Drone Delivery Canada and Bell partner to improve drone technology

 Drone Delivery Canada has announced a definitive collaboration agreement with Bell Mobility, effective April 13, 2022, to collaborate on the development of certain products and services in order to improve technology as it relates to 5G network and multi-access edge computing for autonomous drone performance for a three-year term.

The collaboration is expected to result in new revenue-generating solutions for DDC, with a focus on the development of technologies that will evaluate, in a controlled environment, new capabilities to support Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), Command and Control (C2), Remote Identification (Remote ID), and Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM), all based on 5G and Multi-access Edge Compute (MEC).

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C.H. Robinson Q12022 revenue up 42% on higher pricing, volume

 Nasdaq-listed global logistics platform C.H. Robinson reported a 42 percent in total revenue to $6.8 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, driven primarily by both higher pricing and higher volume across services.

Adjusted gross profit increased 29 percent to $906 million, adjusted operating margin increased 630 basis points to 38.1 percent, diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased 60 percent to $2.05, according to an official statement.

“In our first quarter, we delivered record quarterly profits,” says Bob Biesterfeld, President and Chief Executive Officer, C.H. Robinson. “Sequential improvement was driven by significant operating margin expansion in our North American Surface Transportation (NAST)) business as we improved the health of our contractual truckload business, continued to grow our truckload volume, and improved the profitability of our less-than truckload (LTL) business. Our global forwarding team continued delivering excellent service to our customers and collaborating with our carriers, driving more business to our platform. And finally, our Robinson Fresh, Managed Services and Europe Surface Transportation businesses all improved their top line growth and operating income on a year-over-year basis.”

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K+N Q12022 turnover up 68% to $10.6bn on unabated demand

 Kuehne+Nagel reported a 68 percent increase in net turnover to CHF10.2 billion ($10.6 billion) marked by continued strong demand for high-quality transport services.

While earnings nearly doubled to CHF 832 million ($865 million), free cash flow increased by almost CHF 1 billion ($1.04 billion), according to an official statement.

“Strong demand for capital and consumer goods continued in the first quarter of 2022,” says Dr. Detlef Trefzger, CEO, Kuehne + Nagel International AG. “In parallel, the already strained supply chain situation deteriorated further. Kuehne+Nagel was well prepared for this scenario and we were able to reliably meet customer demands for high-quality logistics services.”

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Wiremind separates air cargo business 'Wiremind Cargo' as subsidiary

 Wiremind today announced the separation of its dedicated air cargo business unit Wiremind Cargo, launched in November 2021 and headed by CEO, Nathanaël de Tarade, and CTO, Etienne Corbillé.

Created in 2014, Wiremind is a leading French company providing revenue optimization and inventory management software solutions for the transport, logistics and events sectors.

Nathanaël de Tarade, chief executive officer of Wiremind Cargo, said, “Over the past months, we have structured Wiremind Cargo as a separate business entity, and established a strong team of experts dedicated entirely to the needs of the air freight industry. Our engineers all have a background in transport and logistics, and are well-versed in how airlines, GSAs, GHAs and freight forwarders operate.”

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Semiconductor chip shortage till 2023 or overproduction by 2025?

 Semiconductor chip shortage has been one of the critical issues in the tech, electronics, and automotive industries over the last two years. The unavailability of chipset and electronics components have materially impacted businesses in terms of revenue and customer experience.

The shortage of semiconductor chips started early in the pandemic wherein governments, across nations, enforced lockdowns. As a result, factories were shut down for months, resulting in production halting and businesses stopped ordering new chips and components that were part of the Just-in-time (JIT) supply chain.

The strategy has backfired as demand for consumer electronics and appliances such as laptops, mobile phones/smartphones, personal care devices, and home appliances have increased greatly across the globe. This demand is attributed to the change in consumer behaviour, remote work and education culture influenced by the pandemic.

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Natilus targets Africa, Europe, Asia for intermodal modes of transport

 The U.S. based autonomous aircraft designing and manufacturing company Natilus announces its expansion to Brown Field in San Diego. The company will be hosting engineering and manufacturing facilities for the Natilus family of aircraft.

“As the design of the prototype aircraft nears completion, we are expanding the team and facilities to move into final assembly. Our tier one suppliers are excited about the new platform which will reduce carbon emissions, while increasing cargo volume,” stated Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus.

A 12,000-square-foot hangar at Brown Field is used for prototype final assembly, structural testing, system integration, and secondary structural bonding. There is also a huge 8,000-foot runway for testing, with the capability of landing large, enormous cargo planes. Natilus’ engineering offices in downtown San Diego will benefit from the additional 1,500 square feet of office space.

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American Q1 cargo revenue up 15% to $364mn

 American Airlines reported a percent increase in cargo revenue at $364 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 compared to $315 million in Q12021.

Cargo tonne miles increased marginally (0.7%) to 536 million from 532 million, and cargo yield per tonne mile increased almost 15 percent to 67.81 cents from 59.18 cents in Q12021, according to results announced yesterday.

First-quarter revenue of $8.9 billion represented a recovery of 84 percent to the comparable period revenue in 2019, and was double the $4.8 billion revenue in 2021. Operating loss increased to $1.7 billion from $1.3 billion last year.

“Company was profitable, excluding net special items in March, and expects to be profitable in the second quarter based on the current demand trends and fuel price forecast,” an official statement said.

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Ethiopian Airlines, UTD Aviation Solutions & AFRAA come together

 Ethiopian Airlines MRO, UTD Aviation Solutions and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services in pursuance of The Brown Condor Initiative (BCI).

The signing ceremony took place at Ethiopian Airlines headquarters in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The Brown Condor Initiative (BCI) is a joint initiative which was conceptualised in 2020 and officially launched by UTD Aviation Solutions and AFRAA in May 2021. The BCI project is aimed at providing a platform for AFRAA members with Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities to relieve the USA MRO workforce crunch in terms of both facilities and manpower constraints, as well as support other airlines from the USA in MRO services and aircraft spares.

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TechEagle launches Vertiplane X3, India's fastest hybrid e-VTOL drone

 Gurgaon-based leading drone delivery startup TechEagle launched Vertiplane X3, India's fastest hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (e-VTOL) drone, at the E-Commerce Logistics Summit 2022 in Mumbai today. 

The newly launched drone has hybrid capabilities of a helicopter and an aeroplane, allowing it to take off and land vertically like a helicopter without the need for a runway. Vertiplane X3 stands VERTI (Vertical flying, landing and take-off capabilities like a helicopter) + Plane ( Can cruise fast and cover long-distance like a passenger Aeroplane), X3 is model number in the Vertiplane series.

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Rakesh Raikar is Cathay Pacific's new Regional General Manager

 Cathay Pacific – the award-winning Hong Kong-based airline – has appointed Rakesh Raicar as the airline's new Regional General Manager for South Asia, Middle East and Africa (SAMEA). 

Raicar, who has over 30 years of experience working with Cathay Pacific, will take over from his predecessor, Mark Sutch. Based in India's Mumbai, Raicar will be responsible for propelling the airline's business and operations growth in the said regions.

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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Intl Airport cargo handled up 30% in FY22

 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) reported a 30 percent increase in cargo handled at 556,900 metric tonnes (MT) for the year ended March 31, 2022 compared to the same period last year. 

While international cargo volumes increased 26 percent, domestic cargo volumes were up 40 percent, an official statement said. Import volumes totalled 260,600 MT and exports totalled 296,300 MT.

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Airbus and Kawasaki partner for hydrogen-powered ecosystem in Japan

 Airbus and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Kawasaki) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of a hydrogen-powered ecosystem. The scope will encompass many components of the hydrogen supply chain, from hydrogen manufacturing through distribution to airports and on-board aircraft.

The MOU was signed in Tokyo by Stéphane Ginoux, Head of North Asia Region for Airbus and President of Airbus Japan, and Motohiko Nishimura, Executive Officer and Deputy General Manager of Kawasaki’s Hydrogen Strategy Division.

Airbus and Kawasaki will collaborate on this endeavour to develop a roadmap to overcome problems and create an advocacy plan for hydrogen aviation requirements. Both parties will also be in the forefront of the implementation of a hydrogen infrastructure for aviation, with a special emphasis on the creation of Airport Hydrogen Hubs.

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Delta Q1 cargo revenue at $289mn, up 51% from Q12019

 Delta Air Lines reported cargo revenue of $289 million for the March quarter, a 51 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019 on strong demand and yields. For the March quarter, Delta reported an adjusted operating loss of $793 million on adjusted operating revenue of $8.2 billion, an official statement said.

“With a strong rebound in demand as Omicron faded, we returned to profitability in the month of March, producing a solid adjusted operating margin of almost 10 percent,” says Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer, Delta Air Lines. “As our brand preference and demand momentum grow, we are successfully recapturing higher fuel prices, driving our outlook for a 12–14 percent adjusted operating margin and strong free cash flow in the June quarter.”

At the end of the March quarter, the company had $12.8 billion in liquidity including cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and undrawn revolving credit facilities.

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FFFAI to host 24th biennial convention in Chennai from August 12-14

 The Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations in India (FFFAI) has announced its 24th Biennial Convention of the Federation to be held from August 12 to 14, 2022 at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai with the theme ‘Logistics — Reshape, Embrace and Surge in The Digital Era’. This was announced during its fourth Executive Meeting of FFFAI held on March 23, 2022, in Dubai.

Elaborating on the 24th Biennial Convention, FFFAI Chairman Shankar Shinde informed that the convention would focus on innovative logistics embracing the digital era for surging ahead. “The ‘New Normal’ has been discussed a lot in every industry which has changed the dynamics of doing business, as the Trade and Industry which in recent years witnessed great changes in Logistics with different challenges and opportunities, with the introduction of Digital Environment has compelled to adopt changes rather than by choice as of now,” Shinde said.

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ACI reveals top 10 cargo airports; HongKong International ranks first

 Airports Council International (ACI) World has released the top ten busiest airports in the world for 2021, indicating hopeful signs of traffic recovery as several prior biggest airports re-join the top rankings.

Air freight, which was less affected by COVID-19, saw its volumes rise by about 15% year on year (+3.5% against 2019), reaching a projected record 124 million metric tonnes in 2021.

Air cargo volumes at the top ten airports increased 12.4 percent year on year in 2021, accounting for about 25 percent (34.2 million metric tonnes) of worldwide volumes in 2021. (or 15.0 percent vs. 2019 results). The increase can be ascribed to the ongoing rise in demand for online consumer items and medicinal products.

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dnata expands London Heathrow operations with new cargo facility

 dnata has opened a new, state-of-the-art cargo facility at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The customised facility, which is part of the company’s ‘dnata City East’ complex, improves dnata’s capacity at LHR, assuring sustained seamless processing of a diverse variety of items despite continually expanding demand for dependable and safe air cargo services in the UK.

With the development of the ground services provider, dnata City East now has the largest off-site cargo handling business at the UK’s busiest commercial aviation hub. The new 10,500 m2 facility (‘Phase II’) was meant to complement the existing 22,500 m2 facility (‘Phase I’) at dnata City East, which opened in September 2019.

At dnata City East, dnata will manage all air freight for Virgin Atlantic Cargo and Delta Cargo. Exports will continue to be handled in dnata’s Phase I facility, while all imports will be handled at the new Phase II facility, providing the airlines with much enhanced handling capacity.

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Auburn University students visit air cargo facility at Atlanta Airport

 A group of students of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Auburn University got a chance to be a part of an exclusive air cargo familiarisation tour at Atlanta Airport on March 25.

The 7.5-hour event was jointly planned by Auburn UniversityJAS Worldwide, Swissport, and Qatar Airways Cargo. The tour kicked off with lunch at the JAS WW Campus Sandy Springs, a meet-and-greet session with JAS and Qatar Airways Cargo management, and presentations by the company, before transferring the students to Atlanta Airport.

Following the airport’s introductory presentation, the students were given a tour of the Swissport warehouse and then taken airside to witness the arrival of Qatar Airways Cargo flight QR8141 from Doha, Qatar, and its subsequent offloading and reloading. In smaller groups of five, the students took turns in visiting the main deck, observing the main deck high loader in operation, and learning how the Swissport warehouse operates from cargo build-up to breakdown, as well as flight planning and preparation. Refreshments in the Swissport warehouse rounded off the educational and informative familiarisation tour.

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MNG Airlines converts second A330-300 P2F in Germany

 MNG Airlines, which holds a significant portion of Turkey’s air freight market, increased its fleet modernization efforts last year. They invested in buying and upgrading two A330–300 aircraft to improve payload capacity and minimise the company’s carbon impact.

MNG Airlines introduced Turkey’s first passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft, the A330–300P2F, to its fleet last year. The second A330–300 aircraft was positioned in Germany for conversion in February.

MNG Airlines, which was founded 25 years ago, has a considerable portion of the Turkish air freight business with its fleet of 9 wide-body aircraft. In addition to its scheduled flight network, MNG Airlines distinguishes itself in the air cargo business by providing tailor-made services such as flight, cargo and ground handling, and warehouse services. They believe on continuous improvement to fulfil the needs of various clients. With its expertise, MNG Airlines now seeks to emphasise Turkey in the air freight industry and extend its service and route network.

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Logistics startup Tive raises $54 million

 US-based Tive completed a $54 million Series B round of funding. The funding round, the largest to-date for Tive, was led by AXA Venture Partners with participation by Sorenson Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Fifth Wall, SJF Ventures and Floating Point Ventures.

Existing investors RRE Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, NextView Ventures, Hyperplane Ventures, Broom Ventures, and Supply Chain Ventures also participated in the round.

Tive has raised more than $80 million to date to fuel innovation and growth in the supply chain and logistics industry.

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DB Schenker appoints Kinjal Pande as India CEO

 DB Schenker, the global logistics service provider owned by Deutsche Bahn Group, has appointed Kinjal Pande as the new CEO for India and the Indian subcontinent, effective immediately.

Kinjal will succeed interim CEO Vivek Chopra who stepped in for Vishal Sharma since his move to a new role in China.

Pande brings wide experience from other leading global forwarders in the logistics industry, an official statement said.

“We are delighted to have a leader of Kinjal’s calibre take up the CEO position for DB Schenker in India,” says Asia-Pacific CEO Dr. Niklas Wilmking. “India is one of the key growth markets in the region and I am confident that Kinjal, who comes with a wealth of experience spanning various functions in the logistics industry, will be a great addition to the team.

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Frankfurt Cargo Services launches Dakosy's ramp control system

 Frankfurt Cargo Services (FCS), the largest independent cargo handler at Frankfurt Airport, has implemented Dakosy’s FAIR@Link digital ramp control system to reduce truck waiting times for cargo collections and deliveries.

The slot booking tool allows FCS, an affiliate of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), to optimise the allocation of truck ramps by allowing freight forwarders delivering and collecting cargoes for FCS’ airline customers to digitally reserve ramps for loading and unloading, speeding up the handling process. “This standardised approach allows FCS to use its facility infrastructure more efficiently, counteracts peak times, and increases the ability for all parties to plan and utilise their resources efficiently,” an official statement said.

Ramp slots can be booked online using the tool’s Transport Pre-Announcement (TPA). Forwarders can transmit all the necessary data to the ramp control system, which automatically checks availability and assigns a ramp for a specific time slot, avoiding waiting times for drivers and vehicles. Live information during the dispatch process also ensures maximum transparency.

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LogicSource gets $180mn growth investment from FTV Capital

 US-based LogicSource has raised $180 million from FTV Capital, a sector-focused growth equity investor in innovative enterprise technology and services businesses.

“With this new funding, LogicSource will enhance its services, technology and data offerings, enter new verticals and further invest in client-centric growth initiatives, helping drive measurable and sustainable profit improvements for the world’s most recognizable brands,” an official statement said.

“LogicSource’s unique combination of outsourced services, software and proprietary data clearly position the company as a category leader in the tech-enabled sourcing and procurement solutions market,” says Brad Bernstein, managing partner, FTV Capital. “Between increasing margin pressure, rising inflation and the unpredictable nature of today’s supply chain environment, senior executives are up against a number of challenging headwinds that necessitate a partner such as LogicSource to better manage their businesses and reduce cost inefficiencies. We are excited to partner with such a high-calibre team to help streamline supplier management and deliver pricing and process improvements to even more brands.”

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Kodiak Robotics, U.S. Xpress announce partnership

 Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving trucking company, has teamed up with U.S. Xpress, one of America’s largest carrier fleets, to launch Level 4 autonomous freight service between Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta using Kodiak’s self-driving trucks.

“U.S. Xpress will become the first cornerstone truckload partner in Kodiak’s Partner Deployment Program, working hand-in-hand with Kodiak to deploy self-driving technology. This strategic partnership also marks the launch of the first commercial autonomous trucking lane to the East Coast,” according to a statement issued by Kodiak.

“This pilot demonstrated to our operations teams and our customers the benefits that can come with autonomous technology,” says Eric Fuller, President and CEO, U.S. Xpress. “We fundamentally believe that Kodiak’s autonomous technology will allow us to scale our fleet while increasing truck utilisation compared to a human-driven truck. Our strategic partnership is helping both of our teams identify ways to quickly integrate and scale autonomous technology into our fleet once it is commercially available.”

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Halifax cargo activity increased 5% in 2021

 Halifax Stanfield processed 34,769 metric tonnes of cargo in 2021, an increase of 5.4 percent from 2020. The value of exports in 2021 was C$496 million ($397 million), up 6.3 percent from the previous year.

Recovery is expected to continue as exports remain strong, new carriers enter the market, and the new Halifax Stanfield Air Cargo Logistics Park (ACLP) begins operations.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly underscored the importance of air cargo to global supply chains,” says Joyce Carter, President & CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA). “Air cargo has supported our collective fight against Covid-19 through deliveries of PPE and vaccines, maintained local jobs through exports of Nova Scotia products, and aided our communities through efficient transport of e-commerce orders. In every instance, air cargo has played a critical role in moving important goods to and from our region.”

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Adopt a digital approach to risk management, says CCA

 Stakeholders across the perishables supply chain should adopt a digital approach to risk management to reduce waste and create value by extending shelf life, Eric Mauroux, Cool Chain Association (CCA) Board member and Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FreshBizDev told delegates at Fruit Logistica recently.

The industry has been slow to adopt new technologies, and a lack of standardized reporting across the supply chain means that the value proposition in perishables logistics can vary enormously across trade lanes. By sharing data and adopting common Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), stakeholders from across the cool chain will be able to better understand which temperature excursions need action and plan for smarter logistics solutions, which will reduce waste.

“The cost of claim is not the only criteria to evaluate the cost of inefficiencies,” said Mauroux. “Value destruction related to reduced shelf-life and waste should also be included when assessing the total logistical cost of a shipment. “Having a digital approach to risk, which considers the total cost, is an opportunity to better understand the inefficiencies of the supply chain so that we can develop new solutions and build realistic business cases to invest in smarter logistics for the fresh produce trade.”

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Schenker Ventures invests in e-commerce platform Warehousing1

 DB Schenker has announced an investment in Warehousing1, a Berlin-based e-commerce fulfilment platform provider. Schenker Ventures, the global logistics service provider’s holistic venturing section, has raised its first venture capital investment.

Schenker Ventures has joined Warehousing1’s Series A investment, along with other top-tier venture capital companies with a track record of expanding e-commerce and LogTech enterprises.

Patric Hoffmann, Head of Schenker Ventures, “We want to nurture innovation in the logistics industry. Post-pandemic online shopping behavior is here to stay. Consumer brands around the globe have adapted their sales channels to the new market situation. The result is a multitude of new and diverse online shopping opportunities. Warehousing1 taps into that trend. We look forward to working together with the great team of Warehousing1. It will be a mutual learning opportunity.”

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FedEx Logistics opens global HQ in Memphis

 FedEx Logistics, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp, opened its new global headquarters in Downtown Memphis, a new focal point for the company’s global operations in 34 countries and territories.

“Great cities have great buildings. From this magnificent facility, our employees will collaborate, innovate, and serve our global customers,” says Udo Lange, president & CEO, FedEx Logistics. “The FedEx Logistics global headquarters is a vision for the future of global commerce or as we like to say at FedEx: it’s where now meets next.”

FedEx Logistics, which has invested more than $50 million to sustainably renovate the building and help rejuvenate downtown, offers air and ocean cargo, warehousing and distribution, customs brokerage, and trade solutions that attract additional customers, and add value to the FedEx portfolio.

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Qatar Airways Cargo first to use Gaussin's zero-emission innovation

Gaussin and Qatar Airways Cargo on Tuesday announced the successful testing and commissioning of the AMDT FULL ELEC automotive multi-directional transporter for air cargo pallets. Production is currently underway and slated for delivery in Q2 2022.

This multi-directional transporter for airport cargo operations has been developed by Gaussin in close collaboration with Qatar Aviation Services Cargo — the cargo ground handling subsidiary of Qatar Airways Group. It is zero-emission, 100% electric and compatible with all types of unit load devices (ULDs). It has a payload of up to 7 tonnes, a battery life of up to six hours and is rechargeable, allowing for 24/7 use. The AMDT FULL ELEC serial production version will be locally assembled in Qatar.

Capable of operating both inside and outside the cargo terminal within a minimal space, the AMDT will reduce the normal footprint required for manoeuvring, resulting in additional storage space and ensuring effective readiness of all cargo to be loaded onto the aircraft.

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'Cybercrimes in this sector can send shockwaves across borders'

 From the newest malware that poses a cybersecurity threat to organizations in the backdrop of the current Ukraine-Russia war and economic crisis to the need for integrating global threat intelligence into defensive security protections, to why a Zero Trust framework may be critical to companies, Siddharth Deshpande, Field CTO — Cloud Security for the Asia Pacific, Palo Alto Networks gets candid about how the global transport and logistics sector can protect itself increasing cyberattacks and security breaches.

What can you tell us about the vulnerability aspect of a company’s supply chain? Can you pinpoint any recent attacks in the last 5 years that have exposed the vulnerability of supply chains?

The supply chain is an integral network that connects an organization with its third-party vendors and suppliers, and even the end consumer. From a software supply chain standpoint, this network comprises two broad elements — the various application and infrastructure components that make up cloud-native applications and the pipeline that builds and delivers these components into a working application environment.

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