767 freighter operations between its new hubs providing long‐haul air freight service for intercontinental and domestic freight. Dedicated road feeder services between Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Reno on the west coast and Chicago, Detroit, Philadelp
hia, Newark, Atlanta, Miami and Columbus on the east coast will allow Amerijet to provide its customers with a 1‐2 day service coast to coast.
"The dedicated road feeder service is an integral part of our new domestic air service. It was very important for us to find the right Company to provide our ground transportation. ITS and Amerijet have both built a reputation on service and our company cultures are very much aligned with each other," said Amerijet's Pamela Rollins, Sr. VP of Business Development. "Amerijet is confident that the partnership with ITS Logistics will ensure immediate and long‐term benefits to the strategic expansion of the company."
"ITS Logistics is very excited to partner with a dynamic company like Amerijet and be a part of filling such a void throughout the U.S.," said Jeff Lynch, President of ITS Logistics. "ITS specializes in time-definite line haul services and this agreement with Amerijet is very complimentary for both companies. ITS will dedicate a pool of 20 drivers and trucks along with 35 trailers to this operation and both companies expect substantial growth as this new service offering expands into other markets."
Amerijet International, Inc. is full‐service multi‐modal transportation and logistics provider, offering U.S. Domestic and International, scheduled all‐cargo transport via land, sea, and air. Amerijet connects over 30 major cities in the U.S. with more than 600 destinations worldwide, providing global transportation solutions for customers throughout the Americas, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2014: Etihad Cargo, a division of UAE national airline, Etihad Airways, has enhanced its cargo services to and from Switzerland and the United States (US), by offering bellyhold cargo capacity on flights between Abu Dhabi and Zurich and Los Angeles respectively.
Etihad Airways launched daily flights to both cities on 1 June, bringing the total number of Swiss destinations flown direct from its Abu Dhabi hub to two, and raising to four its network of direct US cities.
The airline already flies from Abu Dhabi to Geneva in Switzerland and to Chicago, New York and Washington D.C. in the US.
The new Abu Dhabi-Zurich services offer cargo customers 260 tonnes of weekly bellyhold uplift capability while flights between Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles will offer 130 tonnes of weekly bellyhold volume.
Etihad Airways is deploying an Airbus A330-300 aircraft on the Abu Dhabi-Zurich route, with services to Los Angeles initially being operated by an Airbus A340-500 aircraft, before switching to a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft from 15 July.
Kevin Knight, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at Etihad Airways, said: "Switzerland and the US are key markets for us, and our new services to Zurich and Los Angeles provide shippers with convenient, daily access to points all across our global network.
"In total, we now offer just over 510 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity to and from Switzerland, and 940 tonnes to and from the US, with unique access out of both countries to the Gulf region, the Indian subcontinent market, Africa and many parts of Asia.
"Our new cargo capability to Zurich and Los Angeles will appeal particularly to the valuable goods, pharmaceutical, textile, machinery and fresh produce sectors, and we look forward to working with our customers to facilitate more trade across our network."
The increase in cargo capacity comes against a background of rising tonnage flown by Etihad Cargo. In 2013, Etihad Cargo carried more than 6,700 tonnes of goods to and from Switzerland, up 21 per cent on 2012, while tonnage to and from the US over the same period rose 54 per cent to 36,000 tonnes
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2014: Chapman Freeborn Airchartering has today announced a major expansion plan for its subsidiary Intradco Cargo Services which will see the company extend its animal transport operations on a worldwide basis.
The global aircraft charter specialist - which completed the acquisition of UK-based Intradco in February of this year - is initiating a worldwide growth strategy following the successful integration of the company into its business portfolio over the last three months.
As the world's leading equine, livestock and exotics transport specialist, Intradco has over three decades of experience providing the safest air transport solutions for animals of all shapes and sizes.
The company - which is also at the forefront of designing and leasing its own equipment for animal transportation - will now utilize Chapman Freeborn's global network of over 30 offices worldwide to introduce its services to new markets.
In the highly-specialized field of bloodstock movements, they will target potential growth regions around the world, ranging from their base in the UK to racing and breeding industries in North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia.
Commenting on the expansion plans, Russi Batliwala, CEO of Chapman Freeborn, said:
"We're delighted to welcome Intradco into the Chapman Freeborn group and see it as an ideal fit for our business. Our global offices have seen a tremendous increase in livestock and bloodstock requests since Intradco joined us. Their niche expertise and own equipment has made them a market leader for animal transport services."
Eddie McMullen, Managing Director of Intradco, said: "This is an exciting development for Intradco that we believe sits perfectly with our approach – it just makes sense. The initial focus will be on promoting our services in previously untapped markets by making the most of Chapman Freeborn's global office coverage and local market knowledge. There are exciting times ahead!"
Over the past three decades, Intradco has developed a team of professionals dedicated to the safe journey and constant care of live cargo.
The company's experience includes coordinating charters for Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Breeders' Cup and Dubai World Cup winners, as well as more unusual movements including transporting 247 deer from USA to Russia, and 400 alpacas from Chile to London.
Since joining Chapman Freeborn, Intradco also successfully managed a high-profile project to fly 47 horses from Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) as part of the world-famous Cavalia equestrian tour.
In addition to overseeing charters, Intradco offers a growing range of owned custom-designed stalls and penning equipment for lease, making it a favorite with many of the world's leading airlines when undertaking live animal flights.
As part of its global expansion plans, Chapman Freeborn has unveiled a brand new look for Intradco including a redesign of its logo, new imagery and supporting materials, as well as the launch of a new website.
PRESS RELEASE
June 16, 2014: Ethiopian Airlines, the largest airline in Africa, is pleased to announce that it has finalized preparations to start three weekly services to Madrid, Spain starting from 2 September 2014.
Ethiopian flights to Madrid will be operated through Rome and will bring the number of the airline's international destinations across five continents to 83. The flights will provide the best connectivity options between Spain and East and Southern Africa.
Madrid, the political, economic and financial hub of Spain, is the country's biggest and Europe's the third largest city. It also houses the headquarters of the World Tourism Organization and numerous major corporations.
"We are very pleased to announce to our esteemed customers that Ethiopian will start services to Madrid, bringing the number of our European destinations to ten. The continued expansion of our network in Europe will enable our customers to enjoy wider choice of connectivity options when travelling between Europe and Africa. Spain is a major tourist originating and destination country. Our new route to Madrid will create opportunities for further strengthening the investment, trade, and tourism ties between Spain and 49 destinations in Africa with convenient and seamless connection through our main hub in Addis Ababa.", said Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde Gebremariam.
Passengers to and from Madrid will enjoy convenient connections to destinations in Ethiopian wide route network such as Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salam, Nairobi, Entebbe, Lusaka, Luanda and Johannesburg.
Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its operations in the past close to seven decades, Ethiopian has become one of the continent's leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.
Ethiopian commands the lion share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 81 international destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200LR Freighter and Bombardier Q-400 with double cabin. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.
Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with seven business centers: Ethiopian Domestic and Regional Airline; Ethiopian International Passenger Airline; Ethiopian Cargo; Ethiopian MRO; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian In-flight Catering Services; and Ethiopian Ground Service. Ethiopian is a multi-award winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.
