IATA’s Digital Cargo Conference which took place in Geneva at the end of September, welcomed 165 representatives from various parts of the industry: airlines, system providers, ground handling agents, and forwarders. Key focus was on ONE Record, of course, as it should be instrumental in enabling efficient and transparent data exchange across the entire supply chain. This is now being taken to the next level with a first Internet of Things initiative that will see ULD management provider, Jettainer, provide a ‘Digital Twin’ integration of its ULDs into ONE Record. The container manager signed the IATA Digitalization Leadership Charter and thus officially became a member of the Digitalization Leadership Forum. “The Digitalization Leadership Charter developed by IATA and the Cargo Advisory Council, aims to drive innovation, increase efficiency and promote sustainable and consistent digital transformation. By signing the charter, Jettainer commits to implementing the charter’s five guiding principles. These principles include implementing industry-wide standards, promoting sustainability, ensuring the ethical use of technology and maintaining digital leadership as well as improving resilience and protection against cybersecurity risks,” the release explained.

Jettainer’s ‘Digital Twin’ data combined with the data of the other supply chain actors, will serve to enhance location transparency alongside shipment status and ULD type, and – linked to the respective airwaybill within ONE Record, will facilitate smooth and more tailored operations.

Dr Jan-Wilhelm Breithaupt, CEO of Jettainer, enthused: “Our IT solutions are the key to always ensuring the availability of ULDs for our customers, while at the same time being as efficient as possible. Collecting and analyzing data intelligently is at the heart of what we do. This, our engagement with ONE Record and our commitment to the IATA Digitalization Leadership Charter, show that we are at the forefront of this issue and take our responsibilities seriously. By driving these developments forward, we want to deliver our contribution to the digitalization of air cargo, together with our partners, and translate the great potential of technology into solutions and added value.”

Australia’s Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), can look forward to a new freight facility at its Cargo Precinct soon. The 22,500 m² facility is planned to go into operation towards the end of 2026. Menzies has signed a long-term lease covering the next twenty years, and the main focus will be on handling pharmaceutical and temperature-controlled commodities, e-commerce and heavy cargo out of a 12,500 m² warehouse. It will be kitted out with all the mod cons such as a state-of-the-art Elevating Transfer Vehicle (ETV) system capable of handling 150+ main deck ULD’s, and the forecast is that around 150,000 tons per year will pass through the facility. Direct airside access, multiple freighter bays right next to the warehouse, along with autonomous vehicles and robotic solutions, complemented by 24/7 aircraft and landside operations, all will serve to provide fast, flexible and efficient solutions for the region’s customers. “The Cargo Precinct’s strategic east coast location and proximity to Western Sydney’s rapidly growing industrial hubs will also provide unparallelled benefits and opportunities for farmers, manufacturers and other exporters to grow their businesses into the future,” the release explains.

Not only that, but given the circa 33% cargo capacity increase on offer to the market, comes a significant employment opportunity boost. So far, more than 3,500 staff are already involved in developing the airport’s future potentials, and more jobs are to come. Currently, around half of the workforce is local, and the release points out that about a third are learning on the job.

Beau Paine, Global Head of Cargo, Menzies Aviation, commented: “We’re looking forward to 2026, when this state-of-the-art cargo facility will open as part of the new Western Sydney International Airport. This operation will enable us deliver first-class, interconnected cargo services at both of Sydney’s international airports, expanding our service offering to our airline and freighter customers. We’re excited to increase our footprint in Australia and support the country’s thriving air cargo sector.”

Simon Hickey, WSI CEO, stated: “Menzies Aviation is an excellent addition to WSI’s 24/7 Cargo Precinct. Securing a world-leading service provider demonstrates the substantial opportunities this hub will provide for businesses to grow and access new markets over the years to come. The Precinct and our partners will also help generate thousands more jobs for Western Sydney locals during construction and operations, which is just another way we’re supercharging the nation’s economy and supporting resilient supply chains on which all Australians rely.”

Chiang Rai, Thailand, was hit with several flash floods in recent weeks, displacing thousands of people from their homes, and claiming a number of lives. When natural disasters like this happen, aid relief is required immediately. AVS GSA, the local subsidiary of the ECS Group quickly collaborated with airline Thai Vietjet and Thailand’s first UHT soya milk provider, Lactasoy, to bring much-needed supplies to the region’s flood victims. Lactasoy donated 900 boxes of soybean milk, weighing 7.7 tons, to support affected communities, and AVS GSA helped to ensure that the shipments quickly reached their destation. Two flights were operated: VZ130 and VZ132 on 18SEP24 and 19SEP24, for that purpose. AVS-GSA also acted as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Thai Vietjet Air, which offered cost-free uplift of relief items such as food, water, and clothing.

Since 03OCT24, Challenge Group has increased its Indian connections with the launch of two flights per week to Delhi (DEL). It already offers three weekly flight connections to Mumbai (BOM), and thus customers now have the choice of using capacity to India on five separate flights per week. The DEL flights operate on Wednesdays and Sundays and are operated by Boeing 767F aircraft; in other words, offering a cargo capacity of around 52 tons per flight. The new destination was added given the region’s strategic importance when it comes to connecting northern India’s industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, and textiles, with global markets, and the move is part of the Group’s strategic focus on strengthening international trade routes. “With this expansion, Challenge Group continues to deliver on its growth strategy, providing efficient, reliable logistics solutions for India’s fast-growing market,” the release states, going on to underline the improved “cargo flexibility for global businesses, enabling better supply chain management between India and key regions in Europe, North America, and the Middle Eas.”

Or Zak, Chief Commercial Officer at Challenge Group explained: “Delhi is a vital hub for global trade, and our new routes reflect our commitment to supporting India’s growth as a key player in the world economy. These flights will boost connectivity for essential industries and provide much-needed capacity for temperature controlled, time-sensitive, hi-tech shipments, along with other complex verticals.”

And it’s all for a good cause. The logistics provider’s ‘Cycling to the moon and back’ initiative took place between MAR24 and SEP24. It was the third time that this GWcycles bike campaign was held, and it managed to set a new record. Over 600 people took part across the world, and pedaled away to collect as many kilometers as they possibly could, logging these in a specifically designed app called Radbonus. The result? More than 768,800 kilometers were achieved – the distance it would take to travel to the moon and back. Quite aside from the health benefits of participating in the challenge, the main object was to do something to help protect the climate. Every kilometer cycled counts towards trees being planted to help clean the air. “The 2024 cycling campaign has enabled Gebrüder Weiss to plant 7,000 new trees in the corporate forest in Nicaragua. A total of 19,000 trees have been planted since the campaign was launched in 2022. Once fully grown, these trees will absorb around 285 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere per year,” the release revealed.

Frank Haas, Head of Communications at Gebrüder Weiss, noted: “It’s clear that bicycle mobility is growing in popularity, and rightly so: Cycling gives people a chance to enjoy being active and boosts both personal health and climate protection. I’m particularly pleased that we were once again able to encourage so many people to do their best to support a good cause. Thank you to everyone who got involved!”

It all began back in JUL14, when Etihad Cargo launched its first cargo operations to Hanoi, Vietnam. At the time, it deployed two A300F with an upload of 120 tons, on the route. Since then, the airline has continued to grow its network and today has four weekly Boeing 777F flights lined up to Hanoi, offering the market a 400-ton cargo uplift. Two weekly charter flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur, have since joined the Etihad Cargo schedule. This connection out of Vietnam’s second-largest air cargo market, provides a reliable online solution for international cargo exports via Kuala Lumpur.

“Etihad Cargo has played a crucial role in transporting high-tech goods for major global brands such as Samsung, Apple, Dell, and LG, alongside garments, textiles, footwear, and other products from Vietnam to Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Africa,” the release states. Electronics are an ever-growing favorite: “In 2024, SecureTech shipments from Hanoi saw a 43% year-on-year increase, rising to 5,174 tons from 3,618 tons during the same period in 2023.” Amazing statistics in the face of one of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Etihad Cargo states that it will further expand its frequencies and capacity to Vietnam. It also reveals that its Vietnamese customers mainly book via the airline’s online booking platform, these days.

Stanislas Brun, Vice President Cargo, said: “Etihad Cargo’s decade of successful operations in Hanoi and across Vietnam demonstrates the carrier’s long-term commitment to this dynamic market. By continually enhancing its products and services, expanding capacity, and investing in digitalization, Etihad Cargo ensures that customers receive the high-quality air cargo solutions they expect. Etihad Cargo looks forward to further strengthening its presence and meeting the evolving logistics needs of Vietnam.”

DoKaSch Temperature Solutions opened its latest Opticooler® station at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), recently, in an effort to cater to the growing number of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments travelling to and from China. It thus expands its container network to include one of the world’s largest cargo airports, and a significant one for China’s economy. Shanghai handled more than 3.4 million tons of air cargo in 2023, which was already an increase of over 10% compared to previous year. The Airport Council International claimed it is the third largest cargo airport worldwide. Given the ongoing rise in pharma shipments, the new station has been designed to handle these capacities but also has to space to expand with the industry’s growth. “DoKaSch TS is prepared to scale up operations at this location to support the increasing requirements of the Chinese pharmaceutical market,” the release states.

Not just access to its Opticoolers is guaranteed at DoKaSch’s new station, but the company offers its customers a complimentary Free Delivery Service. “This service includes the pickup and delivery of Opticoolers® throughout the entire airport area.”

Andreas Seitz, Managing Director of DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, said: “The new station at Shanghai Pudong International Airport enables us to streamline our customers’ logistics operations and offer seamless service across our global network.”

Emily Tang, Sales & Business Development Manager for China at DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, illustrated: “China’s rapid growth in the pharmaceutical sector reflects the country’s increasing demand for reliable logistics solutions. Our presence in Shanghai allows us to better serve local customers and meet their specific needs.”