Freightweek, the leading global logistics publisher
exhibits at Air Cargo Forum Miami 2022.
A busy couple of days for Zeilin and the Freightweek team.
A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk), the integrated logistics company, is expanding its warehousing footprint in Bangladesh with a brand new 100,000 sq. ft. facility being built in Chattogram.
The upcoming facility is strategically located close to the Chattogram Port and easily connected to the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway through the Outer Ring Road and Karnaphuly Tunnel, giving easy access to Bangladesh’s garment exporters based out of the nearby manufacturing hubs.
Bangladesh is witnessing impressive growth in garments exports. However, the warehousing footprint in Chattogram has not increased proportionally.
"The last two to three years have been extremely challenging for Bangladesh’s exporters. The Covid-19 pandemic caused many disruptions in the supply chains. The acute imbalance in demand and supply of goods, bottlenecks in the logistics ecosystem, displaced workforce and congestion at ports and warehouses led to unforeseen challenges in Bangladesh." Angshuman Mustafi, Head of Maersk, Bangladesh.
He added, "However, the pandemic also presented us with the opportunity to have meaningful dialogues with our customers and look into the future. We realised that the demand for warehousing space was rising and decided to undertake measures that could address this requirement proactively."
Maersk Bangladesh has partnered with Vertex Off-Dock Logistics Services Limited to commission the new three-storied facility. The lift, conveyor belt and slider-operated warehouse will ensure higher productivity. Internal and external parking facilities will allow for a higher number of trucks and vans to be accommodated within the warehouse. While the current facility will be 100,000 sq. ft., Maersk has access to more space in case of expansion in the future.
"Through our collaboration with Maersk, we are building a facility that has a modern integrated installation. By building efficient warehouses, we are catering to the demand of the country’s exporters and addressing their requirements to the level of international standards." Imran Fahim Noor, Managing Director, Vertex Off-Dock Logistics Services.
As an integrator of logistics, Maersk is developing and providing solutions ranging from ocean transportation to landside and air transportation, contract logistics including warehousing & distribution (W&D) and depots, custom clearances, visibility solutions and so on. Maersk’s resilient end-to-end solutions ensure customers’ cargo is kept moving in case of unforeseen challenges. With the expansion of warehousing facilities, Maersk is strengthening its position further by providing a larger array of services through a single window to its customers.
Ocean shipping and landside logistics & distribution have traditionally been shared amongst multiple stakeholders resulting in complex supply chains. To create a seamless experience and integrated logistics solution for its customers, Maersk is strategically investing in W&D facilities along with providing ocean and landside transportation.
Emirates has announced a firm order for 5 new Boeing 777-200LR freighter aircraft, with 2 units to be delivered in 2024 and the remaining 3 units in 2025.
The agreement, worth over US$ 1.7 billion at list prices, takes the airline’s total order book to 200 wide-body aircraft.
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said: “Emirates is investing in new freighters so that we can continue to serve customer demand with the latest fuel-efficient aircraft. This order reflects Emirates’ confidence in airfreight demand and overall aviation sector growth. It lays the ground for our continued growth, which is driven by the reach of our diverse global network, the advanced handling infrastructure at our Dubai hub, and the tailored transport solutions that Emirates has developed to serve our varied customers’ needs.”
Stan Deal, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said: “We value the trust that Emirates has repeatedly placed in its all-Boeing freighter fleet. The expansion of Emirates’ fleet with these additional fuel-efficient 777 Freighters will enable the airline to support its growing cargo market demand, transporting goods rapidly and efficiently from origin to destination in the Middle East and around the world.”
At last November’s Dubai Airshow, Emirates announced a US$ 1 billion investment to expand its air cargo capacity, including 2 new 777Fs which have already joined the Emirates fleet in 2022, and plans to convert 10 Boeing 777-300ERs into freighter aircraft. The aircraft conversion work is scheduled to begin in 2023.
Emirates was the launch customer for the Boeing 777 freighter. The versatile aircraft has since become core to the airline’s operations, operating scheduled and charter missions to destinations across six continents. The 777-F’s range and payload capabilities allow Emirates to efficiently transport time and temperature sensitive shipments from origin to destination - whether it is time critical goods, fresh products, medicines, pets, cars or champion racehorses.
Emirates currently operates a fleet of 11 Boeing 777 freighters, in addition to bellyhold cargo capacity on its fleet of widebody 777 and A380 passenger aircraft.
Air Canada Cargo today announced the introduction of a specialized service for equine transportation utilizing its Boeing 767-300 freighters.
Air Canada Cargo will use stalls that are specifically designed to transport prized horses, with up to three animals per unit. Equine attendants accompanying horses will be accommodated on the same flights in special upper deck passenger seating.
The Air Canada Cargo freighter network provides many opportunities to facilitate convenient equine transportation globally throughout North America, Europe and Latin America seamlessly via its Toronto hub. The facilities in Toronto include a state-of-the-art barn (comfort stop facility) that can hold horses in care and comfort at any point during their journey.
“This new highly specialized service is another sign of our continued investment in our facilities and international network to better serve our customers. Air Canada Cargo takes great pride in the safe and humane transport of animals, and our new equine product we offer to our customers, from the facilities and stalls that provide the highest standard of safety and care for these magnificent animals to our ability to accommodate attendants onboard is state of the art from end to end,” said Matthieu Casey, Managing Director, Commercial, for Air Canada Cargo.
In addition to the facilities in Toronto, the attendants accompanying the horses will be able to check on the animals in-flight, ensuring they have water and are well cared throughout their journey.
The stalls Air Canada Cargo will utilize for this service are provided by Unilode, Air Canada’s long-standing ULD management provider, and were manufactured by VRR.
Air Canada Cargo offers the highest service level for horse transportation, compliant with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animal Regulations. Earlier this year, Air Canada become the first airline to be re-certified by IATA for the safe transport of live animals by Air Canada Cargo.
Crowley and the Port of Jacksonville, Fla., (JAXPORT) have been awarded a federal grant to support a $14.6 million project to reduce emissions and add electric-power equipment at Crowley’s terminal.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded the grant under the Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funding will pay 50 percent of the cost, with Crowley matching 50 percent through JAXPORT’s initiative, named JAXPORT EXPRESS.
“JAXPORT EXPRESS is a great example of the partnership we need to reach our sustainability commitments and be even more efficient in our supply chain operations and services,” said Brett Bennett, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Logistics. “As we continue our journey to reach net-zero emissions, moving to an electric fleet and more efficient terminal equipment will help us make a major impact in the Jacksonville community, where we already utilize lower emission fuels, and be leaders in our industry. We appreciate the support from the U.S. Department of Transportation, MARAD and JAXPORT and look forward to collaborating to reach our shared goal of a cleaner, decarbonized world.”
At Crowley’s terminal, the project will add nearly two dozen zero-emissions equipment for cargo handling, including specialty yard tractors and forklifts, as well as related charging stations for Crowley’s supply chain services. The grant also supports the addition of 160 refrigerated cargo charging stations (reefer plugs) to sustainability meet current and future growth needs at the port without using diesel as fuel. These emissions reduction efforts build upon Crowley’s investments increasing the efficiency and sustainability of the Puerto Rico trade by deploying liquified natural gas (LNG) ships, four forthcoming LNG-fueled ships for the U.S.-Central America trade, and a state-of-the-art LNG bunkering facility at the terminal.
The total grant award at JAXPORT is a $23.5 million grant to enhance sustainability initiatives at the port’s Blount Island and Talleyrand marine terminals. Additional funding will support a $31.2 million purchase of new eco-friendly cargo handling equipment for the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal (JCT) at Blount Island.
“We are grateful for the support of the federal government and port partners SSA and Crowley as we work together to do our part to make the supply chain cleaner and greener for our community,” said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. “This investment marks a significant milestone in our initiatives to build the port of the future and move cargo in the most efficient and eco-friendly way possible.”
Equipment purchased through the EXPRESS project will be Buy America-compliant, spurring further investment into the growth of America’s zero-emissions manufacturing capabilities.
On October 13, 2022, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and BLG LOGISTICS signed a Standby Partnership agreement to deploy logistics experts from the seaport and logistics service provider to WFP missions.
BLG is now one of about 28 WFP partner organizations worldwide. Through Standby Partnerships, WFP can draw on technical expertise in emergencies.
"I am delighted that BLG can confirm and further expand its ten-year commitment to this important international institution through the Standby agreement with the United Nations World Food Programme. Logistics is an elementary component of humanitarian operations in the world's crisis regions," emphasized Frank Dreeke, CEO of BLG LOGISTICS. He signed the agreement together with Margot Van der Velden, Director Emergencies of WFP, and Ferdinand Möhring, BLG port expert, at the World Food Programme headquarters in Rome.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the leading humanitarian organization in the fight against global hunger. WFP's activities include emergency relief, reconstruction and development cooperation. Two-thirds of its programs are implemented in conflict-affected countries. Each year, between 100 and 200 experts are called on to join WFP operations in support of the organization’s mission of zero hunger.
For the past ten years, BLG has provided its logistics expertise to WFP free of charge by inspecting and assessing ports, roads, rail lines, warehouses and other logistics facilities. The experienced BLG port expert Ferdinand Möhring and his colleagues have travelled to and surveyed 21 locations over the past ten years. As part of this mission, former Captain Möhring was in Haiti, Burundi, Bangladesh, Iraq, Madagascar, Uganda, and Tanzania, among other places. Each mission documents for WFP the current situation at key infrastructure points; ultimately, it is not only the ports that benefit from these recommendations, but above all the people in the crisis regions.
In the third quarter of 2022, the Kuehne+Nagel Group continued to perform well in the market.
From January to September 2022, net turnover increased by 40% to CHF 30.6 billion, EBIT by 71% to CHF 3.1 billion and net earnings by 73% to CHF 2.3 billion. Free cash flow amounted to CHF 2.6 billion. The Group's conversion rate amounted to 36.2%.
Stefan Paul, CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International AG: "Kuehne+Nagel posted its best-ever nine-months results. However, higher energy prices, broad-based inflation as well as geopolitical tensions drive additional volatility in supply chains. At the same time, the easing in sea and air freight markets translates to some relief for our customers. Our asset-light business model is primarily focused upon responding to our customers' worldwide needs in a flexible manner while ensuring a high quality of service."
Net turnover in the business unit Sea Logistics amounted to CHF 14.8 billion and EBIT was CHF 1.7 billion for the period January to September 2022. The conversion rate reached 60.9%. Container volumes were 3.3 million TEU through the end of September 2022. In the third quarter of 2022, the average yield was maintained at an unchanged high level year-on-year.
Overall, complexity in global sea freight markets steadily decreased in the first nine months of 2022, while volatility steadily increased in major trade routes.
Kuehne+Nagel once again championed environmentally friendly technologies in sea freight. With the purchase of biofuel linked to the shipment of 50,000 TEU in the third quarter of 2022, customers were given easy access to directly CO2e emission-free transport.
Net turnover in the business unit Air Logistics amounted to CHF 9.1 billion and EBIT was CHF 1.1 billion for the period January to September 2022. The conversion rate reached 49.5%. Air freight volumes were 1.7 million tons through the end of September 2022. Air Logistics also maintained relatively high average yields in the third quarter of 2022, marking a significant increase on the prior year's level.
Commercial airline operations were volatile in the first nine months of 2022 due to the overall geopolitical situation and level of uncertainty. Even so, demand for cargo capacity on most trade routes was positive.
Kuehne+Nagel Air Logistics further expanded its healthcare logistics footprint in the third quarter of 2022. With "MedConnex," the business unit launched regular charter flights, e.g. for vaccines, from the pharma hub in Belgium to the Americas, Asia and Africa.
Net turnover in the business unit Road Logistics amounted to CHF 3.0 billion and EBIT was CHF 120 million for the period from January to September 2022. High utilisation of networks in all regions once again delivered significant revenue growth. Overall, the result in the third quarter of 2022 was very strong.
By installing photovoltaic systems on truck roofs in the long-haul segment, Kuehne+Nagel is setting a further example of reducing CO2 emissions in Road Logistics. In addition, the first 25 electric trucks were procured for short-haul distribution in France.
Net turnover in the business unit Contract Logistics amounted to CHF 3.6 billion while EBIT totaled CHF 139 million for the period January to September 2022. Utilisation of warehouse space worldwide was again very high. Growth in the third quarter of 2022 was more pronounced year-on-year.
In Contract Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel opened new healthcare distribution centres in Ireland (Dublin) and in the USA (Indianapolis). Both locations are strategically located near their respective international airports.
More than 15 million tonnes of air cargo are handled annually with Lödige Industries' terminal technology.
For one of its latest innovations, the intelligent Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) for flexible and scalable ULD transport, the company with headquarters in Germany has now been named "Air Cargo Technology Provider of the Year" at this year's Payload Asia Awards in Singapore. This is the 9th time that the international trade journal for logistics has awarded this prestigious prize.
"We would like to thank the expert jury as well as everyone who cast their vote for us in the online ballot. Striving to always develop the best cargo terminal systems for our customers and to continuously improve them, this award is a wonderful motivation that pushes us to further expand our market leadership with innovative products," said Ranga Jayaweera, General Manager Singapore at Lödige Industries, who received the award at the ceremony in Singapore.
Lödige Industries' latest addition and innovation for terminal equipment is the Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), which provides link between import/export areas and build & break zones as well as automated storage and retrieval systems. Compared to manual transport of ULDs by slave pallet movers or other ground handling equipment, this not only frees up personnel for higher value tasks, but also saves space. In manual terminals, AGVs can enable cargo handlers to take the first step towards the benefits of automation.
Lödige Industries has been supporting its customers in air freight transport since 1974, providing them with efficient airport logistics solutions. Today, the company is well established as the leading global provider of air cargo terminal solutions. Its long-standing customers include many of the major players in the industry, such as SATS, Cathay Pacific, Asia Airfreight Terminal (AAT), China Eastern Airlines, DHL, Lufthansa Cargo, British Airways, Korean Air, Turkish Cargo, dnata or Menzies.
Demand for global air freight logistics is currently above pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, global capacity constraints and staff shortages are creating additional challenges throughout the airport logistics industry. Efficiency-enhancing technologies and process automation are therefore becoming more and more important. As a result, investments are increasingly being made in cargo terminals in order to expand capacities and to improve handling processes.
An example of such a project is the first automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) in mainland China at Chengdu Tianfu Airport, which Lödige Industries recently delivered. The airport is currently undergoing a second phase of expansion to add three more runways and increase its capacity from 60 to 120 million passengers and from 1.3 to 2.8 million tons of cargo and mail per year.
LogTech company InstaFreight is strengthening its management level with a Chief Financial Officer (CFO): Martin Leopold is taking over this newly created position, coming from industry giant DHL Freight.
The 54-year-old with a mathematics degree will make sure together with the founders that scale-up InstaFreight, one of the leading digital logistics companies for overland transport in Europe, continues its dynamic growth seen in recent years.
Martin Leopold has gained substantial experience in logistics during his career – especially in the areas of finance, sales, and IT. From 2014 to 2017, he was Chief Financial Officer at Deutsche Post DHL Group. Followed by work as Chief Sales Officer at the logistics powerhouse in Bonn.
"My decision to join InstaFreight is associated with my desire to work at a dynamically growing scale-up. Within this task the goals will be securing well-established corporate structures and creating innovative new ones. InstaFreight started with the ambition of accelerating digitalization in European road freight transport and building a leading digital logistics provider in Europe. I strongly believe in InstaFreight's vision and am very much looking forward to being part of this exciting journey," Martin Leopold explains the motives for the change. "I am firmly convinced that we can develop more potential within our business model and will set out for profitability."
"With Martin Leopold joining us, we succeed in taking another major step in our development. With his know-how and leadership skills, we at InstaFreight are striving to continue and expand the course that has made us one of the fastest-growing road freight logistics service providers in Europe," says Philipp Ortwein, Managing Director and Co-Founder of InstaFreight, looking at the prospects for the company.
"InstaFreight has grown remarkably fast in recent years. To maintain this momentum, we are strengthening our ranks with a manager this autumn who is highly respected in the industry. Martin Leopold will help to continue our success story together with the current management team, bringing own impulses along the way," says Dirk Reich, Chairman of InstaFreight.
With net-zero deadlines moving ever closer, Logistics UK is thrilled to announce its new one-day conference ‘Delivering Decarbonisation’, to be held on 22 November 2022 at the Congress Centre, London.
The conference – aimed at senior business leaders – will explore the roadmap to net-zero and discuss plans, initiatives and projects currently in place to help businesses in progressing their decarbonisation journey and assist with futureproofing their net-zero strategies.
Denise Beedell, Public Policy Manager at Logistics UK, comments: “The importance of decarbonising operations is increasing as we head towards phase out dates and the net-zero by 2050 deadline. Industry has demonstrated a great willingness to decarbonise and has already taken great steps towards this. However, Logistics UK recognises this can be a complicated and overwhelming process. We are delighted to be launching this event, which will bring together some of the most knowledgeable and influential logistics professionals to focus on the conversations worth having.”
The conference – sponsored by Arup, Descartes, Pledge and Samsara – will include a series of engaging panel discussions and keynote speeches from industry-leading experts. Topics to be discussed include Powering up your HGV Fleet, Financing the Change, Non-Net Zero Technology, Secrets of the Last Mile and a look at how SMEs can remain profitable amid the move to net-zero.
Tickets for Logistics UK members are priced at £100 + VAT and £120 + VAT for non-members.
Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) – Hong Kong’s largest independent air cargo handler – has been appointed to handle CMA CGM AIR CARGO’s new Hong Kong services which began in early September.
CMA CGM AIR CARGO is the cargo airline of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions.
CMA CGM AIR CARGO has added 5 scheduled flights per week from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Hong Kong, joining its existing services to the US. The new Hong Kong services are being operated with brand new Boeing 777F aircraft.
Under the new partnership, Hactl will provide a total cargo solution to CMA CGM AIR CARGO, including terminal- and ramp handling, as well as documentation services. Capacity on the flights is being marketed by CMA CGM AIR CARGO, together with the support of GSSA ECS Group.
Hactl Chief Executive Wilson Kwong says: “We are delighted to welcome CMA CGM AIR CARGO to our carrier family, and wish them every success with this new venture. We are honoured that they are entrusting their important new service to our care, and look forward to supporting them with comprehensive, efficient and resilient ground handling services.”
