In the same month that Sweden announces to abolish Aviation Tax from 01JUL25, (7 years after its initial re-introduction, because it is not really being used for environmental initiatives after all, and was preventing healthy economic competition), Swedish logistics company, DANX does its bit for cleaner skies and starts operating Duo trailers. Given that road emissions account for around 15% of all global carbon emissions, of which around a third are due to cargo trucks, this is a small, positive drop in the CO² ocean. Duo trailers are when one cab pulls two trailers, or as the press release illustrates it: a ‘Tractor+trailer+Dolly+trailer system’. They are now being deployed in DANX’s Swedish operations and should lead to emission reductions of up to 7%. Also known as Double, B-Double or road trains, this road cargo transport type is long in use across Australia, where even triple trailers measuring up to 53.5 meters in length, might be spotted. Long, open roads, so why not? A little trickier to maneuver that kind of vehicle around Europe. Nevertheless, trials have been in place on the Continent since 2014, and Spain has already enabled operations.

DANX’s move was made possible by a change in Swedish road traffic regulations. HGVs with two or three trailers and measuring up to 34.5 meters in length, are now permitted to operate on around 590 kilometers of road – part of what is called the ‘E-service’, covering the main network along with connecting roads. The release points out that: “Companies are required to apply to the E-service if they want additional roads to be added to the 34.5 million strong vehicle road network.” DANX expects not just fewer emissions through its Duo trailers, but also greater efficiency in its operations.

Martin Grauers, Managing Director, Sweden, said: “This change in the law is great news for both our customers and DANX’s ambitions to reduce emissions. It will enable DANX to help its customers reach their increasingly challenging emissions reduction targets which are a high priority right now across the Nordics and throughout Europe. Furthermore, as DANX operates between 140 to 150 heavy trucks and tractor-trailers on a daily basis in Sweden, reducing our carbon footprint is key to our own ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) ambitions. As well as being able to take advantage of the change in Swedish legislation with Duo trailer, we are already deeply invested in the use of biodiesel or biogas for linehauls, and electric vehicles for last mile distribution in urban areas which will bring further benefits to both our customers and the wider public.”

Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) has appointed Peter Penseel to its Supervisory Board, the airport announced on 11SEP24. Penseel currently serves as President of Delta Airlines Cargo, having moved there in JUN24 after 4 years as Chief Operating Officer air freight for CEVA Logistics. His air cargo experience spans more than 30 years, and includes other senior management positions at Qatar Airways, DHL Global Forwarding and UTi. He is now the fourth member of the Supervisory Board, alongside Frans Weekers, Angelique Palmen, and Schiphol’s Kjell Kloosterziel. The Board, which is responsible for guiding the airport’s development, consists of experts in aviation and business. Penseel’s focus will be air freight, and he will assist the airport in continuing to build its position as the Netherlands’ second-largest cargo hub. Just 12 months ago, the decision was made to keep MST open and the airport underwent major management restructuring under its holding company NV HBLM, which includes shareholders Royal Schiphol Group, Schiphol Nederland NV and the Province of Limburg.

As part of its long-term growth plan, MST invested EUR 35.3 million last year to upgrade its runway, part of a broader EUR 100 million infrastructure development initiative. Jonas van Stekelenburg, CEO, Maastricht Aachen Airport, declared: “Maastricht Airport is looking to the future with a new CEO, Joos Meijs, joining next month and a robust plan for further developing our cargo services. Peter’s solid track record in airfreight adds weight to our new Supervisory Board and we look forward to his help in driving new initiatives for our cargo offering.”

Menzies Aviation has officially opened a cargo facility at Maputo International Airport (MPM) in Mozambique. Kitted out with the latest equipment and technology, the new cargo warehouse broadens the ground handling service provider’s portfolio and is lauded as a significant expansion of Menzies’ presence in East Africa. It also enhances Mozambique’s freight capacity, and airlines and forwarders can look forward to efficient, high-quality, and secure services. Menzies’ launch customers include Airlink and Qatar Airways.

The facility was inaugurated on 05SEP24, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Menzies’ Senior Vice President Cargo (MEAA), Alanood Alsuwaidi, along with representatives from Aeroportos de Moçambique, E.P., the Civil Aviation Institute, Customs of Mozambique, and airline partners.

Menzies first began operating at Maputo International Airport in 2018, initially under the name National Aviation Services until 2022. The company previously launched contemporary lounges at the airport’s international and domestic terminals, and expanded its services to include comprehensive Meet and Assist and ground handling services starting in 2019.

Alanood Alsuwaidi, Senior Vice President Cargo (MEAA), Menzies Aviation, said: “We’re thrilled to cut the ribbon on our new cargo warehouse in Mozambique. This cutting-edge facility will allow us to provide best in class services to our airline customers while supporting East Africa’s air cargo sector. This represents the next exciting step in Menzies’ cargo expansion strategy, which has seen us expand our footprint right across the globe.

The CargoTech member specialized in software for air cargo charter processes, announced the release of its first product this week, and hints at more to come sonn. Simply called the Carrier App, Aerios’ solution is designed as a charter management system for cargo charter carriers. Until now, this has been a digitally neglected niche given the complexity of the business. It is largely ad hoc and unpredictable, thus falls out of the norm when it comes to the usual sales tools. The result? Carriers either have to spend large amounts of money to adapt their chosen CRM tool or to develop their own solution, or to simply stick with a mostly manual process with all the scope for error and inefficiency that it brings. The Carrier App promises to do away with that inefficiency and instead offers data insights and market trends so as to benefit to the full from revenue potentials, while customers benefit from a quicker and streamlined service. “Aerios’ charter management system is built to meet the unique demands of the charter market and seamlessly integrates with flight operations, CRM and communication systems, to create a single digital workflow. The Carrier App offers three key benefits: increased efficiency, maximized revenues, and an informed team. The increase in efficiency comes from automating manual, repetitive tasks in a single tool to create one consistent process across the entire team. The Carrier App does away with the cumbersome and error-prone use of spreadsheets combined with group email inboxes, where requests, quotes and key CRM data has to be manually entered and maintained. Nor does it require expensive or lengthy IT integrations or adaptations,” the release states.

Simon Watson, Founder of Aerios, stated: “Our mission at Aerios, is to enable brokers, charter professionals and carriers to work more efficiently, surface real time-data and maximize revenue opportunities in the air cargo charter market. We do that by designing software that enables your team to spend less time on traditional manual processes and more time on relationships and growth. I am proud to launch the first version of our Carrier App, which has been built in conjunction with a number of cargo charter carriers, following extensive trials and a large number of research workshops The Carrier App is already live with a group of carriers, and we will be announcing our airline partnerships in the coming months.”

With Philippine Airlines (PAL) on board, cargo.one gains another attractive Asian gateway and network. For the airline, it is its first venture into digital sales once it starts sharing its capacity on cargo.one this fall. It can look forward to reaching customers who have previously not booked on PAL, and thus is a good step closer to increasing its load factors. Forwarders using cargo.one will have access to space on Philippine Airlines’ flights for their general cargo or perishables shipments, and an interesting global network accessible from PAL’s national hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao. As cargo.one is open all hours, forwarders can search real-time rates and capacity, and book directly with immediate booking confirmation.

“Respected as the very first commercial airline in Asia, Philippine Airlines extends its renowned attentive customer service levels to its air cargo services. The carrier is expanding its widebody fleet to facilitate an ambitious cargo growth strategy. Philippine Airlines offers freight forwarders a unique combination of 37 international destinations throughout South and East Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East, and 32 destinations in the Philippines as well as favorable regional connectivity,” the release explains.

As well as offering its own customers and cargo.one users a user-friendly digital booking channel, PAL benefits from the digital marketplace’s data analytics that aid when making strategic or market-driven decisions.

Jason Siy, VP Cargo at Philippine Airlines (PAL), explained: “A key pillar of our digital transformation and continued growth is the ability to steer strategic digital sales. Gaining cargo.one’s technology and extensive experience means Philippine Airlines can build digital sales at speed and scale with low capital expenditure. Our teams are working closely to build a custom digital sales channel to maximize upon our many strengths.”

Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one, stated: “We are excited to launch Philippine Airlines digital sales journey and strengthen its exciting growth plans. cargo.one continually brings the freight forwarding market new capacity options first, an important element in how our platform enables even the very largest forwarders to win shipments faster, grow their business and serve their customers better than ever.”

When you are seeking to upgrade your IT in three separate cargo terminals and Pudong International Airport and a huge terminal at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, you need to plan very carefully to ensure minimum disruption. Not easy in such a fast-paced, round-the-clock business, and yet both PACTL and Hermes can claim success according to their latest press release. PACTL, which handles up to two million tons of cargo per year across its terminal system, is now upgraded to Hermes 5, following an operation that resulted in minimal downtime. It is the latest cargo handling company to upgrade to Hermes Logistics Technologies’ newest version of its Cargo Management System (CMS), this year. Sold as “function-rich CMS”, Cloud-based Hermes 5 is complemented by the pay-as-you-go suite of SaaS solutions that constitute the Hermes Ecosystem and include APIs (Application Programming Interfaces which create connections to various software systems to ensure seamless communication and data exchange), Business Intelligence, and Track and Trace. Secret of the quick and painless cutover? Comprehensive preparation in the form of an in-depth gap analysis followed by database optimization and training made available in Mandarin Chinese via Hermes’ Learning Management System (LMS).

Yuval Baruch, Chief Executive Officer of Hermes Logistics Technologies, remarked: “This was an upgrade, but on a massive scale that required comprehensive discovery work and preparation to ensure the switchover was both simultaneous and short, and downtime was reduced as much as possible. A key element of the project was the integration of Hermes 5 with other technology partners working with PACTL, through our standard and bespoke APIs. These enable full integration with other solutions, so data can be shared and operational efficiencies gained.”

Carsten Hernig, Deputy General Manager VP Sales & Marketing and Production, stated: “This upgrade has opened the door for us to provide customized services while also improving operational convenience. The partnership with HLT enhances our operational efficiency and ensures we stay at the forefront of technological advancements in the air cargo industry. Hermes 5 offers Cargo iQ messaging services such as FOW and FIW, and we have opted for a localized deployment to maximize data security.”

Though two of the carrier’s fleet of four converted B737-800 freighters are currently parked up in Hamilton, Ontario and Windsor, Ontario, respectively, for now, the other two are busy not only with weekday services between Newark (EWR) and Bermuda (BDA) and bi-weekly Havanna (HAV) flights, but also with charter missions. Launched in the final quarter of 2023, WestJet Cargo’s specialized Charter Service has literally taken off, bringing air cargo flexibility to customers across North and Latin America, often flying to key destinations such as Chicago, Montreal, Orlando, Halifax, Vancouver, or Los Angeles, among others. With a 23-ton uplift capacity, the aircraft offers attractive solutions for all kinds of commodities from e-commerce (which is a growing favorite) to electronics or perishables such as fresh produce or seafood. The service goes beyond simply deploying an aircraft. It includes a specialized team involved in technical operations, load control, and fleet management to make sure that the freighters are handled safely and efficiently and has a dedicated 24/7 charter desk providing 24/7 support and communication where required. Each mission is carefully planned to ensure minimum environmental impact. WestJet Cargo does this by using advanced flight management systems to optimize routes and thus reduce fuel consumption and emissions. “The use of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft and strategic load planning further enhances operational efficiency, minimizing the environmental impact per ton of cargo transported,” the release states.

Kirsten De Bruijn, Executive Vice President, WestJet Cargo “Our charter service has rapidly gained momentum, completing over 40 charters since its launch. We are able to offer our clients a unique combination of flexibility, expertise, and reliable service that caters to their specific needs. Our experienced team works tirelessly to ensure that every shipment is handled with the utmost care, reflecting our commitment to operational excellence. Sustainability is at the core of our operations, and we are dedicated to continuously improving our practices to better serve our customers and the environment.”

Just a couple of months after announcing its e-commerce services for Royal Mail over at Air Cargo China, Glasgow Prestwick Airport (GPA) has now appointed Colin Dai as its Country Sales Director, China. His responsibility: to support and develop the airport’s e-commerce operations. He joins GPA over from Trip.com Group where he was Senior Director, Global Partnerships, Marketing and Business Development. Prior to that he held sales and marketing positions at Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways, all in Shanghai, China. Thus, he has a solid founding in aviation and e-commerce and brings a strong local network with him. This will support GPA’s strategy of promoting its services to the Chinese e-commerce industry as it strives to become the UK’s leading international e-commerce hub. It offers 24/7 operations and fast turnarounds, and recently invested more than GBP 2 million in new cargo equipment.

Colin Dai, Country Sales Director, China, GPA, said: “With the rapid growth of Chinese e-commerce and demand for it across the UK, there is an increasing need for efficient and reliable international logistics solutions. My focus will be on meeting these rising business needs by introducing GPA’s services to Chinese companies, leveraging the airport’s strategic location, state-of-the-art facilities, and partnership with Royal Mail.”

Nico Le Roux, Business Development Director, GPA, stated: “China represents one of the most dynamic e-commerce markets globally, and we are excited to have Colin on board to spearhead our efforts in the region. We are committed to providing cost-effective, efficient solutions for e-commerce companies looking to access the UK market, and Colin’s new role is a testament to this.”

Gebrüder Weiss has once again taken in a century of new apprentices across the DACH region. 110 new hopefuls in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, have started out on their logistics training, and the company says it would still be able to take up another 20 over the course of the year. They bring the total number of apprentices currently employed at 41 locations in the region, to 326. Gebrüder Weiss is keen to point out that 40% of its trainees are women. The company is also training up 26 young people in Bulgaria and Serbia. During their training, Gebrüder Weiss apprentices gain job experience in different departments, picking up detailed insights into the logistics sector through courses and more experienced colleagues. They also have access to the company’s extensive range of internal continuing education courses, and, in the case of Austria, have the option of a shortened training program via the ‘Dual Academy’. That is for people who have already completed secondary school and are seeking to pursue a career as a freight forwarding agent or a company logistics agent.

Aside from learning their trade, Gebrüder Weiss also encourages trainees to take part in apprentice and vocational competitions such as the WorldSkills international competition for professionals, coming up in Lyon, France, soon, which sees a participant from Austria representing the company.

Monika Mandl, Head of Human Resources Development at Gebrüder Weiss, illustrated: “We offer these young men and women a stimulating educational experience that not only enables them to familiarize themselves with the basic principles of the transport and logistics industry, but also gives them plenty of impetus to spur them on in their careers. As well as teaching them specialist knowledge, our aim is to support these apprentices in their personal development and help to uncover and explore hidden potential. There are so many options for ambitious apprentices to enjoy a successful career at Gebrüder Weiss after completing their training.”