On Air with Air Cargo World: Recent Episodes
Air Cargo World
The On Air with Air Cargo World podcast explores air cargo operations and logistics. The podcast delves into topics such as air cargo integration into the logistics supply chain, new technologies and operational strategies, especially for freight forwarders. On Air with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
Air Cargo World is an award-winning digital publication with over 75 years of industry experience. Founded in 1942, the magazine aims to provide air logistics professionals with insightful information using data analysis, feature articles, and in-depth coverage of events and trends affecting their business and the airfreight logistics industry.
Its readership consists of logistics professionals, airline and airport executives, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, and others who manage or purchase transportation products and services within the airfreight supply chain. It offers a Premium subscription consisting of exclusive data and coverage, monthly features, digital magazine content, and more. Subscribe today to the source for airfreight and logistics at https://aircargoworld.com/subscribe/.
Air Cargo World presents the annual Air Cargo Excellence (ACE) Awards, which ranks the best performing airports and carriers, as well as the Air Cargo Executive of the Year award, given to a noteworthy air logistics industry professional. Air Cargo World assists in producing leading industry events, consisting of the Cargo Airport Growth Summit, Cargo Facts Asia, Cargo Facts EMEA, and Cargo Facts Symposium.
In the latest episode of the “On Air with Air Cargo Next” podcast, James Golding, head of cargo at London Heathrow Airport; Kenneth Chircop, general manager at Dronamics; and Mike van Berkel, account manager at VRR, discuss community cargo systems, drones and sustainability ahead of their appearances at the upcoming Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023, set for Sept. 18-19 in Brussels.
In the latest episode of the “On Air with Air Cargo Next” podcast, Celine Hourcade, founder of Change Horizon, and Gianluca Marcangelo, head of industry relations and marketing at Challenge Group, discuss cybersecurity and digitization ahead of their appearances at the upcoming Air Cargo Tech Summit 2023, set for Sept. 18-19 in Brussels.
Today we will be speaking with Michelle Williams, managing director of strategy and business services at Southwest Airlines Cargo, and Ed de Reyes, chair and chief executive of Sabrewing Aircraft. Each will participate in panel discussions at our second annual Air Cargo Tech Summit in Brussels on Sept. 18-19.
“On Air with Air Cargo Next” speaks with David Rose, director of London operations for IAG Cargo, about automation’s growing role in the air cargo industry.
Drone manufacturer Sabrewing Aircraft Company carried a 374-kilogram payload on a record-breaking first hover flight with its RH-1-A Rhaegal cargo drone, and now owns the new world record for heaviest deadlift of any commercial, vertical takeoff, uncrewed air vehicle.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Sabrewing Chairman and Chief Executive Ed de Reyes discusses the flight, drone development and commercial use cases for the Rhaegal.
California-based Sabrewing’s drone has a 17-meter wingspan and can carry a maximum payload of 2,454 kg, use up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel and accommodate various types of unit load devices.
Listen as de Reyes describes working with the Federal Aviation Authority, sustainability in drone manufacturing and how Rhaegal is beating competitors.
The airfreight industry remains slow to adopt new technology and to automate and streamline manual processes to create a more efficient supply chain for all stakeholders. In the meantime, developers work to make platforms simple, user-friendly and accessible.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Ashley Mowreader speaks with Matt Petot, co-founder and chief executive at software developer CargoAi, about the origins of the company, CargoAi’s digital solutions, stakeholder adoption and sustainability within the airfreight industry.
CargoAi launched in 2019 to optimize digitalization within the supply chain for airfreight stakeholders, aiming to simplify processes without overcoming legacy systems. CargoAi offers a software-as-a-service platform and API integration to provide digital booking, payment and analytical capabilities.
Listen as Petot shares his perspective on the industry’s digital adoption and where data can close gaps in sustainability.
E-commerce is an ever-exploding market in the logistics industry, as more businesses move from a B2B to B2C model, giving customers access to goods faster. But global e-commerce has felt the rising pressures of trade regulations by governments, creating new challenges in the market.
In this episode of the “On Logistics: On Air with Air Cargo World” podcast, Craig Strickland, chief sales officer at e-commerce logistics management platform BoxC, joins Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson, president of Logistics Trends & Insights, to discuss e-commerce movements this year and holiday peak season potential.
BoxC’s platform uses an API to simplify e-commerce transportation for logistics providers to increase international growth. The company provides access to its open, international shipping network, allowing smaller groups to move goods without the traditional infrastructure needed for e-commerce distribution.
Listen as Strickland divulges the current challenges of the e-commerce market and potential growth opportunities for businesses.
Within the next 28 years, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will be carbon-neutral — or at least that’s the goal. Other airfreight stakeholders have set their own targets and deadlines for carbon offsets or carbon neutrality, but as the industry continues to prioritize sustainability, supply chain members must balance the costs.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Ashley Mowreader speaks with Soham Chokshi, Shipsy’s co-founder and chief executive, about the key players in sustainability initiatives, the solutions available and where the supply chain is moving in terms of sustainability.
Shipsy, an India-based logistics management platform, helps supply chain stakeholders best optimize cargo movements and reduce carbon emissions in a cost-effective way. The company offers solutions for all aspects of the supply chain, from freight procurement and route planning to last-mile delivery.
Listen as Chokshi provides insight into supply chain sustainability development and the power of digitalization.
Digitalization has come slowly to the airfreight market as stakeholders in recent years have taken steps to digitalize booking and move to paperless environments.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Simon Watson, co-founder of booking platform CharterSync, speaks with Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Morrow Roberson, president of Logistics Trends & Insights about the digitalization of the cargo charter sector.
When it first launched in July 2019, the platform’s founders did not foresee they would be navigating global challenges like Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the London-based charter broker offers cargo charter services to freight forwarders in an effort to provide rate transparency and a faster way to book charters.
Listen as Watson discusses the origins of CharterSync, global challenges and digitalization in the charter market.
Supply chain stakeholders in the past two years have seen myriad global challenges, ranging from the war in Ukraine, COVID-19, inflation and reduced capacity. As the supply chain has shifted, the industry has looked to adopt new solutions like digitalization and data analytics.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Manouj Tahiliani, general manager of master data management and 360 applications at software development company Informatica, speaks to Air Cargo World about the need for data transparency to create a more efficient and resilient supply chain.
Informatica focuses on data management, offering technology solutions powered by artificial intelligence, automation and the cloud. As the airfreight market continues to digitalize, data transparency has become a hot-button issue as stakeholders streamline operations.
Listen as Tahiliani provides insight into the future of technology and the supply chain.
Global disruptions and the threat of cyberattacks present new challenges for airfreight stakeholders, specifically for freight forwarders looking to protect their clients’ cargo and their own business. Insurance brokers have seen rising costs alongside coverage exceptions amid international conflict, leaving cargo vulnerable.
Airforwarders Association board member Amanda Barlow also serves as regional vice president, western region for Roanoke Insurance. In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” she and Associate Editor Ashley Mowreader take on new attitudes about insurance and the habits of U.S. forwarders during the war in Ukraine, as well as how forwarders can protect themselves against cyberattacks.
Join Air Cargo World for this important podcast with Barlow on what forwarders need to know now about insurance.
The pandemic has helped put technology into focus for the airfreight industry, accelerating the pace of digitization for processes and operations. The Air Cargo Tech Summit, presented by Air Cargo World next week, will address the latest tech innovations in the airfreight sector.
The inaugural event, to be held live in Miami June 6-7, will cover a variety of industry topics, including sustainability, drone operations, digital records, digital booking and more.
View the ACTS agenda.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Kelly Stroh speaks with columnist Cathy Roberson, president of Logistics Trends & Insights and an Air Cargo World columnist, about what to expect at the Air Cargo Tech Summit next week.
The Air Cargo Tech Summit, the new airfreight logistics event presented by Air Cargo World, will take place LIVE in Miami from June 6-7. Learn more and register here.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston speaks with Steve Magirias, CEO of cargo drone developer and operator Drone Delivery Canada (DDC), about his plans for the company in his new role, the upcoming launches of the Canary and Condor drones and the regulatory landscape for drone operations.
DDC’s completed and expected 2022 milestones include the launch of dangerous goods (DG) transportation in Ontario for DSV Canada, the planned Q2 launch of its Canary drone and the expected second-half launch of the long-range, heavy-lift Condor drone.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston speaks with Cathy Morrow Roberson, founder of Logistics Trends & Insights and Air Cargo World columnist, about the most recent earnings results from FedEx, UPS and other logistics companies, as well as this week’s announcement of the departure of Fred Smith as FedEx’s CEO.
High airfreight rates once again supported revenues for express and airfreight during the most recent quarter, but headwinds are emerging with the Ukraine-Russia war and another spike in fuel prices. Meanwhile, the cyberattack that affected freight forwarder Expeditors in February is another warning to logistics providers of the threat, and the need to prioritize cybersecurity and plan for those attacks that can’t be prevented.
Charter services have been in high demand since the start of the pandemic and have continued to be used to help mitigate capacity issues caused by supply chain disruptions and rising sea-to-air conversions. In turn, charter companies, freighter and passenger freighter operators, and freight forwarders with own-controlled networks have had to remain flexible to navigate the ever-changing market, especially as airfreight rates continue to fluctuate and COVID-19 outbreaks among cargo crews cause operational delays.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Kelly Stroh speaks with Jack Burt, vice president of U.S. freight at Air Partner, about 2022’s charter outlook, rising rates and changing air transport regulations, among other topics.
Listen as Burt discusses these topics in this Air Cargo World podcast.
The 2021 holiday season has passed, but with global supply chains still struggling due to capacity issues and the omicron variant, volumes have spilled into the first quarter of 2022. Nevertheless, logistics providers took the hard-won lessons of 2020 to heart and avoided some of the delays and issues that plagued 2020’s holiday peak.
In this On Logistics episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Nate Skiver, founder of LPF Spend Management. LPF Spend Management works with e-commerce and parcel shippers to locate shippers and services aligning with their shipping strategy and negotiate more favorable contracts.
Listen as Roberson and Skiver review the 2021 peak season and discuss what may be coming soon for express and last-mile providers in this Air Cargo World podcast.
The pandemic has fueled modernization efforts as airfreight stakeholders reimagine and optimize day-to-day operations using automation and digitization. Digital booking developments have especially been on the rise over the past year, with carriers launching their own application programming interfaces (APIs) or joining digital booking platforms like Germany-based cargo.one.
In addition to e-booking becoming a helpful tool for small and medium-sized freight forwarders to more easily access cargo capacity, the option for instant rates, dynamic pricing features and data insights have enabled freight forwarders to better navigate the volatile market landscape.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Kelly Stroh speaks with Moritz Claussen, co-founder and managing director of cargo.one, about digitization efforts within the industry, the progression of digital booking, cargo.one’s growth and market expectations for 2022.
Listen as Claussen discusses these topics in this Air Cargo World podcast.
2021 was yet another turbulent year, to say the least. However, despite COVID-19 outbreaks at major airports, ongoing capacity struggles and numerous supply chain disruptions, the airfreight industry has remained resilient and flexible through innovative solutions and changes to typical operations. Freight forwarders launched own-controlled networks, industry operators adopted new technologies to provide greater transparency throughout the supply chain, and industry acquisitions were on the rise.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Kelly Stroh speaks with Cathy Roberson, president of Logistics Trends & Insight and an Air Cargo World columnist, about digitalization efforts across the airfreight industry, risk management, this year’s acquisition market and what forwarders and shippers might expect in the year to come.
The capacity shortage caused by COVID-19 has pushed airfreight operators to pursue creative solutions like the implementation of passenger freighters. The demand imbalance has also seen new entrants dip their toes into the airfreight market, as with the decisions from major players in ocean shipping including CMA CGM and Maersk to pursue own-controlled air capacity.
In this On Logistics episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association and a quarterly contributor to Air Cargo World, about how some of the changes could factor into future air cargo operations, and what airfreight logistics providers want ocean freight operators to understand about the historical airfreight market.
Listen as Air Cargo World contributors Cathy Morrow Roberson and Brandon Fried cover modal changes, the role of freight forwarders and how operational changes today stand to affect airfreight in the years ahead.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston speaks with Cathy Morrow Roberson, founder of Logistics Trends & Insights, about third-quarter foreshadowing of the 2021 peak season expectations.
Q3 brought more strong earnings reports from major integrators benefitting from the hot e-commerce market. Freight forwarders also extended their prior solid performance, as the early Q3 avoided the typical summer slump due to global supply chain disruptions encouraging modal shifts to air. Combination carriers also saw some relief in Q3 earnings, as travel restrictions loosened and additional passenger flights — and bellyspace — returned to the market.
October saw the return of the International Air Transport Association’s World Cargo Symposium, rescheduled from March 2020 and relocated from Istanbul to Dublin, where around 800 delegates gathered to discuss priorities for airfreight.
In this On Logistics episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Air Cargo World Editor Caryn Livingston about announcements made during WCS and the three themes of this year’s event: Digitalization, Sustainability, and Safety and Security. For coverage of WCS and the Daily Report, produced by Air Cargo World each day of the event on IATA’s behalf, visit the WCS section of our site at https://aircargoworld.com/2021-iata-world-cargo-symposium/.
Listen as Roberson and Livingston review the highlights from the 2021 WCS in this Air Cargo World podcast.
With the fourth quarter beginning this week, retailers are bracing for a flood of e-commerce orders — many of which will end up in the networks of UPS and FedEx on their way to holiday shoppers later this year. Express providers are also getting an early start, with peak surcharges, typically reserved for the holidays, in place throughout the pandemic and rising further for the traditional peak.
In this On Logistics episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Nate Skiver, founder of LPF Spend Management. LPF Spend Management works with e-commerce and parcel shippers to locate shippers and services aligning with their shipping strategy and negotiate more favorable contracts. The discussion covers peak season surcharges, transportation capacity for parcels, and options for retailers struggling to secure capacity with big express carriers.
Washington-based logistics company Expeditors this month opened its Opportunity Knocks internship program to other companies hoping to launch their own version of the program. In cooperation with non-governmental organizations, the program supports interns just starting their careers, introducing them to Expeditors, logistics and the professional world more broadly. More than 90 of the program’s former interns went on to full employment with Expeditors. Now, Expeditors has made the program available to other interested companies.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston speaks with Lenora Turner, director, Opportunity Knocks, and Jose Ubeda, senior vice president, Digital Solutions, at Expeditors, about the program’s objectives, track record and Expeditors’ move to share the program with other companies. Interested companies can find more information on the program here.
Throughout the past year, carriers and freight forwarders have partnered on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) initiatives to help reduce carbon emissions within the airfreight industry. While aviation currently accounts for roughly 12% of all carbon dioxide emissions from transport sources, according to the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), airfreight stakeholders recognize that cargo growth comes with the responsibility to reduce its carbon emissions.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate Editor Kelly Stroh speaks with Asok Kumar, executive vice president and global head of airfreight at DB Schenker, about SAF, sustainability initiatives and the current push to decarbonize the airfreight industry.
For more on SAF and sustainability, see our full feature in the latest online issue of Air Cargo World.
The supply chain upheaval that began with the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is persisting through 2021 and has been recently exacerbated by the port and airport closures in China in recent months. Manufacturers and other shippers who may have previously relied on as-needed updates from their logistics partners are now taking a more active role to avoid transportation pitfalls and keep their products on shelves.
In this episode of “On Logistics with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Audrey Ross, in-house logistics and customs specialist at Orchard Custom Beauty, a cosmetics and personal and home care product manufacturer. The two discuss the changes in in-house supply chain management for major shippers, how to mitigate some impacts of the reductions in ocean, air and road capacity, and vulnerabilities in sourcing that will likely take years of planning and investment to correct.
Listen as Roberson and Ross take a deep dive into these topics in this Air Cargo World podcast.
The On Logistics with Air Cargo World podcast segment explores air cargo logistics with analysis from regular Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson of Logistics Trends & Insights. The podcast analyzes major trends affecting global logistics, including topics such as sustainability, e-commerce growth and M&A strategies, and changes in the global express market. On Logistics with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston speaks with Cathy Roberson, founder of Logistics Trends & Insights, about the second-quarter results of major airfreight industry stakeholders announced in recent weeks. With more earnings presentations to come through early August, the benefits of the current high rate, low-capacity market are clear as integrators continue to blow past records set in previous pandemic quarters.
Not all operators are avoiding some of the pitfalls of pandemic operations, however.
Roberson, a weekly columnist at Air Cargo World and the host of the On Logistics podcast, discusses how major integrators, combination carriers and freight forwarders are faring so far in 2021, expectations for the remainder of the year, and how the current strategies employed by airfreight operators may continue to evolve as aviation slowly returns to normal.
The recent surge in e-commerce amid the pandemic, alongside technology improvements for logistics, is driving demand for warehouse space in markets around the world, but availability varies widely by market.
In this episode of “On Logistics with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Melissa Alexander, vice president of the Industrial Services team at real estate company Foundry Commercial, about the high demand for warehousing space, the factors behind shortages in U.S. commercial real estate markets, and Alexander’s outlook on future demand and development in the space.
While some growing metros are more development-friendly from a policy and geography standpoint, others may be constrained by local regulation, geography or less land available for development. Advancements in warehousing technology are also driving up customer expectations for warehouse features and capabilities, making some existing properties outdated by today’s standards. Combined, these factors are pushing warehousing prices up significantly from even five years ago.
Listen as Roberson takes a deep dive into these topics in this Air Cargo World podcast.
The On Logistics with Air Cargo World podcast segment explores air cargo logistics with analysis from regular Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson of Logistics Trends & Insights. The podcast analyzes major trends affecting global logistics, including topics such as sustainability, e-commerce growth and M&A strategies, and changes in the global express market. On Logistics with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Associate EditorKelly Stroh speaks with Alexey Zotov, head of sales of AirBridgeCargo, part of Volga-Dnepr Group, about how the air cargo market has been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effect on the carrier’s relationship with forwarders.
The pandemic has dramatically altered global supply chains, complicating not only capacity availability, but also the traditional ways in which carriers and forwarders cooperate. Consequently, the current state of forwarder-controlled charters, block-space negotiation and digitalization initiatives catalyzed by the pandemic could leave forwarder-carrier communication changed long after the world emerges from the pandemic.
For more on how the pandemic has changed the carrier-forwarder relationship, see our full feature in the latest online issue of Air Cargo World.
The increased focus on digitalization in air cargo during the pandemic is by now well established as logistics companies seek to become more agile and adapt to a rapidly changing global airfreight market. Legacy processes that relied on phone calls and emails are now too slow to accommodate shipper needs in today’s disrupted market.
Years before the pandemic began, major forwarders began adopting transportation management systems (TMS), which allow logistics companies plan and optimize their freight flows across modes. But the abrupt changes in freight flows and demands during 2020 have reinforced the need for visibility into supply chains and are prompting more companies to utilize TMS as a foundational part of business planning.
In this episode of “On Logistics with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson speaks with Ron Lazo, vice president of professional services at Manhattan Associates, about technology trends and demands the supply chain solutions company is seeing.
The On Logistics with Air Cargo World podcast segment explores air cargo logistics with analysis from regular Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson of Logistics Trends & Insights. The podcast analyzes major trends affecting global logistics, including topics such as sustainability, e-commerce growth and M&A strategies, and changes in the global express market. On Logistics with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
The past year in airfreight logistics has seen the rise of multiple trends, among them an increase in digital initiatives and a rapid rise in demand for e-commerce cargo. Teleport, the logistics venture of Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia, focuses heavily in both areas.
A younger company in the logistics space, Teleport has built its logistics services to align with its digital goals, including with the 2020 launch of its digital air cargo network on the blockchain platform Freightchain. The company is in the process of bringing several new carriers onto the platform and has a bullish outlook on cargo demand in Southeast Asia, where it is based, with e-commerce growing at around 40% per year.
In this episode of “On Air with Air Cargo World,” Editor Caryn Livingston talks to Teleport CEO Pete Chareonwongsak about the use of technology to optimize cargo loads across the fleets of AirAsia and Teleport’s other airline partners, and the current and expected growth trajectory for e-commerce in Southeast Asia.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of most brick-and-mortar retail locations in countries around the world, retailers and many other businesses entered the e-commerce space or grew their e-commerce investments to adapt to changes in consumer behavior. The growth in this sector of retail has been a major driver of airfreight strength over the past year, and is leading to investments that will expand logistics footprints for decades to come.
Despite the recent increase in cases in India and some other countries, vaccinations are well underway in several countries and some lockdowns are easing, leading to the reopening of many retail businesses. The higher airfreight rates driven by the current capacity shortage will also eventually return to more normal levels when passenger aviation increases, meaning express carriers may no longer realize the record profits that peak surcharges have helped them achieve during the past year. Airfreight’s place in e-commerce fulfillment beyond the pandemic remains to be seen.
In this episode of “On Logistics with Air Cargo World,” Cathy Morrow Roberson talks to Charles Brewer, chief operating officer for Canada Post, about the e-commerce growth of the past year, the longer-term outlook for e-commerce logistics and whether the pursuit of e-commerce cargo will be a viable strategy for realizing profits beyond the pandemic.
The On Logistics with Air Cargo World podcast segment explores air cargo logistics with analysis from regular Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson of Logistics Trends & Insights. The podcast analyzes major trends affecting global logistics, including topics such as sustainability, e-commerce growth and M&A strategies, and changes in the global express market. On Logistics with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
The pandemic’s challenges to all modes of transportation have contributed to varied solutions, from passenger freighters to an increase in express ocean freight shipments. The logistics industry is also looking to technology to help mitigate market volatility and smooth processes around capacity booking, airport pickup and drop-off of cargo, and other areas.
California-based startup Airspace has created a technology platform that expedites transportation and improves accuracy and visibility for time-critical shipments across transportation modes. Airspace’s ability to reroute critical shipments has attracted attention due to the disruption from the pandemic, and has helped the startup secure more than $70 million across three funding rounds, the most recent closing in January at $38 million.
For this launch of our new podcast segment “On Logistics with Air Cargo World,” host Cathy Morrow Roberson, founder of Logistics Trends & Insights and a regular Air Cargo World contributor, is joined by Airspace co-founder and CTO Ryan Rusnak. Hear Roberson and Rusnak discuss the niche that Airspace has carved out in time-critical shipments, and the startup’s expansion goals.
The On Logistics with Air Cargo World podcast segment explores air cargo logistics with analysis from regular Air Cargo World columnist Cathy Roberson of Logistics Trends & Insights. The podcast analyzes major trends affecting global logistics, including topics such as sustainability, e-commerce growth and M&A strategies, and changes in the global express market. On Logistics with Air Cargo World is brought to you by Air Cargo World, the leading air cargo magazine.
Improving gender balance in air cargo has been a topic for many years, and the need for change is evident in the way that there are very few women in decision making and executive roles, or speaking at industry events, according to an industry data report by IATA. A new partnership between Meantime Communications and Change Horizon forged on March 8, or International Women’s Day, aims to bring gender imbalance issues to the foreground and help the air cargo logistics industry overcome these issues.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Kelly Stroh talks to industry executives Emma Murray and Celine Hourcade about their new Women in Aviation and Logistics Pledge program, as well as gender equality in the industry. The program strives to not only spark conversation regarding the lack of visibility for women industry professionals, but also offers solutions to help reconcile this issue.
As COVID-19 vaccine shipments accelerate, more innovations in container technology are likely on the horizon. However, it is not only temperature deviations that present a threat to vaccine integrity — as high-value, important and time-critical cargo, vaccine shipments also face physical and digital security risks.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Joshua Aelick talks to Nathan de Valck, Frank van Gelder and Emir Pineda of Pharma.Aero about some of the security issues surrounding the transport of COVID-19 vaccines. The Brussels-based, collaborative organization unites airports, pharma shippers and other stakeholders to ensure shipments are immune to other dangers.
Kuehne+Nagel Q4 earnings this week saw soaring airfreight rates support revenues for some freight forwarders in 2020 while other transport modes struggled, but volatility in rates, particularly in the spot market ex-Asia, could threaten gross profits in the months ahead.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Charles Kauffman and Caryn Livingston discuss how new strategies developed by airlines and freight forwarders in 2020 are affecting the airfreight market so far in 2021. With insights from the latest Baltic Air Freight Index report, their discussion covers capacity and rate volatility in the weeks ahead and following the Lunar New Year holiday, as well as the outlook for when relief may finally arrive for the capacity crunch.
In this episode, Air Cargo World Senior Editor Charles Kauffman and Ed Gillett, co-founder of U.K.-based CharterSync, discuss the impact the pandemic and Brexit have had on charter activity, particularly to, from and within the U.K., and the growth of CharterSync's platform.
Aviation has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly due to widespread cancellations of passenger flights and travel bans. Air cargo carriers, however, have seen demand vastly outpace available capacity, leading to higher airfreight rates and surcharges.
All-cargo carriers and the express industry have reaped the benefits of airfreight demand, due to their all-freighter operations, without suffering the penalties associated with large fleets of passenger aircraft. Major express carriers are further benefiting from increased e-commerce demand during 2020, and for the foreseeable future.
In this episode of the On Air with Air Cargo World, Editor Caryn Livingston is joined by Cathy Roberson, founder and president of Logistics Trends & Insights and a regular contributor to Air Cargo World, to discuss how the express market has changed in the past year. This episode covers trends in express, e-commerce, and how recent developments in the space will affect industry players like FedEx, UPS, DHL and Amazon in the years ahead.
Air Cargo World editors and readers selected Eddy Liu, vice president of cargo at China Airlines, as 2020’s Air Cargo Executive of the Year. In Liu’s profile and the cover feature for the December 2020/January 2021 issue of Air Cargo World, Associate Editor Jeff Lee delves into how China Airlines has evolved its operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We and our readers also selected Dorothea von Boxberg of Lufthansa Cargo and Yngve Ruud of Kuehne + Nagel as two Executives to Watch in 2021. These air cargo executives helped guide their divisions through the most challenging year in aviation history, and for reasons revealed in their respective profiles, should continue their successes in 2021 and beyond.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, excerpts of the interviews conducted with these executives reveal how they adapted their respective operations in 2020 and how they are maintaining flexibility during a time of ongoing uncertainty.
Read the full stories in the December/January digital issue.
Dozens of trans-Pacific cargo flights into Los Angeles Airport (LAX) were canceled this week through at least Dec. 10. COVID-19 cases among ground handlers at LAX and other U.S. airports, including Chicago O’Hare (ORD), have slowed airfreight handling, even as longer delays in ocean freight are pushing shippers toward air. The supply chain strain comes at the height of this year’s peak season, when airfreight sees its busiest time of year, and subsequently higher airfreight rates have pushed more passenger freighters back into cargo service.
Simultaneously, shipments of personal protective equipment are increasing again as the U.S. hits its worst point yet for new infections and European countries have reinstituted lockdowns. India-based SpiceJet, which operates converted freighters and passenger freighters, is planning to transport PPE between the U.S. and India, and has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a foreign air carrier permit. Initial shipments are likely to occur using wet leased A340 passenger freighters operated by Hi Fly.
Vaccines also began flying recently ahead of regulatory approvals, with United Airlines using its passenger freighters to position vaccines made by Pfizer ahead of wider distribution. Forwarders this week explained why passenger freighters may have found a niche for initial distribution and point-to-point vaccine shipments in the weeks and months ahead.
Following his recent cover story, “Immunity by Air,” which dives into how stakeholders across the air cargo supply chain are working to prepare for vaccine distribution, Senior Editor Charles Kauffman spoke with Matt Castle, C.H. Robinson’s VP of global forwarding products and services, about how the 3PL is planning for the task ahead.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Kauffman and Castle discuss the current state of the pharma cold chain, how C.H. Robinson is making contingency plans for existing customers as vaccine information eventually emerges, and how vaccine-adjacent commodities are already being transported in advance of an approved vaccine.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Senior Editor Charles Kauffman discusses the contingency planning that is underway at Amsterdam Airport (AMS) with Maarten van As, managing director of Air Cargo Netherlands, the country’s industry association. While many developed countries are well-equipped to distribute a vaccine, Van As discusses the potential role global hubs such as AMS, may play in extending the cool chain, and delivering vaccines to developing countries.
This episode of On Air with Air Cargo World was created from an early October interview with van As, who provided us with insights into how regulatory agencies and customs are working with airport stakeholders to prepare for a vaccine distribution scenario still plagued by unknown factors and potential bottlenecks.
Read the full feature story in the digital issue of Air Cargo World.
Despite cost-cutting measures across the logistics industry, air cargo operators and freight forwarders have largely stayed the course in their pursuit of lower emissions and sustainable logistics.
The August feature story “Greener on the other side” highlights some of the initiatives and companies targeting more environmentally friendly operations. In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, we continue the focus on sustainability with Neil Cloughley, founder and CEO of U.K.-based Faradair Aerospace, which six years ago introduced the concept for its bio-electric-hybrid-aircraft, or BEHA. Cloughley discusses Faradair’s concept for a hybrid-electric aircraft the company hopes will help pave the way for cleaner and quieter regional cargo operations, and the obstacles still standing in the way of industry-wide advancement toward sustainability.
This week, Air Cargo World published an overview of second-quarter results for major Asian cargo carriers, which held some surprising traffic results for Korean Air Cargo and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Cargo. Meanwhile, some airlines are preparing for the eventual likelihood that airfreight will be utilized for widespread global distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. Finally, in U.S. election news, aviation PACs are tending more toward donations to Democratic political candidates than they have in a decade.
The hospitality sector has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but some freight forwarders are optimistic that travel demand will return, and companies in this industry need to prepare their supply chains for the eventual recovery.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, New York-based freight forwarder Sobel Network Shipping’s president and CEO Brian Wills speaks on the opening of the company’s Miami office and its new division launched in June, offering logistics services to cruise lines and hotels.
This week, Air Cargo World launched the layoff tracker, covering air cargo logistics layoffs from the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been mitigated for now in the United States by federal relief programs, and this week, major cargo handler Swissport announced it had received $170 million in relief funds to support its U.S. payroll.
Meanwhile, cross-border e-commerce demand has soared thanks to lockdowns that have turned the retail tide in favor of online shopping compared with brick-and-mortar. Cainiao, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, has launched a new Hong Kong-Madrid route operated by Volga-Dnepr Group subsidiary AirBridgeCargo in support of cross-border e-commerce, with many more charters ahead for 2020.
Finally, Latin America has been hit particularly hard by the lockdowns and passenger flight cancellations. With some service in the Americas beginning to return, cargo capacity is slowly returning in passenger aircraft bellies. Still, a forwarder with a large South American network tells Air Cargo World there is a long way to go in terms of reopening capacity.
Find this and more in this week’s edition of the Weekly Wrap, featuring Editor Caryn Livingston and Publisher JJ Hornblass.
This week, Air Cargo World published its second June feature story on digital payment platforms, how airlines and forwarders view this emerging technology, and how ongoing lawsuits between the major players in this space could affect the future of this corner of air cargo digitalization. Meanwhile, other areas of digitalization are doing well despite the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a shift in industry thinking about the importance of investments in technology. In express news, DHL opened its first U.S. company-owned retail store.
In this episode, Cathy Roberson, founder of Logistics Trends & Insights, and Caryn Livingston, editor at Air Cargo World, speak on how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the evolution of technology and business across the air cargo industry.
In this episode, Steve Smith, president and CEO at Washington D.C.-based nonprofit Airlink, speaks on how the organization and its partner carriers are working to support communities around the world battling the coronavirus pandemic.
Airlink is a nonprofit organization working with aviation and logistics partners to transport relief workers and emergency supplies for reputable nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) responding to rapid-onset disasters and other humanitarian crises around the globe. Airlink’s network consists of more than 40 commercial and charter airlines and more than 100 international NGOs.
In this episode Stephen Harvey, vice president for cargo and general aviation at East Midlands Airport speaks on the airport’s strategic development in response to demand, particularly driven by the growing express market. Harvey also discusses the impact of global challenges, such as the novel coronavirus and Brexit, to global markets, as well as potential opportunities arising from these situations. Stay tuned for this episode now.
Joining us today start-up CLIVE Data Services’ Managing Director Niall van de Wouw speaks on his company’s launch of a new analysis dubbed “the dynamic load factor,” which is aimed at measuring cargo-load factors from a volumetric, rather than weight-based, approach.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, Southern California-based data integration startup Komodal’s co-founder Julia Pasternack discusses the company’s work to digitalize and improve transparency across multi-modal logistics operations. The startup has already done work to help alleviate congestion for stakeholders operating out of the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors and is now focusing on expanding and applying its services for the airfreight industry.
With the holiday season well underway, air cargo and logistics are seeing their seasonal boost in volumes when consumer buying habits pick up for the holidays. To avoid any logistical hiccups, integrators have prepared their infrastructure, networks and capacity to meet the forecasted record volumes expected this shorter holiday season.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, DHL Express U.S. CEO Greg Hewitt shares the integrator’s strategy to meet the seasonal demand, as well as details on volumes it has moved this holiday period thus far. DHL Express anticipates it will see an increase of 15% in volumes for holiday shipments driven predominantly by e-commerce from just before Thanksgiving through to the New Year, compared to the same period last year. Top trade lanes for these volumes include routes to and from the U.S. to China, Hong Kong, Italy, the U.K., Mexico and Australia.
As the current standing of Brexit hangs in limbo until Jan. 31, 2020, with little light likely to be shed on the situation until the United Kingdom’s general election takes place on Dec. 12, freight forwarders are already at work establishing contingency plans for a worst-case scenario during this murky period.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, we spoke with Robert Keen, British International Freight Association director general, regarding what regulatory uncertainty stemming from Brexit means for freight forwarders – namely, a potential skilled labor shortage and increased costs to customers.
More year-over-year declines in airfreight traffic and cargo handles for October served to cap off a difficult 2019 for global logistics. However, plenty of opportunities are still available for those operators that can pinpoint creative solutions to recent challenges.
In this episode ofOn Air with Air Cargo World, we spoke with Alexandra Kleinschmidt, Vice President, Customs & Trade Services at Crane Worldwide Logistics regarding the challenges facing global trade in the current market. Alongside her team at Crane Worldwide, Kleinschmidt works to help companies navigate shifting customs landscapes and address short-term trade concerns while planning for the future.
Zhengzhou Airport (CGO), located in China’s central Henan province, is working to become a Chinese cargo hub with the construction of its Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ). The airport, which already hosts flights from international carriers such as Cargolux and AirBridgeCargo, has made several moves over the past year to grow its business with the acquisition of fifth freedom rights and signing of agreements with Hungary’s Budapest Airport (BUD) and the Thai government.
Today we hear from Celine Hourcade on her consultancy work with Zhengzhou Airport regarding the Economic Zone’s development. At the end of October, she and ten other experts visited the project to advise on its construction and accreditation processes as the airport seeks to boost volumes through attracting carriers, logistics providers and other business, including fintech and sustainable fuel.
As the saga of developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drone) to carry goods and shipments continues, some regions are emerging as forerunners in the development, adoption and regulation of drones. While drone development is still in its early stages, the disruptive technology presents stakeholders in air cargo an opportunity to fill gaps in supply chains and access new markets.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, we sit down with Cathy Roberson, Cargo Facts Consulting senior consultant and Air Cargo World columnist, to discuss trends and challenges in the application of drones across logistics chains, as well as the position various countries are taking on drone development.
Mercury Air Cargo began implementing cargo communication and payment platform CargoSprint’s SprintPass at its Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) facilities at the beginning of this month. The move is intended to decrease waiting times for freight forwarders picking up import shipments and support the flow of cargo through facilities as LAX faces continued congestion issues.
In this episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, we sit down with John Peery, President & COO, Mercury Air Cargo, to discuss how the handler is working with CargoSprint CEO Joshua Wolf to digitalize Mercury Air Cargo’s ops in an effort to combat congestion at LAX. The implementation efforts come amid the airport’s recent decision to delay construction of its new Century Cargo Complex terminal by two years.
The real estate arm of U.S.-based Aviation Facilities Company Management (AFCO) secured upwards of $36 million in financing for a new air cargo facility at Baltimore International Airport (BWI). The entire project will include construction of a 200,000-square-foot air cargo facility and a 450,000-square-foot aircraft parking apron, both set to be completed this month.
In this inaugural episode of On Air with Air Cargo World, we sit down with Chuck Stipancic, President & CEO, AFCO, to discuss some of the key trends in the development of air cargo facilities in North America that aim to meet future demand in e-commerce and emerging markets.