Chinese air logistics group, HNA Cargo, which operates on behalf of Hainan Aviation Group, including China’s fourth largest airline, Hainan Airlines, has now chosen cargo.one as its first digital marketplace. In a couple of months from now, international forwarders using cargo.one will be able to search and book real-time cargo capacities offered by HNA Cargo on 2000 international and domestic routes to, from and within China. For HNA Cargo, this decision gives it access to freight forwarders across 107 markets and, at the same time, places it as “the air logistics group partner that offers the largest number of portfolio airlines on cargo.one,” according to cargo.one’s press release: “a combined fleet of 600 aircraft spanning 11 airlines including Hainan Airlines, Capital Airlines, Tianjin Airlines and Suparna Airlines.” The digital platform has already seen 400% growth over the past 18 months.

Qiushi Zheng, Vice President of HNA Cargo, explained: “With our network covering more than 300 cities and regions at home and abroad, HNA Cargo holds a strong resource advantage. This digital partnership helps ensure that we benefit fully from our transportation capacity and can achieve optimal distribution. As our first global digital sales channel, cargo.one adds value with its high-quality booking solutions and delivers us unique access to thousands of freight forwarders of all sizes through its impressive footprint. During our collaboration, cargo.one has impressed our teams with its technical proficiency and strength of purpose to accelerate and optimize our digital sales gains.”

Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one, stated: “We are delighted that HNA Group is choosing us to help deliver their digital ambitions. With currently more than 50 digitally connected airlines, no other platform can deliver forwarders access to such superior differentiated supply, whether through our web-based application or API suite. As the go-to partner for digital distribution, cargo.one will ensure that HNA Cargo offers are always front of mind in every relevant market.”

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc subsidiary, Atlas Air kicked off the new year with a happy event: the delivery of a fourth new Boeing 777 freighter that it will operate for MSC Air Cargo (the virtual airline fraction of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA, launched at the end of 2022). This means increased weekly air cargo services, including its successful first commercial flight from Hong Kong (HKG) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). The first of the four B777 aircraft under ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) contract that Atlas Air operates for MSC Cargo, was delivered in NOV22. Freighters two and three in JUL23 and NOV23, respectively. This fleet of four modern freighters which can cover the greatest distance in comparison to other freighters, allows Atlas and MSC Cargo to offer a cleaner, quieter, more cost and fuel-efficient service, with a possible uplift of 107 tons per flight.

Richard Broekman, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Sustainability, Atlas Air Worldwide, commented: “The delivery of this fourth 777 Freighter that we are operating for MSC, marks an incredibly exciting milestone of our long-term strategic partnership. We value our partnership and look forward to building upon our relationship with MSC as the company continues to grow its air cargo solution for its customers.”

Anders Matikka, Vice President, Air Cargo, MSC, said: “This latest 777 Freighter delivery represents a pivotal moment and significant milestone for our company as it marks the completion of our first set of aircrafts in partnership with Atlas Air. This new and enhanced fleet will empower us to elevate our offering, ensuring enhanced support for our valued clients and a stronger presence in the market.”

When it comes to a less negative environmental impact in air cargo, every little bit helps – and that can be anywhere along the logistics chain. In Silk Way West Airlines’ case, the focus in this particular milestone, is on operation in the cockpit. It has chosen to adopt Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solutions developed for the aviation industry by Essen, Germany-based Logipad. The company’s software has been developed with the aim of increasing efficiency and safety in aviation operations, and provides crews with access to real-time data and critical information and resources. Given the fact that all this information is available at the touch of a screen button, this greatly reduces the amount of, or need for, hard-copy paper versions of those documents.

Not that Silk Way West Airlines has partnered with Logipad, it will also benefit from more efficient, environmentally friendly process. The decision to adopt Logipad solutions was taken as an action within the airline’s sustainability strategy as well as its focus on digital transformation.

Wolfgang Meier, President of Silk Way West Airlines, summarized: “Joining the Logipad community is a significant milestone in our journey towards a global sustainable future. By introducing a paper and wood-saving program, we not only streamline our logistics processes but also contribute to environmental conservation. Silk Way West Airlines is dedicated to making responsible choices that benefit our planet and the communities we serve.”

Swiss pharma supply chain technology company, SkyCell, has been chosen by Air France KLM Martinair Cargo to provide and enhance its ULD tracking and visibility. As the airline group’s preferred unit load device (ULD) tracking partner, SkyCell will deploy its state of the art, built for purpose IoTs across Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s ULD fleet, thus enabling real-time visibility into its ULD operations. That visibility is shown on the software company’s SkyMind platform. Thanks to the deployment of innovative readers and tags combined with state-of-the-art technology, SkyMind is able to illustrate what is happening with the ULDs and where they are along the journey. This information enables Air France KLM Martinair Cargo to proactively tackle and irregularities and work more efficiently that it has been able to in the past, when tracking and tracing was a much more manual and complex process. Efficient processes naturally also mean significant operational and cost efficiencies, and hence greater customer satisfaction overall.

Adriaan den Heijer, EVP Air France-KLM Cargo and Managing Director Martinair, explained: “We’ve decided to invest in the latest asset tracking technology with SkyCell. A new technology solution called SkyMind has been developed. Implementing state-of-the-art tracking devices to locate our ULDs will not only enable us to track our assets but will also significantly enhance our operational quality. Real-time ULD tracking will enable us to address the issue of ULD losses, whether by ground handling partners or our valued customers, and will ensure seamless movement of cargo. With improved ULD management, we can optimize our operations and deliver exceptional service to our air cargo industry partners.”

Nico Ros, CTO and Co-Founder SkyCell, announced: “We’re excited about our partnership with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, as we establish a new standard in technology for Air Cargo’s ULD (Unit Load Device) management. This achievement is made possible through our close cooperation with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and the integration of SkyMind, our IoT-driven visibility platform with specialized ULD management. The partnership marks a major transformation in the airline industry towards automation, with a strong focus on efficient ULD management, streamlined dispositioning and improved asset utilization.”

“You’ve got to be in it, to win it,” is a popular phrase when it comes to competitions and lotteries. “You’ve got to be in it, to change it” could be a valid adaptation when it comes to driving change and smoothing the path for innovation in mobility. A new taskforce is setting out to do this and Dronamics is among its members. The cargo drone airline has joined forces with 15 other European private mobility companies (a mix of influential unicorns and startups: Aura Aero, Bolt, Cabify, Carto, EVBOX, EV Connect, Fastned, Flix, Lilium, MaasGlobal, Nevomo, Otiv, Volocopter, Voi, Virta), to launch the EU Future Mobility Taskforce. The initiative was announced after a joint meeting with the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean.

The taskforce, brainchild of Bolt and Cabify, sets out to unite the EU’s mobility innovators (focused on cargo, air mobility, shared mobility, EV charging, maglev, rail, transport innovation and deep tech) and collaborate in providing information and guidance to EU policymakers for the next legislative mandate, thus accelerating efforts and ensuring continued European leadership in global transport innovation. First step is a comprehensive report on members’ requirements and recommendations, due for presentation to Commissioner Vălean this Spring. Mobility must be made more sustainable, affordable, and connected, yet its innovators often face outdated and fragmented regulation, a lack of enforcement, market entry barriers, or barriers to accessing finance and data accessibility.

Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, announced: “Today [11JAN24], marked the launch of the EU Future Mobility Taskforce, where 16 CEOs and Founders from Europe’s top private mobility unicorns and startups joined forces. In a dynamic meeting, we delved into the needs of our transport innovators and explored ground-breaking initiatives like Drone Strategy 2.0 and future Hyperloop regulatory frameworks. The European Union is boosting financial support for transportation innovators and startups through Horizon Europe cluster 5 and EIT Urban Mobility. The European Innovation Council, with a EUR 10 billion budget, is calling on transport entrepreneurs to apply.”

Svilen Rangelov, Co-Founder and CEO, said: “As Europe’s cargo drone airline, we are delighted to be part of the EU Future Mobility Taskforce, working with fellow mobility innovators and unicorns. Middle-mile deliveries by cargo drones have a significant potential for the European as well as the global economy at large, enabling faster, cheaper, and green goods mobility, [and are] key to advancing the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.”

Astral Aviation has appointed Euro Cargo Aviation to act as its cargo GSA in Europe, USA & UAE, and Take Off Aviation as its cargo GSA for South Africa. The Kenyan airline announced the Global Sales Partnership Agreement which came into effect with 01JAN24, earlier this month. The two entities are responsible for marketing the Astral Aviation’s cargo capacities to potential clients, businesses, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders. They published the following statement: “Euro Cargo Aviation and Take Off Aviation are delighted and immensely proud to represent Astral Aviation as its Cargo GSA. Our collaboration with Astral Aviation marks a significant milestone for our organization as we join forces to enhance our business endeavors, leveraging our collective decades of expertise in the dynamic African market. Together, we are poised to achieve new heights, fostering growth, and delivering unparalleled value to our clients. This collaboration underscores our commitment to excellence and innovation in airfreight services to Africa, and we look forward to a successful and mutually beneficial journey ahead with Astral Aviation.”

Sanjeev Gadhia, Astral Aviation’s CEO, added: “We look forward to our partnership with Euro Cargo Aviation, who will act as an extension of our esteemed company, representing its cargo services, driving sales, ensuring operational efficiency, and maintaining customer satisfaction for its scheduled and charter network from Europe, USA & UAE, which will be directed towards Astral’s strategic hubs in Dubai and Nairobi, while Take Off Aviation will promote Astral in South Africa. We are confident of Euro Cargo’s professionalism, expertise, and neutrality to represent us in three of the key markets and look forward to a new partnership.”

Since 01JAN24, Michael Zach is Vienna International Airport’s new Head of Ground Services. He succeeds Franz Spitzer, who is partially retiring after almost three decades in the employment of Flughafen Wien AG.

Zach, who is now responsible for cargo, baggage, and ramp handling, alongside aircraft de-icing, has been with the airport since 2006, and comes over from Sales, Finance and Cargo within its Handling Services division – a post he held since 2018. His other previous positions include Managing Director of the City Airport Train, Managing Director of Business and General Aviation and the VIP Terminal. Vienna Airport’s press release lauds his many achievements and years of management experience in various leadership roles, and reveals that, in his new position, he now heads the largest division of Flughafen Wien AG, which employs 1,400 staff.

Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner, members of the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG, agreed: “Michael Zach is the ideal choice for the position of Head of Ground Services – he will continue the airport’s successful course. At the same time, we would like to thank Franz Spitzer for his dedication and commitment to our airport, which he has played a key role in shaping for many years. We wish him all the best for this new chapter in his life.”

Michael Zach, Head of Ground Services at Flughafen Wien AG, commented: “Since 2018, I have been able to help develop ground handling at Vienna Airport together with Franz Spitzer. I am very pleased to now have the opportunity to assume overall responsibility for ground handling services at the airport and to continue the successful cooperation with my colleagues here.”

The clock is ticking over the UK, as the industry prepares for the final migration to CDS (the Customs Declaration Service). This is the HMRC’s new system for the processing of customs declarations, and since the HMRC’s migration timeline for inventory-linked exports requires air freight exports to begin in early February (ocean = early March), the Agency Sector Management (ASM) and the British International Freight Association (BIFA) jointly held a webinar to help answer any questions businesses may have in preparing their migration. (Companies are given three months to migrate from the moment HMRC gives them the go-ahead. Any exceptions to this are subject to strict conditions.) Not only did a record number of traders attend the webinar, but ASM and BIFA also noted that the number of traders accessing the HMRC test environment, Trader Dress Rehearsal (TDR), had also increased. TDR allows users to practice submitting CDS export declarations, thus become better prepared for the real-life transition to the new tool.

Steve Parker, BIFA Director General, revealed: “Around 50% of the trade association’s corporate members were in attendance [at the webinar], which demonstrates their commitment to being prepared for this latest change.”

Sharon Greer, ASM General Manager, explained: “The seminar was organized to help address any concerns those members and users may still have about their readiness to complete the final switch to the new system, and to provide companies with advice and guidance about the implementation process. We have already witnessed the benefits of running sessions like these, for example following our previous CDS webinar we have seen a significant reduction in the numbers of traders leaving MUCRs unclosed – a previously common problem which was contributing to preventing a smooth migration to CDS. This highlights the importance these webinars play in providing clear guidance to those who need it.”

Robert Windsor, BIFA’s Member Policy and Compliance Director, added: “The seminar provided an important update on the final preparations businesses need to make in order to ensure that their final migration to CDS for exports is successful; and delivered indicative timelines for the implementation. It also enabled us to reiterate the message that due to the tight timelines for HMRC to de-commission CHIEF, the timeframe for its closure for export declarations will be much shorter than for imports. The key is practice. Implementation of CDS imports has shown the benefits of users spending as much time as possible in testing the new system, as well as the need to liaise with their software suppliers to ensure full connectivity with government systems.”