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Istanbul Airport: Emerging Freight Hub linking Europe and Asia

Anastasia Kazantzis
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Istanbul Airport: Emerging Freight Hub linking Europe and Asia

Istanbul Airport (IST) is rapidly transforming into a major trans-continental air cargo gateway, linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East through advanced infrastructure, its favorable strategic location and extensive growth metrics. Its ascent not only reflects Turkey’s expanding role in global logistics but also marks a recalibration of freight flows toward hubs capable of supporting high-value, time-sensitive trade into and from Asia.

At the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Istanbul Airport has become a key transshipment point on Asia–Europe trade routes.

Strategic location and scale
Positioned at the juncture of three continents, Istanbul Airport benefits from a unique geography that places it within a five-hour flight radius of many major production centers in Asia, while maintaining direct connectivity with European and Middle Eastern markets. Analysts note that in just five years the airport climbed from 47th to 17th globally in cargo rankings. With 1.97 million tons handled in 2024 (a yearly increase of nearly 40%) IST overtook traditional European cargo hubs such as Frankfurt Airport to become Europe’s busiest cargo airport.

Infrastructure built for high-value flows
The airport’s cargo ecosystem is anchored by major investments in terminal and warehousing infrastructure. The “Cargo City” complex spans around 1.4 million m² and is designed to scale to 4.5–5.5 million tons annual capacity, covering cross-dock, cold-chain, and value-added services. One flagship asset is the SmartIST terminal: equipped with high-bay automated storage, pharmaceutical-grade facilities, hazardous goods zones and integrated warehousing management systems.
Leading integrators and airlines are anchoring their operations here. For example, FedEx Corporation officially launched its global air transit facility at IST in 2025. The 25,300 m² site, capable of processing up to 7,000 packages per hour, links 30 weekly flights and road feeder services across 45 countries.

Asia-bound focus and logistics chain connectivity
Beyond raw tonnage, IST’s appeal lies in its ability to handle complex, high-value and time-sensitive cargo flows, which can indeed be critical for Asia-bound exports. The infrastructure supports temperature-controlled, pharma and express shipments, and its integrated network of passenger and dedicated freighter airlines enables flexible routing. Sources cite growth in e-commerce, pharma and specialized cargo as key drivers.
From a routing perspective, IST offers direct freighter and belly-capacity connectivity through Middle East gateways and onward into Asia, combined with road and rail feeder links into Turkey’s broader logistics hinterland. The airport is now being utilized as a trans-shipment point for Asia–Europe and intra-Asia flows alike.

Competitive edge and implications for Europe–Asia trade
IST’s rapid growth highlights shifting dynamics in global air-cargo hubs. Lower handling costs, modern infrastructure and fewer capacity restraints give it a competitive advantage over entrenched European airports, many of which face limited space or congested legacy operations. The German Aviation Association (BDL) cited IST’s near-40 % growth in 2024 versus Frankfurt’s 1.2 % as an indicator of structural shift.
For companies aiming to reach Asian markets, Istanbul Airport offers more than just transit: it enables shorter ground-time, integrated logistics services and access into Eurasian markets that were previously less efficient via Europe-centric hubs. As such, freight forwarders, integrators and e-commerce platforms are increasingly including IST in their routing strategies for Asia-bound consignments. Looking ahead, the airport has set an ambitious target of exceeding 5 million tons of annual cargo capacity. With foundational infrastructure in place and strategic partners onboard, IST appears well-positioned to become one of the world’s major freight hubs for Asia-bound air cargo in the coming decade.

ISTANBUL AIRPORT FACTS

Performance

  • 1.97 million tons of cargo handled in 2024 (+39% YoY)
  • Ranked #1 in Europe and #17 worldwide (ACI 2025)

Infrastructure

  • 1.4 million m² Cargo City, scalable to 5.5 million tons/year
  • SmartIST terminal by Turkish Cargo: among the world’s most advanced automated facilities

Connectivity

  • 85+ airlines linking Asia, Europe, and the Middle East
  • Strong RFS and rail access supporting multimodal flows

Outlook

  • Goal: 5 million tons annual capacity by 2030

Expansion of e-commerce and pharma logistics zones underway

Spotlight on… Qiao Hui Foon, Senior Product Engineer, Belli

Brigitte Gledhill
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Spotlight on… Qiao Hui Foon, Senior Product Engineer, Belli

Every week, CargoForwarder Global’s ‘Spotlight On…’ gives the stage to a different individual to illustrate the huge variety of roles that make up the air cargo industry. Technology plays a crucial part in bringing efficiency, control and order to our fast-moving, time-defined industry. Belli is one of a number of advanced software solutions providers that focus on replacing outdated manual processes and spreadsheets with end-to-end digital systems that support booking, acceptance, flight planning, load build-up, real-time tracking, billing, and operational insights, for example. This week, Qiao Hui Foon (QF), Senior Product Engineer at Belli, talks about her responsibilities and shares her views and advice for anyone considering a career in the air cargo industry.

Every shipment moved is part of a bigger story. Image: Qioa Hui Foon

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

QF: I’m a Senior Product Engineer at Belli, and we build next-generation cargo management software for airlines. The unique thing that we do here is that we have product engineers do the on-the-ground implementation. This means that airlines are always interfacing with someone who is both (a) experienced in managing a cargo operation at an airline; and (b) comes from a software engineering background. So, my role involves building the product and connecting with airline partners to make sure we’re solving real problems on ground.

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

QF: There’s rarely a ‘normal’ day. My day could start with a call with a customer on the other side of the world, then product discussions with my team, and end with a trip to the cargo terminal. The variety is what I love most – whether it’s working on the next big feature or refining workflows based on user feedback on the ground, every day is an exciting challenge.

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

QF: I’ve been in air cargo since 2022, and what got me hooked, was the opportunity to solve big problems in an industry that isn’t fancy at all. An industry that moves trillions in goods but is still managed with spreadsheets – that contrast made it the perfect space to innovate and to make meaningful impact, and I’ve been excited about it ever since.

CFG: What do you enjoy most about your job?

QF: It’s the small wins. When a cargo agent gets a shipment booked quicker or an airline operations team get their build up done faster because of the software we built, that’s what makes it all worth it. I also love the people – air cargo people are down-to-earth and always open to new ways to improve their work.

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

QF: Adoption speed. Many airlines want digital transformation but are constrained by legacy systems, data silos, and fragmented regulations. The challenge isn’t building new tech – it’s implementation and data integration across global operations.

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

QF: Be curious about both logistics and technology. The best people in cargo today understand how freight moves and how data moves. Most things can be learnt on the job, as long as you have a problem-solving mindset.

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

QF: ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’. Because in many ways, air cargo keeps the world moving, but not many people notice the cargo going into the bellies of the planes they’re flying on. Every shipment moved is part of a bigger story, all while hidden in plain sight.

Many thanks, Qiao Hui!

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.

Time to accelerate BRU’s e-commerce strategy

Marcel Schoeters
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Time to accelerate BRU’s e-commerce strategy

Brussels Airport (BRU) can develop e-commerce as another commodity within its strategic focus, but fully digitized customs systems are imperative for it to work. That was one of the conclusions of Air Cargo Belgium’s (ACB) Cargo Talks on Thursday, 20NOV25, covered by CargoForwarder Global.

Almost every conference or symposium in the air cargo industry over the last few years has been partially or entirely dedicated to the booming e-commerce market, and ACB’s Cargo Talks were no exception to the rule.
Roel Gevaers and Vincent Van Bockstael of the University of Antwerp highlighted the results of the study ‘Air Cargo E-Commerce Strategy for Brussels Airport – Market & Insight’, conducted together with Steven Polmans.
According to Gevaers, e-commerce went through an average growth of 14% over the last 9 years, bringing a turnover of USD 5 trillion. China accounts for a volume of 2.8 million tons of which 65% is generated in the Guangdong region. Other products like fashion and apparel items from the industry in and around Zhejiang, are rapidly emerging, but they are not yet airfreighted to Brussels Airport due to missing network connections.

ACB Cargo Talks Panel Discussion L to R: Wendy Luo, Pieter April, Bert Selis, Roel Gevaers – photos: CFG/ms

New platforms emerging
To comprehend the superfast penetration of e-commerce in the consumer market, Vincent Van Bockstael demonstrated that Temu surpassed Zara as the world’s most popular fashion brand, almost overnight. Temu, as well as Ali Express and Shein, show huge growth rates, and Tik Tok Shopping has recently been launched in the UK and France. This suggests a further increase in e-commerce flows from China to Europe.
In a nutshell: These are the key takeaways of the study presented by Van Bockstael: China remains the primary engine for e-commerce; electronic platforms and marketplaces will increasingly dominate e-commerce logistics; digital data harmonization is becoming critical for future growth and, as far as Brussels Airport is concerned, the reliance on only a few carriers makes the flow of goods very risky, due to the concentration of capacity providers.

Brussels Airport has to adapt to the changing market
Even so, in the low-value segment, Brussels Airport is no match for Liège Airport, as e-commerce is only one of many commodities processed there, alongside live animals, perishables or pharmaceuticals, said Pieter April, Brussels Airport’s Cargo Business & Network Development Manager. According to Peter April, the import volumes from China have risen by 30% over the last few years. “Currently, we have 29 flights from China, but we are interested in connectivity to regions in which we are not present yet.”

Pieter April, Cargo Business & Network Development Manager Brussels Airport.

So, the crux of the matter is to adapt the airport to the changing demand, manager April explained. “Apart from getting sufficient imports, we have to boost exports as well, to fill the return flights. We are also optimizing our infrastructure to realize our ‘100 minutes airport’: improving speed, transparency, reliability and digitization to gain and share insights.”

Full digitization is imperative
Both Gevaers and April participated in a panel discussion moderated by Transport Economist, Prof. Wouter Dewulf of the University of Antwerp and C-MAT (Centre for Maritime and Air Transport). The other debaters were Wendy Luo, Sales Leader/HEC Paris EMBA/E-Commerce/Supply Chain Bpost, and Bert Selis, VP BD Freight Forwarding & E-Commerce Handling WFS.
Speaking from daily practice, WFS executive, Selis, acknowledged that, in Brussels, B2B is shifting away, whereas B2C is expanding considerably. “Yet, sustainable growth is not easy to match with e-commerce and major changes are coming up. Flows can shift very fast,” he stated. Bert went on to say: “Speed is defined by the flow of digital data. Every month, Temu monitors the check-in processes of their consignments everywhere, and they do not really care about your airport. That should be a trigger for Brussels Airport. Fully digitized customs is the most important milestone for Brussels Airport to take between today and 5 years from now.”
Wendy Luo of BPostgroup stressed the fact that, for Asian companies, connected data that can be shared and thus allow full visibility, is of the greatest importance. “There is not sufficient connectivity between the shareholders,” she said.

Awards
At the ACB Awards ceremony with which the event was concluded, the Customs Administration was granted the Impact Award. In his words of thanks, Regional Director, Bart Vleugels said that digitization was extremely important for the Administration, especially since the EU is putting a lot of pressure on the actors to comply with new regulations.Swissport’s Peter Gysen, dnata’s Johan Rlsier, and Road Air Cargo’s Jan Van Bremt received the title ‘Ambassador of the Year’. Lufthansa Cargo was ‘Airline of the Year’, WFS ‘Ground Handler of the Year’, Jan de Rijk ‘Trucker of the Year’, EV Cargo ‘Forwarder of the Year’, while Ninatrans was awarded ‘Highflyer of the Year’ for its commitment to the air cargo community and ACB.

What happens when the Cold Chain breaks?

Guest
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What happens when the Cold Chain breaks?

According to Data Intelo, the global pharma air freight market attained a value of USD 19.7 billion last year and, at a CAGR of 6.2% for 2025 and beyond, is forecasted to reach a value of USD 33.7 billion by 2033. There is swiftly rising demand for temperature-sensitive biologics and fast delivery solutions, fueled by the increasing globalization of pharmaceutical supply chains. Vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and advanced therapies all require stringent temperature control and rapid transit to maintain their efficacy, and there are many regulations in place to ensure quality transportation. Yet, what happens when things go wrong? This week, CargoForwarder Global’s guest author, Delphine Perridy, Chief Commercial Officer at Envirotainer, looks at “What happens when the Cold Chain breaks?”

Often overlooked, the global pharmaceutical cold chain plays a vital role in delivering some of the most critical healthcare breakthroughs of our time. From life-saving vaccines to advanced cell and gene therapies, many of the medicines that patients depend on are only effective if kept within strict temperature ranges from the moment they leave the manufacturing site to the moment they reach the patient.
When this chain breaks, the consequences can be serious. Temperature fluctuations can lead to spoilage, reduced efficacy or even the complete loss of a shipment. Beyond wasted product, the ripple effects can disrupt treatment schedules, undermine patient trust and create significant financial and environmental costs. As therapies become more sensitive and supply chains more complex, the margin for error is shrinking – and the need for controlled, secure cold chains is only growing.

There is more at stake than just the product if the cold chain breaks. Image: Delphine Perridy

The Scale of the Challenge
Today, an estimated 40–60% of all pharmaceuticals require temperature-controlled logistics to maintain their safety and efficacy during transport and storage. As the world’s population ages and chronic diseases become more prevalent, the demand for advanced, temperature-sensitive therapies is accelerating. By the end of this decade, biologics, gene, and cell therapies are projected to make up a significant portion of the pharmaceutical pipeline, with nearly all requiring strict temperature control.
Yet, despite these advances, 12% of pharmaceutical shipments still experience temperature excursions – incidents where products are exposed to conditions outside their safe range. For vaccines, the challenge is even more acute: according to the World Health Organization, up to 50% of vaccines are compromised each year due to failures in temperature control and logistics. These statistics underscore the urgent need for robust cold chain solutions to protect both patient safety and business outcomes.

Why cold chain failures matter
Cold chain failures can happen anywhere along the journey – on the tarmac, in transit or during last-mile delivery. The most common causes are temperature fluctuations, delayed transport, handling errors and exposure to extreme environmental conditions. Even short deviations can render sensitive products unusable.
Despite these risks, knowledge about cold chain vulnerabilities and the frequency of temperature excursions remains limited across the industry. Many ground handlers, airports, and even some logistics providers lack adequate training and awareness, leading to preventable errors and product losses.
The consequences are significant. Each year, an estimated USD 35 billion is lost due to cold chain breakdowns. When the chain breaks, the consequences are profound: patient safety is compromised, public trust is eroded, and the financial and environmental costs can be staggering.

A more fragile landscape
The pharmaceutical supply chain has always been complex, but new therapies are making it even more so. Cell and gene treatments, for example, often need to be kept anywhere between -60°C and -150°C, and their delivery timelines are measured in hours, not days. Each shipment is unique, and the path from laboratory to patient must be seamless. Any deviation can mean the loss of an irreplaceable dose.
Climate change, geopolitical instability, and disrupted trade routes add further uncertainty. Even minor temperature deviations of just 1–2°C can significantly degrade sensitive products like biologics, vaccines, and insulin, affecting their safety, stability, and effectiveness. Each link in the chain faces new challenges in maintaining the precise conditions that medicines demand.

Evolving requirements
In addition to this, the regulatory landscape continues to evolve. Authorities are tightening standards around data integrity, traceability and temperature monitoring. The expectation today is full, end-to-end control, not just of shipments, but of the data that underpins them. Pharmaceutical companies are under growing pressure to prove not only that products are safe, but that every stage of the journey can be validated and verified.
These trends are driving a shift from passive logistics to active, risk-aware management. It’s no longer enough to react when something goes wrong. The most forward-thinking organizations are focusing on prevention and designing their supply chains to anticipate risk before it occurs.

Building resilience through prevention and collaboration
Resilience has become the defining measure of a modern cold chain. While passive packaging solutions can be cost-effective for short distances, they offer limited temperature control and are highly susceptible to delays, extreme weather, and handling errors. In contrast, active solutions, equipped with real-time monitoring, deliver precise temperature control and greater reliability. These systems are the preferred choice for high-value, long-distance, or ultra-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments where product integrity is paramount.
Modern cold chains are increasingly proactive rather than reactive. Organizations are leveraging real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and early-warning systems to anticipate potential failures before they can occur. These tools allow logistics teams to track shipments minute by minute, identify potential changes, and intervene before product quality or patient safety is compromised.
But technology alone is not enough, it must be used in conjunction with collaboration. The pharmaceutical cold chain is a shared ecosystem, involving manufacturers, logistics providers, carriers, packaging specialists and regulators. Each plays a critical role in ensuring that therapies arrive safely and on time.

The real cost of getting it wrong
When the cold chain fails, the consequences extend far beyond the warehouse. A single temperature fluctuation can undo months of research, thousands in investment, and most importantly, a patient’s chance of treatment.
As the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, resilience will increasingly define success. The companies that prioritize prevention, invest in innovation and collaborate across the ecosystem, will be best placed to make sure that the next generation of therapies reaches patients safely, wherever they are in the world. Because when the cold chain breaks, it’s not just products that are lost, it’s trust, opportunity and, sometimes, lives. Keeping that chain intact has never been more vital.

Delphine Perridy, Chief Commercial Officer at Envirotainer

Bidding contest for TAP Portugal looms

Heiner Siegmund
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Bidding contest for TAP Portugal looms

After Air France-KLM  had expressed their interest in TAP Portugal on 19NOV25, Lufthansa followed suit a day after, by throwing its hat into the ring. This means that there will be a showdown between the two heavyweights of European aviation over TAP. The third bidder, the IAG Group with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus et alia, market experts are skeptical if they will be successful due to the group’s dominant position in Spain (Iberia + Vueling).

At the beginning of SEP2024, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr flew to Lisbon to negotiate options with the Portuguese Ministry of Finance and high-ranking politicians to acquire stake in TAP Portugal. At the time of the trip, Spohr and his management team were still focused on acquiring the Italian airline ITA. This was accomplished in early JAN2025, with Lufthansa buying 41% of ITA’s shares for €325 million. In further steps, LH was conceded to acquire up to 90% of ITA’s shares. Air France-KLM and their U.S. SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines had also expressed their interest in an ITA takeover but failed.

TAP’s 22 Airbus A330 are the backbone of its long-haul fleet – company courtesy

Three bidders
Now it looks like there will be a new showdown in Portugal – with an open outcome. Especially since on 20NOV the IAG Group appeared as third bidder on the scene. “IAG confirms it has submitted a statement of interest to Parpublica, in line with the government’s process for the part-privatization of TAP,” a spokesperson said in a statement to French agency AFP, referring to the Portuguese state holding company that owns TAP. “Several terms would need to be addressed before IAG could propose an investment,” the statement added.
In terms of prospects of success, Lufthansa has the advantage that TAP is a member of Star Alliance, the first global airline alliance founded in 1997 by five carriers, including Lufthansa, United, and Thai Airways. Another plus point is that the airline’s Hamburg-based technical subsidiary recently announced plans to build a new repair, overhaul, and maintenance center in Santa Maria da Feira near Porto, with a focus on engine maintenance. The number of employees there is expected to more than double from currently 450 to 1,000 by 2030.

Cherry on the cake
At the same time, Lufthansa management assured that, if the bid is successful, it intends to strengthen Lisbon as a transatlantic hub for the Lufthansa Group and expand connections between Europe, South, Central, and North America, and Africa. TAP will also continue to fly under its traditional name, as do Lufthansa subsidiaries Swiss, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines after being taken over by the German carrier. When asked what significance the integration of TAP Cargo into the Lufthansa network would have from the perspective of Lufthansa Cargo, LHC spokesperson Jan Paulin delivered this answer: “At this stage, Lufthansa Cargo is not providing any further assessment or comment beyond the official Lufthansa Group statement.”
TAP has a particularly strong presence in traffic to and from Brazil, both in terms of passenger and cargo transport. From this perspective, Brazil traffic is the cherry on the TAP cake for any investor. Last year, the airline carried a total of 16 million passengers on its network. It has been back in the black since 2022, after five consecutive years of losses.

Air France-KLM is a financially strong contender
One day before Lufthansa’s announcement, Air France-KLM expressed its interest in acquiring a 44.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal. This was stated by CEO Ben Smith during a press conference where he presented the airline’s Q3 results. No information has been provided as to whether talks between Air France-KLM and the Portuguese government regarding TAP have already taken place behind the scenes.
The Portuguese government confirmed nearly two years ago, in SEP2023, that it intended to privatize part of the national carrier. TAP, which was renationalized in 2020 to stem losses from the Covid-19 pandemic, is among the few remaining state-owned carriers in Europe, and is targeted by leading European airlines due to its routes to Brazil and Portuguese-speaking African states. The registration of further interested parties ended without result on 22NOV2025. TAP owner Parpublica expects to receive initial bids by APR2026.

DHL Express and Phillips 66 sign major SAF deal

Heiner Siegmund
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DHL Express and Phillips 66 sign major SAF deal

Houston, Texas-based energy provider, Phillips 66 will deliver 240,000 metric tons (83 million gallons) of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to DHL Express over the next three years. Thanks to the agreement, the parcel delivery company will be able to reduce its cargo fleet’s greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 737,000 metric tons compared to conventional jet fuel burn. In addition to this news, DHL announced the commissioning of a new carbon neutral logistics center near its global hub, Leipzig-Halle Airport.

DHL expects 737,000 metric tons of SAF more to come to decarbonize its flight ops at LAX, Courtesy DHL

The SAF purchased by DHL will be produced at Phillips 66’s Rodeo Renewable Energy plant in California, one of the world’s largest renewable fuels facilities. It has a production capacity of 150 million gallons per year of neat SAF, i.e. SAF that is not blended with conventional jet fuel. The largest amount of the fuel will be delivered to DHL at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the integrator’s U.S. West Coast Gateway. Further supplies include San Francisco International (SFO), and other West Coast Airports that are part of DHL’s widespread air network. Currently, DHL operates 10 to 15 daily flights to LAX, a mix of domestic and intercontinental services. Based on a cargo flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles, where a B777F or A330F consumes an average of roughly 80 tons of kerosene, the quantity of 240,000 liters of SAF would enable around 3,000 transatlantic flights to be powered by pure biofuel.

Setting a precedent
During the contract signing ceremony, Travis Cobb, EVP Global Operations and Aviation at DHL Express, stated: “By securing a reliable supply of SAF, we are not only reducing our carbon emissions – and those within our customers’ supply chains – but also setting a precedent for the logistics and air cargo industries in the U.S. Our collaboration with Phillips 66 underscores our commitment to a lower-carbon future and demonstrates the importance of sustainable practices in our operations.”
The agreement between DHL and Phillips 66 represents one of the largest SAF deals by a U.S. producer of renewable energy and for the overall air cargo sector, paving the way for future collaborations in the SAF space, both companies state in a press release. Brian Mandell, EVP Marketing and Commercial at Phillips 66, added to the announcement: “This agreement […]  demonstrates our shared commitment to SAF market leadership and credible action in the growing SAF industry. Through our global renewable fuel business, we are committed to supporting DHL and our customers in achieving their decarbonization goals. Our agreement with DHL showcases cross-industry collaboration, and together, we aim to drive progress toward sustainable solutions in the aviation sector.”

Lowering the carbon footprint
The contract now agreed with Phillips is one of a whole series of similar agreements between DHL and energy suppliers in Asia Pacific, America and Europe. It exemplifies DHL’s ambitions to lower its air freight carbon footprint effectively. By including the SAF choice in the integrator’s GoGreen Plus service, customers are enabled to reduce their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions substantially, thus lowering their carbon footprint.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Phillips 66 is a leading integrated downstream energy provider that manufactures, transports and trades chemicals and renewable fuels.

Pushing lower carbon solutions up front
Only recently, Phillips 66 and British Airways signed a deal, guaranteeing the airline the supply of 5 million gallons of SAF (3,525 metric tons). It followed an earlier agreement with United Airlines at Chicago O’Hare Airport over 3 million gallons of SAF, signed 06DEC24.

“We’re focused on both traditional energies and also emerging energies, particularly renewable fuels,” Manager Mandell noted. He also highlighted the transformation of the company’s San Francisco refinery, which now runs 50,000 barrels a day of feedstock.

“We saw an opportunity to convert that refinery into a renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel refiner,” said Mandell, referring to the renamed Rodeo Renewable Energy Complex. “Rodeo is part of our newest segment, our renewables segment, and is a great example of how we are evaluating opportunities for lower-carbon solutions.”

New Logistics Center inaugurated
9,200 km east of San Francisco, near Leipzig-Halle Airport, DHL Supply Chain has opened a 34,000 m² logistics center. It supports the company’s ongoing growth and offers strategic capacity for future customers that utilize the nearby Leipzig-Halle airport, DHL’s largest global hub. The Logistics Center is equipped with 27 loading docks. Built to meet the highest sustainability standards (DGNB Gold), the site features photovoltaic systems and energy-efficient LED lighting, reflecting DHL’s goals to support customers with reduced emission logistics.

DHL’s new Logistic Center near Leipzig-Halle Airport employs 450+ people, with an additional 100 jobs to come once the extension building is fully operational – company courtesy.

The facility benefits from well-developed multi-modal transport connections, including access to DHL’s parcel and express network at Leipzig-Halle Airport – home to the world’s largest DHL Express air freight hub for global air freight shipments.

Future-proofing the air cargo industry

Guest
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Future-proofing the air cargo industry

One keynote in particular stood out at the ACHL/Aviation Connect conference in Copenhagen, on 15OCT25: ‘Future-proofing air cargo handling’. Arpad Szakal, Partner at Cormis Partners (specialized in international executive search and talent mapping for global aviation and civil aerospace) shared his insights and views on the industry’s current readiness in facing the disruptions and challenges of a future that is already happening. Automation, digitization, e-commerce, sustainability and new generations with different expectations when it comes to work and career progression, are all changing how we work and demanding a mindset shift when it comes to ‘future-proofing’ our companies. What does that mean? Where is the real skills gap? What is the new leadership playbook and what mistakes are being made in leadership hire? These are some of the questions that Arpad Szakal addresses in his guest piece for CargoForwarder Global:

Beyond Automation: Building the Leadership That Will Transform Air Cargo.

Arpad Szakal speaking at the ACHL/Aviation Connect, 15OCT25. Image: CFG/Cormis Partners

Spend enough time speaking with senior figures across the air cargo handling ecosystem, and you start to notice a pattern. Everyone is talking about ‘future-proofing’ – but ask what that really means, and the answers become vague. For many, it’s about digitization, automation, or sustainability. But after dozens of conversations with CEOs, COOs, HR leaders, and digital transformation specialists, one thing is clear: the real challenge of future-proofing isn’t technological at all. It’s human. It’s about leadership.

Future-proofing means building the leadership pipeline – not waiting for it to emerge
Disruption is no longer something on the horizon; it’s already embedded in the day-to-day work of this industry. E-commerce has transformed the cargo landscape. Automation is accelerating. The pressure for greener, smarter operations is relentless. Yet despite this, too many organizations are operating with fragile leadership pipelines.

Everyone acknowledges the talent gap, especially around digital fluency, but few are taking decisive steps to close it. The leaders who can connect operational realities with technological innovation are in dangerously short supply – and they’re being poached by sectors that tell a more compelling story. The irony is that air cargo has a great story to tell: it sits at the intersection of global trade, technology, and logistics resilience. But it’s not telling that story boldly enough to attract the next generation of leadership talent.

The real Skills Gap
When I ask executives where their most pressing capability shortfalls lie, the answer isn’t just ‘digital skills’. It’s digital literacy at the top. Many leaders can hold a conversation about AI, automation, or blockchain – but scratch the surface, and understanding thins out quickly. Sustainability follows a similar pattern: the language is there, but the applied knowledge isn’t.

Equally worrying is the growing deficit in people management skills. AI can take over process work, but it can’t motivate, coach, or retain. And in today’s job market, where digitally skilled professionals have choices, leadership that inspires and develops people is the single most decisive differentiator. As one HR Director told me recently, “We’re not losing people to better companies – we’re losing them to better managers”.

The new Leadership Playbook
The leaders who will drive this sector forward are already starting to look different. They combine operational acumen with digital curiosity and the courage to experiment. They can connect the technical with the human – understanding how automation or AI fits into operations without losing sight of the people who make it work.

The playbook for leadership has changed. Hard skills now include digital fluency, integration experience, and cybersecurity awareness. But the real edge lies in soft skills – critical thinking, ethical judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence. The irony is that, as the industry becomes more automated, the qualities that matter most in leaders are the most human.

Where organizations keep getting it wrong
Here’s the uncomfortable part – many companies in this space are still making the same hiring mistakes. Too many leadership searches are built around narrow job descriptions that prioritize industry experience over adaptability. It’s a formula that feels safe, but it’s also how transformation stalls. The best future leaders might not come from air cargo at all; they might come from logistics tech, retail, or manufacturing – sectors that already think digitally and move at speed.

Another recurring issue is that executive search is still treated as an emergency measure rather than a strategic process. Too often, leadership hiring happens reactively, when it should be part of a deliberate, long-term talent pipeline. By the time companies pick up the phone to start a search, the problem is already acute.

Then there’s the candidate experience. In a small, interconnected market, how you treat candidates matters enormously. Every conversation shapes your employer brand – and top talent will remember whether they were treated as a number or as a person. Add to that the growing gap between compensation expectations and industry reality: air cargo can’t outbid tech or finance, but it can outshine them in purpose, complexity, and global impact. The problem is, the industry isn’t selling that story nearly well enough.

Building a workforce fit for the future
Future-proofing the workforce starts with broadening the target pool. The next generation of cargo leaders may not come from within the industry – and that’s not a weakness, it’s a strength. Bringing in talent from sectors where innovation cycles move faster injects the kind of perspective this industry needs.

Organizations also need to rethink how they assess potential. Hiring shouldn’t just reward years of experience; it should value learning agility, adaptability, and resilience. The leaders who will thrive aren’t necessarily the ones who’ve ‘done it before’ – they’re the ones who can learn, pivot, and lead through uncertainty.

The Leader of 2030
So, what will the air cargo leader of 2030 look like? Based on the hundreds of conversations we’ve had with leaders across the industry, the profile is starting to take shape. They’ll be digitally fluent but commercially grounded, sustainability-minded but pragmatic, and capable of blending data-driven decision-making with human empathy. They’ll lead across borders, generations, and technologies – not just managing disruption, but turning it into an advantage.

They won’t be asking how to survive the next wave of change; they’ll be asking how to use it to win.

Raising the bar in Leadership Hiring
The smartest organizations in this sector are already moving. They’re working with search partners to identify emerging talent before they’re needed, not after. They’re using assessment tools to measure leadership potential rather than just experience. And crucially, they’re treating every search as a brand moment – an opportunity to demonstrate what kind of organization they are.

Future-proofing the industry won’t come from systems, sensors, or automation alone. Those are enablers. The real differentiator will be leadership – leaders who can integrate technology, inspire people, and carry the sector forward with conviction. The future isn’t coming. It’s already here. The only question is whether the industry’s leadership is ready for it.

Arpad Szakal

Oman Air Cargo ramps up global reach with new GSAs

Brigitte Gledhill
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Oman Air Cargo ramps up global reach with new GSAs

Oman Air Cargo recently expanded its global footprint by appointing five new General Sales Agents (GSAs) and launching two new offline routes connecting to Australia and Japan. GSA Australia Cargo and World Prime Services are the respective GSA representatives in these two countries. The airline has also signed up three more new GSAs to manage online routes to certain Middle East countries. These are: Al Madinah Travel Company for Kuwait, MGH Logistics for Qatar, and APG for Saudi Arabia. All new agreements are for a duration of two years. A number of already existing GSA contracts have also been newly renewed – each for a period of one year. Oman Air Cargo brought together 27 representatives from its GSA network at a milestone event in Muscat to celebrate these developments.

Oman Air Cargo welcomes 27 GSAs to its Cargo GSA Conference in Muscat, Oman, to mark the new contracts. Image: Meantime Communications

Oman Air Cargo operates from an advanced, CEIV-certified (Fresh & Pharma) facility in Muscat and serves over 200 worldwide destinations with a fleet of Boeing 737 MAX and 787-9 aircraft. It is currently focused on growth and broader global connectivity, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Gulf markets.

Michael Duggan, Head of Cargo, Oman Air, commented: “The expansion of our GSA network, including the launch of new offline routes to Australia and Japan, reflects the strong momentum behind Oman Air Cargo. These new partnerships enable us to serve our customers more effectively, extend our global reach, and build on the transformation of the airline.”

Jettainer keeps tabs on its ULDs thanks to Trackonomy

Brigitte Gledhill
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Jettainer keeps tabs on its ULDs thanks to Trackonomy

ULD management service provider, Jettainer, is reaching into the future and deploying IoT (Internet of Things) tracking technology developed by Trackonomy. It signed a long-term, strategic partnership agreement wherein Trackonomy will equip Jettainer’s global ULD fleet with its next-generation IoT tracking technology. This will provide real-time, end-to-end visibility throughout the container’s journey, with greater precision than ever before, meaning that Jettainer should know at all times where each of its containers are. Unlike traditional tracking systems that rely heavily on fixed airport infrastructure causing coverage gaps, Trackonomy’s hybrid solution integrates LoRa and BLE fixed readers with cellular-enabled mobile readers that form a dynamic and self-expanding mesh network. This innovation enables Jettainer to pinpoint the exact location and duration of each ULD at any given site, drastically cutting search times and accelerating the recovery of lost equipment. Additionally, the enhanced data gathered opens new possibilities for optimizing ULD fleet management and lifecycle processes. Another digitalization milestone for Jettainer as it seeks to improve efficiency and transparency across its processes. Trackonomy’s IoT solution joins Jettainer’s JettWareNG cloud platform and API integrations in Jettainer’s digital set-up.

Erik Volkerink, CEO Trackonomy, and Dr. Jan-Wilhelm Breithaupt, CEO Jettainer. Image: Jettainer

Dr. Jan-Wilhelm Breithaupt, CEO of Jettainer, said: “Tracking has become a critical factor in air cargo operations to monitor and control supply chains and respond proactively to irregularities. It’s essential for us to lead with reliable and forward-looking technology. While BLE and LoRa have been the standard so far, the integration of cellular connectivity and meshing technology marks a significant step forward. Together with Trackonomy, we are driving innovation in ULD tracking to deliver more transparency, efficiency, and intelligence to our customers. Trackonomy, based in Silicon Valley, the globally leading ecosystem of innovative companies, start-ups, venture capitalists, and research institutions, is the ideal partner for this journey.”

Erik Volkerink, CEO of Trackonomy, detailed: “Our platform today orchestrates over 15 million shipments every day. The scale of growth we’re experiencing is mind-boggling – based on signed contracts, our technology will soon power more than 200 million reusable transportation items, including close to 20% of all ULDs worldwide. Behind the scenes, we’re becoming the de-facto standard for scalable, reliable, and industrial-grade digital transformation across logistics. Collaborations with forward-thinking partners like Jettainer are key to realizing that vision.”

BioNatur Plastics price-matches greener cargo wraps in U.S.

Brigitte Gledhill
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BioNatur Plastics price-matches greener cargo wraps in U.S.

Companies shouldn’t have to pay more for a greener solution – price should not hinder people in choosing the cleaner, more environmentally friendly solution. In fact, if anything, it should be the other way around – nonbiodegradable, damaging products should come at a higher price. BioNatur Plastics has taken the cost excuse out of the equation and made sustainable cargo wrapping more accessible in the U.S. by matching the price of its biodegradable and 100% recyclable stretch wrap with traditional plastic films. Thus, that final cost barrier for manufacturers and logistics providers looking to switch to eco-friendly packaging without increasing operating expenses, has been removed. BioNatur’s stretch wrap is unique because it biodegrades in anaerobic environments like most landfills, thanks to a small amount of a “proprietary, food-safe organic additive that attracts anaerobic bacteria” to break down the plastic without leaving microplastics or harmful residues. This innovation helps shippers and forwarders meet current environmental regulations and prepares them for future rules tightening emissions reporting standards in the U.S. and Europe. Earlier in 2025, BioNatur partnered with a European manufacturer to produce this wrap locally at competitive prices, ensuring a steady supply across both continents.

Chris Paladino (left), President and CEO, BioNatur Plastics, and Charles Rick, VP Sales, BioNatur Plastics. Image: Meantime Communications

Chris Paladino, President and Chief Executive Officer, BioNatur Plastics, explained: “By matching the cost of conventional stretch wrap, we are making the sustainable option the obvious one. U.S. manufacturers and cargo operators exporting to the European Union can protect their cargo and their reputation by switching to a film that performs the same, remains recyclable in the normal polyethylene recycling stream, but biodegrades in a fraction of the time.”

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