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Spotlight on… Sebastien Podgorski, WebCargo’s new VP Airline Solutions

Brigitte Gledhill
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Spotlight on… Sebastien Podgorski, WebCargo’s new VP Airline Solutions

CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ series highlights the many and very different jobs in the air cargo industry by asking individuals in those functions a set of seven questions. While airports around the world provide physical hubs for airlines and forwarders to arrange the physical transportation of air cargo, booking platforms such as WebCargo offer a digital business hub, bringing air capacity offers to those seeking the space. That is why, this week, Sebastien Podgorski (SP), Vice President Airline Solutions at WebCargo by Freightos, has been invited to share his business insights, experience and advice.

“Nothing beats real-life experience.” Image: WebCargo by Freightos

CFG: What is your current function? And what are your responsibilities?

SP: Currently, I serve as the Vice President of Airline Solutions at WebCargo by Freightos, where my focus is on helping airlines harness the power of digitalization. While our initial emphasis was on facilitating digital bookings, we’ve now broadened our scope to collaborate with carriers in developing solutions that bolster their digital journey while enhancing their commercial and operational strategies. My role involves working closely with both internal teams and our customers to translate this vision into reality.

CFG: What does a normal day look like for you? Or is there such a thing?

SP: In this dynamic industry, no two days are alike! Each day presents its unique set of challenges and opportunities. My role revolves around assisting our team and customers in navigating these daily fluctuations while staying aligned with their medium to long-term objectives.

CFG: How long have you been in the air cargo industry, and what brought you to it?

SP: I’ve been in the industry for over five years now, starting out at Air Canada where I led the digital strategy that brought the carrier online during the COVID-19 pandemic. My journey into air cargo was partly accidental and partly destined – both my mother and grandfather worked in the industry. Although I initially aimed to join the airline sector, I spent seven years in finance and technology before an opportunity in airline cargo came my way. Five years later, I can safely say I’ve fallen in love with the industry and plan to spend the rest of my career here. What makes it so fascinating is the sheer variety and depth. Just when you finish a major project, there are a hundred more challenges and opportunities waiting. Plus, I get to make a real impact on an industry that’s critical to the global economy.

CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?

SP: I find plenty of joy in my work. Working alongside the talented folk at Freightos is a big part of it. The collaborative vibe and innovative mindset here make every day exciting. Plus, getting down in the trenches with our airline partners, really getting what makes them tick and crafting solutions that fit like a glove – now that’s the stuff that keeps me on my toes and helps us all grow together.

CFG: Where do you see the greatest challenges in our industry?

SP: One of the biggest challenges in our industry is getting everyone in the supply chain to work together smoothly. It’s not always easy to make sure airlines, freight forwarders, shippers, and regulatory bodies are on the same page, especially when each has its own priorities and systems. That’s where we come in. At WebCargo, we’re all about creating innovative solutions that bring these stakeholders together. Our goal is to make collaboration easier and processes more efficient, ultimately boosting overall performance.

CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry? Any particular training they should aim for?

SP: The air cargo industry is truly one of the best places to work. It’s always exciting, with endless challenges and opportunities to explore. You can build a fulfilling career here with countless chances for advancement. Plus, since it’s a global industry, you’ll get to travel the world, meet people from diverse backgrounds, and experience new cultures.

The industry is always on the lookout for people with different experiences, so don’t be shy about applying. Once you’re in, make it a point to learn as much as you can. Be brave and ask to be part of various projects and initiatives. While there are plenty of training programs, nothing beats real-life experience. Take every chance to gain hands-on knowledge and dive into the dynamic environment of this industry.

CFG: If the air cargo industry were a film/book, what would its title be?

SP: If the air cargo industry were a film, it would be “Inception.” Just like the movie, our industry is incredibly complex, with many layers and intricate processes. But despite the challenges, there’s a real sense of achievement and fulfillment at the end. Just as “Inception” leaves viewers with a thought-provoking and satisfying conclusion, the air cargo industry offers rewarding outcomes for those who successfully navigate its intricacies.

Thank you for your views, Sebastien.

If you would like to share your personal air cargo story with our CargoForwarder Global readers, feel free to send your answers to the above questions to cargoforwarderglobal@kopfpilot.at We look forward to shining a spotlight on your job area, views, and experiences.

Airbus completes Beluga rollover

Heiner Siegmund
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Airbus completes Beluga rollover

The European frame maker has put its sixth Beluga XL into service. This completes the replacement of the predecessor model, the Beluga ST. The XL variant, which is significantly larger in comparison, is intended to transport components between the individual Airbus production sites. Customers can also lease the XL fleet from operator Airbus Transport International (ATI) to conduct charter missions.

In addition to this, Airbus and partner Zero Avia have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with three Canadian airports to investigate and test the use of hydrogen.

The sixth Beluga XL has been in service as a test aircraft since 2018 and has now been integrated into the fleet of Airbus company transporters  –  photos: Airbus

Its size is impressive, and the bubble-shaped XL is an eye catcher for spotters and aviation afficionados.

With a hull length of 63.10 m, the “White Whale” is seven meters longer than its predecessor, the ST. Its fuselage is also larger, measuring 8.80 m in diameter vs. 7.71 m of its ST forerunner. This results in an increase in transport capacity of around 30%. The Beluga XL has a nonstop range of 4,000 km and can uplift a maximum of 51 tons per take-off. In contrast to the ST variant, it can accommodate two wings of an A350 per flight on its main deck, making it more economical in comparison.

Shuttle services
Due to the planned production ramp-up at Airbus, there is no alternative to using the six Beluga XL freighters to conduct the shuttle services required to supply the different Airbus sites with aircraft parts and equipment. These are Toulouse in France, Hamburg in Germany, Filton and Broughton in the UK, and Puerto Real, Illescas, and Getafe in Spain. This site diversity was not based on commercial considerations when production processes were decided but is the result of the multinational ownership structure at Airbus. Reversing it is unlikely to happen because political egoism would prevent this.

The hydrogen aircraft planned by Airbus could be a beneficiary of the cooperation between the aircraft manufacturer and Canadian airports, once built and put into service.

Canada embarks on the H2 highway
While presenting the sixth Beluga XL to the public, the aircraft manufacturer announced the launch of a program titled ‘Hydrogen Hub at Airports’. Its main aim is to step up research on infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations across the value chain. To date, agreements have been inked with partners and airports in ten countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Now Canada has joined the club. A move applauded by Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, a developer of hydro-electric engines for commercial aviation. “We are bringing together Canada’s largest airports, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer, and the leading innovator in decarbonized propulsion technology, in order to progress the transition to hydrogen aviation. ZeroAvia flight testing demonstrates that hydrogen-powered commercial aviation is a prospect ahead of 2030, so we need to start working hard to prepare for the hydrogen infrastructure needed to support the aviation industry and airports as they step into a new golden age of clean flight.”

Forward-looking solution
Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO at Vancouver Airport, added: “We know when it comes to climate change, aviation isn’t the enemy, carbon is. Looking into the feasibility of airports as Hydrogen Hubs is an important step on the journey to net zero carbon emissions. The collaboration between Airbus, ZeroAvia, and the three biggest airports in Canada, will help identify the changes required in our industry and supporting ecosystem to meet carbon reduction goals.”

Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson, delivered a similar statement: “The future of airports and their aviation partners will be built with innovative infrastructure that minimizes environmental impact.”

Lastly, Yves Beauchamp, President and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal, said: “The use of hydrogen as a fuel for aircraft is a forward-looking solution that fits perfectly with these goals. This partnership will allow our organization not only to better prepare for the introduction of this alternative in our airport operations, but above all to adequately plan the infrastructure required to offer it at YUL as early as 2035. As Montréal is the world’s civil aviation capital, we are all the more proud that our city is playing a leading role in this sustainable innovation project.”

Natural advantages
Canada is best fitted for pushing an H2 ecosystem up front. Due to its natural resources, it has enormous potential to become a dominant player in hydrogen production based on renewable energy sources. “These first Canadian hydrogen partnerships enable us to cover the country from coast to coast. Hydrogen stands out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future,” commented Karine Guenan, VP ZEROe Ecosystems of Airbus.

The rapid rise of AI – in logistics, too

Brigitte Gledhill
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The rapid rise of AI – in logistics, too

Not a day goes by without the mention of AI in connection to some part of daily life – whether it be medical, maintenance, marketing, or – in our case – movement. So, it is no surprise that one of the first press releases to come out of the recent Multimodal at the NEC Birmingham, last week, lauded progress in the AI field. Yet, many people are still largely skeptical about the direction AI is taking and the effect this will have on livelihoods and society in general.

James Coombes, CEO and Co-founder, Raft at Multimodal 2024. Image: Raft

“The demand for AI-integrated software solutions is rapidly increasing, and so is its market capitalization. The world has witnessed an enormous increase in AI software development, and the market for AI technologies stands at 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. It is expected to grow to over 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars by 2030,” is one of the opening paragraphs in a piece by Vivek Sadh, published by Jellyfish Technologies last year. Without a doubt, the application opportunities are enormous, and we are still very much just at the start of the AI adventure.

USD 10 billion in freight invoices processed
Raft, which by its own proclamation is “the world’s largest AI-powered logistics platform, used by more than 50 logistics providers – companies that together help run 80% of the Global 1000 supply chains,” announced last week, that its AI is being trained by more than 5 billion data points and documents, and that Raft AI has now processed over USD 10 billion in freight invoices. “Each year, more than 10,000 users manage over 5 million shipments on the platform, representing every commodity, transit mode, and trade lane.” Impressive figures that cover one crucial point in AI: it needs to learn from verified, good quality data, so as to be able to function correctly and reliably. The better and greater the data, the more effective the system. In such a fragmented industry as air cargo, with its many stakeholders all at different stages of their digital journey and with varying quality input and a myriad of formats, this is not an easy endeavor.

Blend, Configure, and Automate
“Raft’s proprietary platform has multiple innovation layers that blend the data extraction capabilities of AI with a suite of business applications, collaboration tools and integration flexibility. Customers are able to configure shipments, flows, processes, events, and tasks and then intelligently interact with different systems of record, such as TMS, CRM, and ERP. AI is embedded throughout the Raft platform, which learns from high volumes of transactional activities across all customers. As the LLMs get smarter, they become more proficient at automating workflows and processing transactions at a rate of thousands of times per second. This frees human operations teams to focus on delivering value to customers,” the release promises. The company suite of business applications addresses logistics’ financial, customs, and operations processes, automating and speeding up administration and providing intelligent information for improved customer service and more efficient use of human resources. “Commercial invoices, bills of lading, bookings, packing lists, and shipment status alerts are the kinds of unstructured documents that AI has transformed from an analog burden to digital advantage for Raft customers,” it gives as examples.

On a mission to unleash the power of AI
James Coombes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Raft, illustrated: “After decades of effort and hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, the logistics industry is still reliant on emails, PDFs, and spreadsheets to keep goods moving. We are on a mission to unleash the power of AI on global logistics and put an end to manual, disconnected processes once and for all. The transactional scale on the Raft platform along with our active customer base demonstrates we are well on our way to achieving that goal. The AI freight train has left the station and there’s a lot of excitement and hope about where things are headed. Raft is the leader and the ever-increasing level of engagement scale we’re experiencing shows that we are well positioned to bring AI into the supply chains of the world.”

Skepticism and fear
Those on the programming side of AI are far more relaxed than those facing IT developments that appear anxiety-inducing in their capabilities, as a LinkedIn mini-poll recently showed. Particularly people whose jobs are directly ‘at risk’ of being replaced by AI, are skeptical: a) because they can see the errors still being made and the limitations of a system not steered by emotional understanding, and b) because they fear redundancy. In a recent Canva event focused on AI, the positive message to the latter point, was that 60% of today’s jobs did not exist in the 1950s. Many of them not even 20 years ago. We are constantly adapting and growing through the opportunities that tech and innovation present to us.

Yet, cybersecurity and cyber-manipulation are also serious issues that require proper regulation. In a world, where it is now possible to manipulate videos in such a way that language, mouth-shapes and dialect can be modified to suit the occasion, or where AI can create images, songs, paintings or information completely digitally, borders between reality and virtual reality become blurred beyond recognition.

In as much as we work to provide AI solutions to facilitate everyday life, we must also work on strategies to educate, regulate, and safeguard our society. The computer may not always be right, after all.

Exclusive – TIACA puts multimodality on its agenda

Heiner Siegmund
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Exclusive – TIACA puts multimodality on its agenda

From 19-21JUN24, TIACA is hosting its first regional conference in Central Asia – in this case in Astana, Kazakhstan. Due to the economic upswing in the entire region, alongside rail and road, air freight, too, is playing an increasingly important role in the transcontinental movement of goods. In the run-up to the event, CargoForwarder Global (CFG) spoke to Glyn Hughes (GH), Director General, TIACA, about the importance of the regional conference and whether the topic of multimodal logistics should also be given greater prominence within his organization.

Glyn Hughes and TIACA will broaden their range of topics and give greater consideration to multimodal transportation – photo: courtesy TIACA

CFG: Glyn, thanks to the regional conferences introduced by TIACA a while ago, Central Asia is now moving into the thematic focus. Better late than never?

GH: Indeed, this is our 5th regional event and we have found each one extremely valuable in helping us understand the unique issues and challenges being faced by the different regions. Kazakhstan and the Central Asia region is seeking to develop its non-oil and natural resource-based economy and, in order to be successful, they have identified the need to create a stronger focus on air cargo and logistics and subsequently the establishment of air cargo hubs.

CFG: As you indicate, this change of development priorities leads to new supply chains. What role does air freight play in this situation?

GH: As mentioned above, the region has a great vision and plan for economic growth. With a population of nearly 80 million and an economy which has grown over the last two decades at an average rate more than 6.2%, the Central Asian states are ideally positioned to enhance their non-oil and gas and natural resource-based economy. With highly rated educational and literacy assessments and a low unit workforce costing 40% less than China, the region actively seeks foreign direct investment. With Special Economic Zones and Industrial Zones, governments have introduced Investment Contracts to create attractive incentives for foreign companies to establish themselves in the region.

With planned economic expansion, enabling access to global markets is crucial for economic success. The region already has well developed rail-based links between Far Asia and Europe, but air-based logistics will need to develop significantly to create vital fast, efficient and effective air cargo connections to support today’s high value cargo.

CFG: Multimodality is immensely important for Kazakhstan and the neighboring landlocked countries. Does this also require an extension of topics covered by TIACA?

GH: Yes. 70% of the land-based transit cargo between China and Europe passes through the Kazakhstan Rail network, and the Western Europe – Western China Transcontinental Auto Expressway provides another vital connection. And even though Kazakhstan is landlocked, there is an active port at Aktau to support trans-Caspian Sea transits, ensuring land-based connectivity is viable. As to air cargo, there are 24 airports in Kazakhstan providing global connectivity, although freighter connectivity has quite an opportunity for growth. TIACA will look forward to increasing our activity in multi modal logistics.

CFG: When looking at the conference program, which three thematic highlights stand out from TIACA’s point of view – and why?

GH: I would say the three key areas for me will be 1) looking at what it means to create a world class air cargo hub – and we have some great experts in this area to look at what Kazakhstan needs to do next. This will also incorporate focus on industry trends and digitalization. 2) We will also look at the regulatory aspects, as efficient and effective air cargo movements and hubs must ensure that regulations addressing safety, security and compliance are practicable and effective. And 3) the role that e-commerce can play in regional growth. With a growing population with increasing GDP per capita, the region presents an opportunity for transit as well as O/D cargo. Supporting all of this will be sessions looking at how the industry is currently performing and how sustainability will feature into future growth, including how Kazakhstan can play an increasing role in the global need for sustainable aviation fuel.

CFG: TIACA and some Kazakh airports will sign Memorandums of Understanding. What does this step mean for the practical work of your organization?

GH: Firstly, we are very honored that so many organizations specifically proposed signing MoUs with TIACA, as it re-enforces that TIACA is the leading global voice representing the entire air cargo industry. It also supports the Board objective to increase our specific understanding and support for all regions.

CFG: And lastly: are there plans to involve representatives of Central Asian airlines and their cargo divisions in the TIACA committees, to give the region a strong voice within your club?

GH: Over recent years, TIACA’s membership has continued to grow and it is critical that all regions and all industry sectors are represented within the Board and within overall TIACA activity. We have an open approach to Board seats and invite all Trustee representatives to consider nominating themselves when vacancies arise.

CFG: Glyn, thank you this interview.

El-Houry new Chairman of ASA from 01JUL24

Brigitte Gledhill
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El-Houry new Chairman of ASA from 01JUL24

Ten years ago, Hassan El-Houry was named Young [aviation] Global Leader at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Now, from 01JUL24, he will succeed Atilla Korkmazoğlu as the World Aviation Services Association (ASA)’s new Chairman of a board he has served as a member since 2022. He will “play a pivotal leadership role, guiding the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of the association,” the release states, lauding his “blend of leadership, innovation, and strategic vision”. As Executive Chairman of Menzies Aviation, and previously CEO of National Aviation Services (NAS), El-Houry has proved his business acumen having put Kuwaiti ground handling and cargo company on the map, and steered the acquisition of Menzies Aviation by Agility and its integration with NAS to create “the world’s largest aviation services company by number of airports and countries served.”

Hassan El-Houry, new ASA Chairman, from 01JUL24. Image: ASA

Hassan El-Houry commented: “It is an honor and privilege to be elected by my peers as the next World Aviation Services Association (ASA) Chairman. I am extremely excited to head up a new chapter in ASA history and take this opportunity to build momentum and position ASA as the leading advocate for aviation services. I look forward to building and strengthening industry partnerships and collaborating with regulators to enhance standards and improve the passenger experience. I am committed to advancing the ASA’s aims and working with members and partners around the world to make this happen.” One sincerely hopes that cargo, too, is given a solid platform.

His predecessor, Atilla Korkmazoğlu, President of Ground Handling and Cargo at Çelebi, completed four successful years as Chairman, from 2020-2024: a period marked by the most difficult circumstances ever experienced by the aviation industry. Yet, “under his guidance, ASA nearly doubled its membership and expanded significantly the Secretariat. Additionally, he was instrumental in spearheading a Memorandum of Understanding with ACI World, achieving formal recognition of ASA by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a trusted partner, and launching the now renowned ASA Leadership Forum (ALF).”

ASA’s Director General, Fabio Gamba expressed his gratitude to Korkmazoğlu: “Atilla has engaged with the association at an unprecedented level. He has been a true beacon for the team. We are profoundly grateful for his steadfast leadership, commitment, and long-lasting legacy,” and welcomed El-Houry: “Hassan’s extensive experience and visionary approach are invaluable assets that will bring ASA to new heights. His skills and credentials will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission globally and serve as a strong voice for the sector.”

dnata lists green initiatives on World Environment Day

Brigitte Gledhill
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dnata lists green initiatives on World Environment Day

dnata used the occasion of World Environment Day on 05JUN24, to showcase what it has been doing to become more sustainable, at the same time urging others to collaborate, particularly infrastructure providers. It disclosed carbon reductions across its operations, along with a 65% drop in sending waste to landfills across the globe: “In the financial year APR23-24*, dnata’s environmental data has been externally verified by Verifavia. dnata’s carbon intensity measured in kilograms of CO₂ equivalent emissions per aircraft turnaround has reduced by 8.4% for its ground handling and cargo businesses. Meanwhile, its carbon intensity measured in grams of CO₂ equivalent emissions compared to revenue for catering and travel businesses has reduced by 26.3% and 22.5%, respectively.”

dnata’s green machine and more. Image: dnata

Those figures were achievable thanks to the company’s ongoing investments in renewable infrastructure, equipment, training and alternative fuel options. Some examples are the use of solar and wind energy to power its businesses in the UK and Ireland, and solar panels across facilities in Pakistan and the Philippines. That green energy is combined with greener ground equipment fleets. The company is phasing out diesel-operated engines and using hybrid, electric, or hydrogen alternatives at those airports capable of providing the required infrastructure. 65% of its fleet is now electric in the Netherlands, 44% in Italy, 40% in the UK, and 39% in Switzerland.

dnata also maximizes the efficiency of its operations to ensure minimal fuel consumption through shortest distances, best routes, optimized shifts and parking slots, and thorough staff training. Technology aids in highlighting further improvement opportunities. Alternative fuel, too: dnata collaborates biofuel suppliers and already replaced some 674,000 liters of standard fuel with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100) at Schiphol Airport last financial year. Likewise, it powers its landside fleets with biofuel where possible, too.

Steve Allen, CEO of dnata Group, said: “It’s encouraging to see the tangible impact of our global investments and initiatives on our environmental performance. While we keep a laser focus on sustainability in every decision we make, we recognize that achieving meaningful results requires a collective effort and flexible approach from multiple stakeholders. In some cases, the availability of alternative fuels such as electric and biofuels is moving slower than we would like. We will continue to actively engage with our partners to explore and implement practical solutions that enable us to replace energy sources with lower carbon alternatives and minimize waste sent to landfills.”

Wiremind announces improved SKYPALLET launch soon

Brigitte Gledhill
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Wiremind announces improved SKYPALLET launch soon

Seven years since it first hit the market, Wiremind’s flagship product – the market leading space optimization and palletization tool for airlines, GSAs, charter brokers, and even forwarders – SKYPALLET is set to get even better. SKYPALLET 2.0 will be launched this summer and is currently undergoing beta-testing. Airline feedback has been incorporated in the upgrade which will see the software offer an even more intuitive interface, greater processing speeds, and more workflow automation thanks to SKYPALLET’s integration in CARGOSTACK. The release points out that, with its 2.0 improvements, the tool will cover the entire cargo lifecycle from quotation to booking acceptance, capacity control, flight release, through to operations. This will enable users to optimize space at all points of the journey, and therefore maximize their revenues. Version 2.0 will be progressively rolled out to new and existing customers over the coming 12-18 months, following a detailed change management plan.

Gearing up for SKYPALLET 2.0 this summer. Image: Wiremind

Nathanaël de Tarade, Wiremind Cargo CEO, said: “Various improvements to SKYPALLET over the years means it is now used at multiple touchpoints and processes in the air cargo lifecycle by our customers. While SKYPALLET has already been integrated to customer systems through its API, it has remained a stateless application relying on external systems to provide shipment and capacity inputs per calculation. By incorporating it into CARGOSTACK as part of our version 2.0, we now have the architecture to retrieve and hold all the relevant inputs consumed by the palletization algorithm, through what we call a stateful or deep integration with a customer’s core reservation system. This enables different automated workflows such as running SKYPALLET autonomously in the background using the booking, flight and aircraft data to recommend outputs back to the airline system such as the remaining available volume, suggest offloads and significantly automate the flight release process. We are also excited because SKYPALLET 2.0 is unlocking a number of new use cases which we are actively exploring with early adopter customers. This includes a new module to manage end-to-end special loads processes, its use in-warehouse for build planning and execution, and aircraft weight & balance capabilities.”

Thai Airways opts to share its capacity on WebCargo

Brigitte Gledhill
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Thai Airways opts to share its capacity on WebCargo

Freightos’ WebCargo has gained a new partner in Thai Airways and, with Thailand’s national carrier, strengthens its foothold in Asia. Over the next few months, Thai Airways will integrate its cargo capacities into WebCargo’s platform. Forwarders using WebCargo will then be able to book real-time capacities against current rates, and also carry out payment in real-time, using the system’s WebCargo Pay solution for seamless transactions. The roll-out will commence with selected freight forwarders in Australia, Japan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Thai Airways, with its hub in Bangkok, offers a large route network as well as quality customer service and operations.

Soon digitally bookable on the WebCargo platform. Image: Thai Cargo

Manuel Galindo, Chief Revenue Officer of Freightos, said: “By helping forwarders of different sizes easily book and pay for Thai Airways capacity on WebCargo’s platform, we are not only expanding digital access to one of Asia’s largest air cargo networks but also continuing our mission to help evolve how cargo bookings and payments are handled. With WebCargo eBooking and Pay, Thai Airways will be able to expand their audience and provide their customers with smooth access to flexible credit and payment options, and to complete their bookings in seconds.”

Chirachet Chanawiset, Head of Cargo & Mail Commercial, Thai Airways Cargo, proclaimed: “Thai Airways aims for service of excellence to provide secure and environmentally responsible air transport solutions. Our collaboration with WebCargo by Freightos is a key milestone in our digital transformation journey. With WebCargo Pay, we are excited to reach a broader audience and empower a wider array of freight forwarders to grow their businesses, easily and securely.”

Menzies Aviation now owns 50.1% of Groundforce Portugal

Brigitte Gledhill
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0
Menzies Aviation now owns 50.1% of Groundforce Portugal

The acquisition has now been completed and Menzies Aviation own a 50.1% stake in Groundforce Portugal, concluding a transition lasting since MAR23. The other 49.9% remains with TAP. Overall, Menzies’ market share in Portugal has now risen to 65%. The news “marks a significant milestone in the recovery and revitalization of the ground handling company with an impact on the entire national economy,” the release underlines. For Groundforce Portugal, it means becoming rebranded as Menzies Aviation and joining the world’s largest aviation services company totaling 45,000 employees at more than 290 locations in 65+ countries around the world. Groundforce Portugal itself consists of 4,000 staff, and it already manages more than 100,000 aircraft turns every year at five of Portugal’s airports: Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) in Lisbon, Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) in Porto, Gago Coutinho Airport (FAO) in Faro, Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) on Madeira and Porto Santo Airport (PXO) on Porto Santo Island in Madeira.

Groundforce Portugal is now part of Menzies Aviation. Image: Menzies

The two shareholders, TAP and Menzies Aviation have committed to investing in training and advanced technology to ensure that quality standards and process efficiency are increased.

Hassan El-Houry, Executive Chairman, Menzies Aviation, said: “Today’s announcement is the culmination of a year-long process to transfer ownership and progress the revitalization of the Portuguese aviation sector. We are committed to our strategic investment in the region, paving the way for a future where innovation and excellence take center stage. This milestone opens a new chapter for Menzies in Portugal and the Southern European region, and we look forward to working together to deliver high-quality services across the country’s aviation network.”

Philipp Joeinig, Group CEO, Menzies Aviation, added: “We are delighted to embark on an exciting venture in Portugal, working with TAP Portugal and our new employees to deliver unmatched aviation services, upholding our commitment to safety, security, and excellence. The integration of Groundforce Portugal employees into Menzies is eagerly anticipated, as their expertise will provide invaluable in fostering the growth and expansion of Portugal’s aviation sector.”

Bertling launches five air freight products

Brigitte Gledhill
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Bertling launches five air freight products

The 159-year-old complex logistics provider is mainly known for shipping solutions, and yet it has been working on building up a portfolio of air freight solutions, which it launched this week. On the same day, the company sent out an invitation to the inauguration of its new air freight office in Dusseldorf, and a day later, published an open position for an Air Freight Specialist to join its IATA-licensed air freight team. So, the air cargo strategy is in full swing. “In line with the increasing global demand for specialized air freight services from our customers, we are pleased to introduce our global time-definite air freight products, which support individual service requirements through various verticals from airport to airport,” the website announced on 06JUN24, “In addition to these air freight services, we offer door-to-door services within our global network, as well as customs brokerage and other value-added services.”

Adding specialized air cargo services to its portfolio. Image: Bertling

Five products are on offer: B.Express for urgent shipments, B.Prio for reliable, direct shipping, B.Essential which matches transit and transport times to customer requirements, B.Cargo for freighter/charter solutions, and B.Green which is a sustainable air freight service offered in partnership with airlines’ sustainable programs. The latter product is combinable with any of the previous four, offering “air freight with a touch of green”, including Bertling’s own Carbon Footprint Tracker and a choice of four offsetting projects.

Colin MacIsaac, CEO of Bertling Logistics, announced: “We are very excited to expand our presence in Germany with our new office in Düsseldorf, which will house our air freight and project logistics team. Our growing team of air freight experts will provide extended air freight services for our local and global customers more quickly and efficiently.” On offer are connections with Bertling’s regional air freight hubs in locations such as Singapore, China, UAE, USA, Chile, and South Africa, and across its network of airline partners.

Janine Seemke, Global Head of Air freight, added: “We have chosen Duesseldorf as one of the most flexible and convenient European Air freight Hub in order to be agile and flexible to our customers’ needs, working on virtual EU consolidations using the various airports of Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Liege and Maastricht. We also offer centralized special services such as charter, OBCs, cargo drone services.”

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