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No shipping, no shopping

Heiner Siegmund
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No shipping, no shopping

This maxim has held true since the days when Albert Ballin was CEO of the Hapag-Lloyd shipping line. In him, the globalization of trade and the exchange of goods found an early and staunch advocate. That was more than a century ago. Yet it remains true today, albeit on a vastly different scale in terms of volume and scope.

Hapag-Lloyd CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen (right) presents Pedro Salazar of Amigos del Mar with the EUR 50,000 prize for exemplary social and environmental action – photos: CFG/ac

Hapag-Lloyd CEO, Rolf Habben Jansen recalled the long-term benefits of global trade, transport and division of labor for his company in his laudatory speech honoring Pedro Salazar, Founder and Director of the organization ‘Amigos del Mar’. The Colombian self-made man and his initiative were the main recipients of this year’s Albert Ballin Award for Outstanding Initiatives that benefit many, sponsored by Hapag-Lloyd. The award came with a generous prize of EUR 50,000. In addition, three further prizes were awarded to three outstanding young female scientists for groundbreaking pioneering work.

What would the world be without the single, by far most important mode of transport: the ship? An estimated 90% of all goods are transported by sea. Without shipping, supermarket shelves would remain empty, and vital raw materials such as oil, gas, ore and others could not be transported between origins and destinations. Construction materials for hotels planned to be built on an island, for example, would never reach the intended location.

Waste as a raw material
Which brings us to the topic of the ‘Albert Ballin Prize 2026’. The fact that Pedro Salazar was awarded the accolade is more a matter of chance. His original goal was to build a hotel as part of a beach club on the island of Tierra Bomba, off the coast of Cartagena, on the Colombian part of the Caribbean Sea. As he explained during the award ceremony, it was a child begging for food and beverages shortly after he had arrived at the island, that motivated him to familiarize himself with the location. For Pedro, the encounter was like a door opener to a different future. After careful consideration, he scrapped the hotel plans and founded the organization Amigos del Mar, which became deeply committed to coastal conservation and social development. A video clip played to the invitees at Hapag-Lloyd’s headquarters, clearly illustrated the multitude of initiatives the foundation has meanwhile kicked off.

Setting a positive example
The video shows a group of schoolchildren heading toward the beach, some of them carrying surfboards. As the children approach the waterfront, they begin picking up empty bottles, plastics and other waste. Their efforts are part of a project called ‘Olas Paz Programa’ (Clean Wave Project), which collects and transforms plastic bottles and bottle caps into surfboard fins. “The idea was that the people of Tierra Bomba, who had never removed plastic waste from the beach or recycled the items before, would start cleaning the seafront and turn waste into durable goods,” explained Pedro Salazar. In interviews with local media, he admits that “it is difficult in communities facing other challenges, to talk about pollution and try to change their minds on environmental issues”. Meanwhilehis Amigos del Mar have become ambassadors for a cleaner environment that is worth protecting and conserving. Although there is still junk on the island, the amount has been significantly reduced. Above all, however, the commitment of his organization – supported by numerous volunteers – is setting a positive example.

The prize awarded by Hapag-Lloyd will give the Friends of the Sea further opportunities to expand their scope of action, make a meaningful impact beyond the island, and thus contribute to a more respectful approach to nature. This concern was also emphasized in the brief speech by Yadir Salazar-Mejia, Colombia’s ambassador to Germany.

Three more prizes
In addition to the main prize, three further awards were presented to young female scholars at the Ballin Symposium. Clara Baumann received an award for her in-depth analysis of Latin America’s shifting dependencies on Chinese investors, which are no longer one-sided. Bertille James examined the European Community’s relations with China between 1978 and 1989, focusing on new expectations and their impact on EC decision-making. Finally, Marlene Gärtner presented her dissertation on the role of narratives in African societies and the consequences for their migration behavior, using Cameroon as a case study. The conclusion in a nutshell: Cameroonians still view Europe as a paradise, even if not every migrant has found happiness there.

The award recipients, who each received 5,000 EUR for their outstanding scientific work (l > r): Marlene Gärtner, Clara Baumann, Bertille James. They are flanked by laudator, Professor Rainer Gries, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna and Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO Hapag-Lloyd.

Each of the award winners received EUR 5,000 for their scientific works.

Spotlight on… Aliaa Almetwally, Project & Continuous Improvement Manager, FCS

Brigitte Gledhill
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Spotlight on… Aliaa Almetwally, Project & Continuous Improvement Manager, FCS

Every week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ examines a specific section of the air cargo industry through the eyes of someone working there, to illustrate the many different careers it offers. One important link in logistics are cargo handlers – the operational backbone of the air cargo industry. Positioned at the critical interface between airlines, freight forwarders, and supply chains, they manage the loading, unloading, storage, and documentation of goods moving through airports. Cargo handlers are responsible for the seamless flow of shipments from the forwarder to the airline, and vice versa, ensuring regulatory compliance, dangerous goods safety, and temperature integrity, while maximizing aircraft capacity through precise ULD build-up. Aliaa Almetwally (AA), Project & Continuous Improvement Manager, FCS, takes us through her role and shares her experience and advice for those looking to join the air cargo industry.

Air cargo is a combination of operational complexity, time-criticality, and global impact. Image: Aliaa Almetwally

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

AA: I am the Project & Continuous Improvement Manager at FCS Frankfurt Cargo Services GmbH. I joined in January 2024, at a point when Continuous Improvement had just been introduced at FCS and was still very much in its early days – operating as a consulted, advisory function rather than as an established department. My mandate has been to grow it from there into a structured CI function with its own identity, methods, and rhythm. My focus is clear: remove waste, increase productivity, and create cost-saving initiatives through digitalization, automation, and innovation. In practice, that means bringing Lean Six Sigma into our daily routines through Gemba walks, 5S and Kaizen, building the Operations Library of Standard Operating Procedures, driving automation and AI projects that take repetitive workload off the team, and shaping a performance management approach grounded in facts and continuous measurement. I also coach and train colleagues on CI tools and report to both local management and global headquarters, which keeps me close to the bigger picture across the network.

CFG: What does a normal day look like for you?

AA: In cargo, ‘normal’ is a relative term. My day usually starts with a daily sync meeting with my CI team, where we align on what is on each person’s plate and remove blockers early. After that comes the daily business review call, where I set priorities for the day, give updates on running initiatives, and align with operations on what they need from CI. The rest of the day is a mix of workshops, root cause analyses, AI projects, training, SOP reviews, automation projects, and stakeholder alignment locally and globally. There is always something unexpected that reshuffles priorities, and that variety is exactly what keeps the role exciting.

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

AA: I joined the air cargo industry in January 2024, so just over two years ago. Before that, I spent close to three years at Amazon as a Continuous Improvement Manager, and my career originally started in mechanical and industrial engineering. What brought me to air cargo was the combination of operational complexity, time-criticality, and global impact. Few industries demand such precise coordination between people, processes, and technology – and that is exactly the environment where Continuous Improvement creates the most value. I wanted to apply my engineering and Lean background somewhere every minute and every kilo really matter, and air cargo delivers that every single shift.

CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?

AA: I am a result-oriented person, so what drives me is impact: seeing waste actually disappear from a process, productivity going up, and cost-saving initiatives turning into real outcomes on the floor. What makes it even more rewarding is that none of these results happen alone. I enjoy delivering them with the team, because when people are involved from the beginning, they take real ownership, and that shared accountability is what makes improvements stick. Coaching colleagues through change and watching them grow into CI champions in their own right is, on a personal level, the most fulfilling part of what I do.

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

AA: I see three challenges that are deeply intertwined. First, digitalization and the smart use of information – our industry generates an enormous amount of operational knowledge every day, but turning it into actionable insight, and integrating AI in a meaningful way, is still a journey for many handlers. Second, knowledge transfer – experienced cargo professionals carry an incredible amount of tacit know-how, and without proper standards, training, and documentation, we risk losing that as the workforce changes. And third, the combined pressure of capacity growth, sustainability, safety, and regulation, which calls for genuine cultural and process change, not just new technology. From where I stand, Continuous Improvement is the connective tissue between all three.

CFG: What advice would you give to people looking to get into the air cargo industry?

AA: Be curious, and do not be afraid to start on the floor – operational understanding is the foundation everything else builds on. On the formal side, the IATA courses (Cargo Introductory) are a great way to pick up the industry’s language and standards quickly. I would also strongly recommend a Lean Six Sigma foundation, at least Yellow or Green Belt, because process thinking is highly transferable in this environment. An openness to digitalization and AI is becoming increasingly important too. And finally, invest in soft skills: communication, change management, and stakeholder management. Cargo is ultimately a people business that happens to move freight.

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

AA: ‘The Invisible Network – Around the World Before Sunrise.’ Most people never see what it takes to move a shipment from A to B overnight, but behind every parcel, every pharma container, every piece of mail, there is an intricate, time-critical choreography of people, machines, and data. Part thriller, part documentary – and definitely with a sequel.

Thank you very much, Aliaa.

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.

War and Peace, Hapag-Lloyd – Part 2

Heiner Siegmund
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War and Peace, Hapag-Lloyd – Part 2

Are Europeans – and with them the NATO member states – still living in an era of peace, or are there mounting attacks, particularly by the Russians, targeting naval fleets and the maritime infrastructure of the alliance’s member states? That was the overlapping question of the interdisciplinary symposium organized by the Ballin Forum at Kuehne University in Hamburg’s Harbor City on 12-13MAY26, attended by 100 invitees. In short, the answer to the question was neither peace nor war. Instead, Europeans are living in a phase of escalating hybrid warfare.

A wealth of expertise on stage at the Albert-Ballin-Forum: Professors Frank Möller (left) and Herfried Münkler – photo: CFG/hs

Scientists, speakers, and panelists quickly agreed that the initiator of the naval aggressions is Putin’s Russia, which is acting in an increasingly belligerent manner. Especially, but not only, in the Baltic Sea region, where undersea cables connecting Scandinavia to countries on the continental shelf are being deliberately cut, military aircraft with their transponders turned off, regularly intrude the airspace of NATO countries, and drones have been spotted spying on military facilities in Denmark, Germany, Poland, Romania, Estonia, and Norway, and have even been detected over Alaska at least a dozen times. Added to this, are ships from the shadow fleet chartered by Russia, which are intended to facilitate the export of Russian oil sanctioned by the EU, but which, at the same time, carry out espionage missions or deliberately damage undersea cables with their anchors.

Only the actors have changed
That is the current situation. In a historical overview, Frank Möller and Herfried Münkler, both internationally renowned political scientists, examined the role of war and peace at sea, and the impact on supply chain security. In doing so, they made it clear that the construction and deployment of large fleets have always served an overarching political goal. Only the actors have changed. While historically, it was the Spanish and, above all, the English who sought to consolidate their imperial power through naval supremacy, the Germans joined them in the second half of the 19th century through World War I and, starting with World War II, the U.S. took command of the world’s oceans.

The long-time hegemon is gone
This hegemonic policy can work if the hegemon feels committed to a legal order that serves as a protective shield over allied countries. However, since Trump’s reelection in the U.S., such a hegemon no longer exists for NATO members. Europe therefore finds itself wedged between the aggressor, Putin, who views the seas as a staging ground for his expansionist ambitions, and the former hegemon, the United States, whose interests, however, are primarily focused on dominance on the American continent.

New Club solution is needed
A ruthless aggressor to the east, a collapsing hegemon to the west: this is the current political and military situation Europeans are facing. They can only meet these challenges if they step up their maritime efforts and cooperate in a targeted manner, both scholars recommended unanimously. After all, many can act like one. There are plenty of historical examples of this, Münkler and Möller argued. “What we need is a club solution,” stated Herfried Münkler. This includes civil and military capabilities which greatly increase the risk for an attacker through collective countermeasures, he reasoned. Following the looming withdrawal of the U.S. from NATO, or at least its threats to quit the club, a new alliance of reliable partners is needed. And this must be transcontinental in order to protect global supply chains and, in an emergency case, to be able to intervene quickly. In addition to the EU – or at least the majority of its members – countries such as Canada, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and a few other willing nations should join the club. It would not spell the end of NATO, but at least it would mean breaking free from an erratic U.S. hegemon that says one thing today and another tomorrow.

“Peace at sea is over”
… Felix Brake exclaimed, following the scholar’s presentations.

He served as officer in the German Naval Forces and took part in numerous missions to combat pirate attacks on merchant ships off the coast of Somalia. Today, Brake runs a company called Nexmaris, that continuously analyzes the threat situation, particularly in the Baltic and North Seas, and provides guidance to EU member states bordering these waters.

“Our vital interests extend across the sea, and there they have long been under attack. We are not yet at war. But what we know as peace is long gone,” Brake exclaimed.

Since the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a former regional conflict has turned into a global crisis. “This is evidenced by the disruption of classic supply chains involving helium, raw materials, oil shipments, and can ultimately be felt by anyone at service stations where gas and diesel prices hit new heights.” His conclusion: Germany, the EU, and allied democratic states must fast strengthen their defense capabilities after years of deep slumber. Putin, Trump, and China’s Xi Jinping have left them no other choice if they do not want to become political, cultural, and economic vassals soon.

Addendum
The interdisciplinary forum was named after Albert Ballin (1857–1918). During his tenure as the shipping company’s General Director (1888–1918), he shaped the development of Hapag-Lloyd like no other. The proud motto he coined remains the shipping company’s guiding principle to this day: “My field is the world.” At the same time, it stands for bold entrepreneurial action even in difficult times, whether caused by economic crises or military threats. Currently, the duality in these conflict situations is becoming increasingly apparent. This was the central theme of the interdisciplinary forum held at Kuehne University in Hamburg’s HafenCity: “War and Peace at Sea – where do we stand today?”

Hapag-Lloyd slips into the red – Part 1

Heiner Siegmund
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Hapag-Lloyd slips into the red – Part 1

Shipping line, Hapag-Lloyd, has been in the headlines of news agencies, business publications, and other media recently, due to three topics: Hapag-Lloyd’s disappointing Q1 2026 financial results. Secondly, a high-profile symposium on war and peace at sea. Thirdly, recognition of the scholars who published their latest findings, including a project in Colombia that was awarded a prestigious prize by a five-member jury for its successful holistic approach. We begin the trilogy with the shipping company’s sobering financial performance in Q1, 2026.

Steady cargo volumes but declining revenue – Q1/2026 was a challenging period for Hapag-Lloyd. Photo: H-L

During the first three months of this year, Hapag-Lloyd slid into the red. According to figures released on Thursday (14MAY26), the world’s fifth-largest shipping company posted a loss of EUR 219 million from 0JAN26 to 30MAR26. This sharply contrasts the results achieved in the same period of last year, that ended with a profit of EUR 463 million.

Multiple causes
Falling freight rates, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, time and fuel consuming sailing around the Cape of Good Hope on journeys between the Far East and Europe, fast rising bunker prices as well as general geopolitical turmoil weighed heavily on the Hamburg-based box carrier. The consolidated EBIT was sobering, documenting a loss of EUR 134 million, while net income after taxes showed a loss of EUR 219 million versus gains of EUR 665 million, a year ago.

In contrast, at 3.2 million TEU, cargo volume in Q1 2026 remained virtually unchanged from the previous year. In particular, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz – for which there is currently no end in sight – has disrupted logistics supply chains and resulted in significant additional financial burdens. According to CEO Rolf Habben Jansen, four of the shipping company’s container ships are still trapped in the Persian Gulf, incurring additional costs of USD 50 million per week and even more. Since 02MAR26, the strait has been effectively closed to commercial shipping due to the Iranian military’s naval blockade, a situation further exacerbated by a U.S. counter-blockade.

Blockade and no end in sight
Based on the USD 50 million per week cited by the Hapag-Lloyd helmsman, the shipping company has incurred costs of approximately USD 200 million by the end of MAR26 for ship personnel, fuel supplies, cargo securing, and, above all, insurance premiums. Extrapolated to the present date, this amounts to more than USD 300 million.

Offsetting these amounts against the quarterly loss likely makes the presented income statement more palatable to management.

Profitable business unit
Moreover, the revenue and EBITDA for the ‘Terminal & Infrastructure’ business segment showed a clearly positive trend in Q1. This was achieved through volume increases in India and, above all, Latin America, as well as the full consolidation of the container business of the Indian J M Baxi Group. Accordingly, revenue and EBITDA for this segment rose significantly in Q1.

Despite the overall disappointing first quarter of 2026, and weak earnings, the Executive Board is sticking to its annual forecast announced in FEB26: Consolidated EBITDA of USD 1.1 billion to USD 3.1 billion and consolidated EBIT in the range of between USD 1.5 billion and USD 0.5 billion are still expected.

At the same time, the Hapag-Lloyd Executive Board emphasized the continuation of strict cost management as well as the commitment to the planned merger with the Israeli shipping company, ZIM, despite concerns from the local union and some critical voices from Israeli politicians.

Central Europe: Air Cargo’s rising center of gravity

Brigitte Gledhill
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Central Europe: Air Cargo’s rising center of gravity

For decades, the spotlight in European air cargo shone firmly on the West – Frankfurt, Paris-CDG, London Heathrow, Amsterdam… These hubs defined the continent’s freight landscape. But a tectonic shift is underway and other gateways into Europe are opening up. One extraordinary example in recent years, is Istanbul, bridging Asia and Europe, which shot up from 47th place in 2019, to become Europe’s largest cargo hub in 2025, tonnage-wise (CFG reported). And Central Europe, too, is fast becoming a strategically critical region in air cargo, driven by geography, industrial transformation, e-commerce, and nearshoring. Central Europe has a strong future in the continent’s cargo industry and the topic of how it is seeking to shape its success will be discussed in a panel titled “Central European Challenges & Opportunities, plotting the pathway to further success” at TIACA’s upcoming Executive Summit in Warsaw, Poland on 02JUN26.

Hear from the experts about what is driving air cargo in Central Europe. Image: TIACA

Central Europe is not a formal subregion under the United Nations geoscheme, and its definition therefore often varies, depending on historical, cultural, or political context. The most cited countries are Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany (which bridges Central and Western Europe), Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Some include Switzerland, the Baltics, or Croatia and neighboring countries in the CET time zone. In any case, Central Europe’s most enduring asset is its location. Sitting at the crossroads of East and West, the region offers unrivalled access across an entire continent. Vienna Airport, for example, reaches the most important consumer and business centers across Central and Eastern Europe within 24 to 48 hours via road feeder services. And it is no surprise that Frankfurt’s position ‘at the heart of Central Europe’ has long made Germany an international air transport hub connecting to all global regions.

Growing cargo figures
Leaving Germany aside for the moment, a number of countries in Central Europe are showing striking results when it comes to cargo volumes. Vienna Airport delivered its best cargo figures to date in 2025, handling 313,763 tons – a 5.3% increase on previous year. Budapest Airport has been even more dramatic: it handled 426,519 tons in 2025, a 42.3% increase versus the previous year [which, too, had seen a 48% increase on 2023] – representing a 200+% increase over five years (CFG reported). Almost half of its throughput is now e-commerce from China, but it also offers excellent solutions for perishables or high-value products, thanks to its BUD Cargo City, which was further expanded in 2022, enhancing its handling infrastructure. Warsaw’s Chopin Airport also had a record year – at roughly 137,000 tons throughput in 2025, it has grown its cargo volumes by 40% over the past 5 years. And a new Polish airport is on the horizon in the next decade. Prague’s Václav Havel Airport, too, has seen impressive momentum, handling a record 96,481 tons of air cargo and mail in 2025 – a year-on-year increase of 48%. It is investing CZK 16 billion (EUR 641.1 million) in a new terminal and expanding its logistics hub to double its cargo handling capacity. The project’s completion is planned for 2029. These examples all confirm a continuing growth pattern.

What is driving this growth?
The answers to this question will be delivered on 02JUN26 at the TIACA Executive Summit panel on “Central European Challenges & Opportunities, plotting the pathway to further success”. With Pawel Kazmierczak, Commercial Manager at 4RCargo, József Kossuth, Head of Cargo at Budapest Airport, Pawel Zagrajek, Commercial Deputy Director, Port Polska Program, CPK, and Michal Grochowski – Cargo and Mail Director at LOT Cargo, the panel offers a GSSA, Airport and Airline view on Central Europe’s success factors, its strategies for a strong future, its infrastructure investments, but also the risks and challenges it faces. How have and are current events impacting growth? Are secondary airports becoming more attractive? Has the region been underestimated? What does and will it have to offer, once Port Polska (located between Warsaw and Lodz) opens in 2032? And what could the air cargo landscape look like in the next 5–10 years?

Looking ahead
Looking to 2031 and beyond, the Europe air cargo market is projected to grow from approximately USD 35.9 billion in 2024 to USD 54.8 billion by 2031. Central Europe has a good chance of capturing a great deal of that growth, as its development in cargo volumes is already confirming. For airlines, freight forwarders, integrators, and shippers navigating an era of supply chain disruption and e-commerce acceleration, Central Europe is not just an option – it is increasingly the obvious choice.

Blooming lovely in record figures over at Avianca Cargo

Brigitte Gledhill
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Blooming lovely in record figures over at Avianca Cargo
Making sure the blooms are fresh and free from toxic elements. Image: Avianca Cargo

Avianca Cargo closed its 2026 Mother’s Day season with record results, cementing its role as the top air carrier of flowers from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States. The airline transported more than 21,000 tons of flowers (which translates into around 330 million stems), accounting for 42% of Colombian flower exports to the U.S. and at least one in three flowers exported from the broader region.

To handle peak demand in its largest Mother’s Day operation to date, Avianca Cargo dedicated 42% of its capacity (instead of the normal 30%) to flower shipments, operated over 330 cargo flights, running up to 24 daily departures and moving approximately 24 million stems within a single 24-hour period. The carrier deployed nine dedicated freighters, two more than in 2025, plus additional leased capacity to avoid disrupting other markets.

Infrastructure was also scaled up: Miami ground staff increased by 20%, while warehouse capacity grew 35% in Bogotá and 41% in Medellín. The airline held an estimated 65% market share on the Medellín–Miami route and around 35% on Bogotá–Miami, and expanded its Los Angeles service from three to five weekly frequencies compared to last year’s season.

The airline also took the occasion to recognize the workers, many of them mothers themselves, who keep the floriculture and logistics chain moving.

Diogo Elias, CEO of Avianca Cargo, commented: “Mother’s Day remains one of the most significant seasons for the flower industry, and we are proud to deliver another strong performance that reinforces our leadership in the market. This year’s results reflect the scale of our operation and the trust our partners place in us to move more than 21,000 tons of flowers to the United States, which reflects the coordinated work across the entire logistics chain and further strengthens our role as a key connector between Colombia, Ecuador and global markets.” Daniel Alonso, Director of Field Operations (СВР), added: “As families prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, our agriculture specialists and frontline officers are working tirelessly to help ensure flowers arriving into the United States are safe from harmful pests and plant diseases. I’m incredibly proud of our workforce and their commitment to protecting America’s agriculture while helping families enjoy this meaningful holiday with peace of mind.”

LATAM Cargo retained its top spot in flower shipments

Heiner Siegmund
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0
LATAM Cargo retained its top spot in flower shipments
LATAM Cargo champions flower transports from South America to an increasing number of destinations  –  credit: carrier

The members of the LATAM Group of Airlines transported 24,400 tons of flowers from South America to the USA and transcontinental destinations to meet consumer demand on Mother’s Day event. The volume flown is equivalent to approximately 560 million stems. To put that figure into perspective: Throughout the 21 days of the season, more than 300 stems per second departed South America bound for destination markets across three continents.

One notable trend in the past season was that, in addition to traditional markets such as the U.S. and Europe, demand from niche markets such as Oceania and even Chile has also increased significantly. It is an encouraging sign that demand for cut flowers from Colombia and Ecuador reaches new buyer groups and continues to grow.  

The logistics of the entire operation was coordinated from three origin airports: Bogotá, Quito, and Medellín – encompassing more than 430 dedicated flights for the season. To sustain this standard, ground crew staffing more than doubled compared to a regular week, reinforcing ramp, warehouse, and supervisory teams across all three South American hubs.

“The prior alignment between commercial and operational teams means that certainty is not ours alone: it belongs to the producer who knows their product will arrive on time and in optimal condition, and to the importer who can make commercial commitments backed by real capacity,” explained Claudio Torres Faini, International Commercial Director for South America, LATAM Cargo. As in previous years, the entire operation required long-term planning to ensure that the transport was coordinated and carried out on schedule. Close collaboration with growers and exporters was critical. Having volume data available several days in advance made it possible to size the required resources at every point in the supply chain – from cargo receipt at the warehouse to the cut-off of each flight frequency – ensuring a best-in-class service standard.

TIACA announces new Keynote Speaker Series

Brigitte Gledhill
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TIACA announces new Keynote Speaker Series
Keeping the air cargo world talking and turning. Image: TIACA

Not long now until the air cargo industry’s top-level executives descend upon Warsaw for The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)’s annual Executive Summit. Taking place in Poland from 01-03JUN26, and hosted by LOT Polish Airlines and Port Polska, this year’s event sees the start of a new feature: a Keynote Speaker Series. The press release explains that “The new Keynote Speaker Series is designed to bring fresh perspectives from world-class communicators and business thinkers to inspire the air cargo community.” And TIACA already has a fresh perspective lined up in the form of Olivia Kinghorst. An internationally acclaimed journalist, moderator and keynote speaker, Kinghorst will open the series at 09:30 on 02JUN26, with a discourse on the topic: “Inside the Minds of Global Business Leaders”, bringing insights from the many interviews she has held with global influences and top-level managers on leading in the changing face of air cargo and logistics. Her keynote will look at how to handle the challenges arising through global disruption, the opportunities driving innovation, and leading across markets and generations.

Kinghorst brings extensive experience in moderating, interviewing, and writing about the business world. She was a CNN Money TV anchor, a senior Forbes editor in Switzerland, and has hosted the World Economic Forum, Forbes Women’s Summit, Mobile World Congress, and Web Summit, interviewing well-known personalities such as Kate Winslet and Steven Bartlett, as well as multinational CEOs.

Her client roster includes Deloitte, Zurich Insurance, LEGO, and L’Oréal. She co-founded Millennials4Boards, which is a global movement to bridge the generational gaps in many boardrooms. Sydney-born, Columbia-educated, and Zurich-based, Kinghorst is a sharp-witted and compelling speaker.

Roos Bakker, TIACA Chair, announced: “We are excited to introduce the Keynote Speaker Series as a new dimension of the Executive Summit experience. Olivia Kinghorst brings an exceptional ability to challenge thinking and spark meaningful dialogue. This session will set the tone for open, insightful conversations across our industry.” Glyn Hughes, TIACA Director General, stated: “The air cargo industry is navigating unprecedented change, and leadership has never been more critical. By launching this speaker series, we aim to inspire our community with perspectives that go beyond our sector. Olivia’s session will provide valuable insights that leaders can immediately apply in their organizations.”

Qatar Airways Cargo pioneers dual temperature management

Brigitte Gledhill
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Qatar Airways Cargo pioneers dual temperature management
Now offering a new Pharma feature. Image: Qatar Airways Cargo

“Qatar Airways Cargo has once again raised the bar for pharmaceutical air transport with the introduction of Pharma Passive FlexTemp – a new solution designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges in the industry: managing dual-temperature requirements within a single shipment journey,” the airline’s press release proclaims.

Dual temperature management refers to those shipments that are transported as passive pharma, in other words in “self-contained passive packaging” that ensures a certain temperature for the duration of transport, but after which a different temperature level is required to maintain product integrity. This is a tricky balance to get right, and is a niche area where no comprehensive solution has been offered until now. Because the use of self-contained passive packaging is on the rise and the pharma segment is growing, Qatar Airways Cargo focused on defining a process to solve the problem and deliver peace of mind to its customers. Pharma Passive FlexTemp is therefore an absolute premiere in the air cargo industry, as a Dual temperature management feature.

Pharma Passive FlexTemp is available as an add-on service for Pharma Passive and Pharma Critical Passive, and offers the ideal solution for the temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments requiring these differing temperatures – particularly during transit and/or when the single-use passive packaging reaches the end of its effective life cycle.

“By introducing Pharma Passive FlexTemp, Qatar Airways Cargo is setting a new benchmark for pharmaceutical handling, reinforcing its position as a leader in specialised cargo solutions. The product delivers enhanced flexibility, greater peace of mind, and improved shelf-life protection for temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments transiting through the carrier’s global network,” the airline emphasizes, going on to announce that the feature can be booked online on Qatar Airways Cargo’s Digital Lounge, together with Pharma Passive and Pharma Critical Passive, and that it applies across all FlexTemp corridors on the carrier’s network.

Silk Way West Airlines marks 10 years of operations to Japan

Brigitte Gledhill
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0
Silk Way West Airlines marks 10 years of operations to Japan
10 successful years in Japan. Image: Silk Way West Airlines

Silk Way West Airlines recently celebrated a decade of flights to Japan, which began with an inaugural Baku–Komatsu flight back in 2016. Since then, the airline has added Kansai and Narita to its Japanese network and now operates two weekly flights. Over ten years, it has completed around 1,300 flights to and from Japan and moved more than 145,000 tons of cargo.

“The milestone comes as Japan’s air cargo market continues to grow, with 2025 volumes estimated to be around 12% higher than in 2024. As one of Asia’s leading air cargo gateways, Japan plays a vital role in connecting regional and intercontinental trade flows, supported by advanced infrastructure, frequent international links and a strong focus on high-value, time-sensitive goods,” the press release states, emphasizing Silk Way West Airlines’ interest and footprint in the market, acting as a bridge between East and West via Baku, where it channels Japanese shipments onward to Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. “Japan remains a strategically important market for Silk Way West Airlines and an important part of the airline’s broader vision to strengthen trade links between East and West through Baku,” the airline confirmed.

The airline hosted an official anniversary event at The Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo, celebrating with partners, government officials, embassies, and civil aviation authorities.

Zaur Akhundov, President of Silk Way Group, said: “This 10-year milestone reflects the strong partnership Silk Way West Airlines has built in Japan over the past decade. We greatly value the trust of our customers, partners and stakeholders in Japan, and we remain committed to strengthening this cooperation and supporting cargo connectivity between our regions in the years ahead.”

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