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The rst and only PAN-Regional Magazine<br />
Middle East - Africa - Asia and beyond<br />
Years<br />
2001-2019<br />
Celebrating<br />
Vol. 9 Issue 01, No. 70, January 2019<br />
ECS Group<br />
Nurturing tomorrow's<br />
industry leaders<br />
Adrien Thominet, ECS Group CEO<br />
The Lounge<br />
26<br />
Feeding the<br />
world<br />
30<br />
DUBAI: Engineered to<br />
be the world's future<br />
aviation capital<br />
34<br />
Made in<br />
Germany:<br />
Electric trucks<br />
of the future<br />
Stanley Lim<br />
Group Chief Operating Officer, Addicon Logistics Management Pte Ltd.<br />
Chairman, Singapore Logistics Association<br />
Chairperson Congress Committee, FIATA Extended Board<br />
www.aircargoupdate.com
EDITORIAL<br />
Monthly: Vol 09 | Issue 01 | No. 70<br />
Middle East, Africa, Asia & beyond<br />
Chief Editor<br />
Gemma Q. Casas<br />
gemma dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Contributors<br />
Nirmala Rao<br />
Ayesha Rashid<br />
ayesha aircargoupdate.com<br />
Sales Marketing<br />
Israr Ahmad<br />
israr dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Tousif Ahmed<br />
tousif dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Head Operations<br />
Jamal Ahmad<br />
jamal dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Photo Journalist<br />
Wasim Ahmed<br />
wasim dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Creative Head<br />
Mohammed Imran<br />
imran dimensionsmedia.com<br />
Editor’s Note<br />
Bracing for 2019<br />
Disagreements in economic policies between the US and<br />
China continue to take its toll on the general movement of<br />
goods on a global scale.<br />
In Asia, shippers on the China-Europe routes are already<br />
bracing to pay on average $0.50 more per kilogram this year<br />
as demand for air cargo dips after an unprecedented growth<br />
in 2017. The continued fluctuation on global oil prices,<br />
peaking at US$86 per barrel in October from only $66 early in<br />
20<strong>18</strong>, is also a major concern.<br />
The air cargo industry grew in 20<strong>18</strong> albeit slowly. How it<br />
will fare in 2019 is still uncertain pending solutions on global<br />
political trade policies that impact the whole world.<br />
In this edition, we'll share with you the latest efforts of ECS<br />
Group, one of the world's biggest GSSA companies, to<br />
empower the youth with employment and the chance to<br />
enter the growing aviation industry.<br />
We're also carrying the story of how even the remotest<br />
parts of the Pacific island-nation of Vanuatu is finally being<br />
reached to provide vaccination to the young and helpless.<br />
UNICEF and Vanuatu have partnered in this world's first<br />
drone-carried vaccines project that could be used in other<br />
far-flung areas across the world.<br />
In Saudi Arabia, Saudia Cargo is being kept busy hauling<br />
production equipment for various entertainment and events<br />
held for the first time in the kingdom in its bid to open up to<br />
the world for economic reforms after decades of<br />
reclusiveness.<br />
In the UAE, we have the story of Dubai's ambitious goal to<br />
become the world's future aviation capital and how it's<br />
unfolding.<br />
Argentine beef shipped for the first time to the US after 17<br />
years with America agreeing to lift import ban on meat<br />
products from Argentina which had been in place since 2011.<br />
Read on more news and features in this edition of Air<br />
Cargo Update.<br />
Happy New Year!<br />
Gemma Q. Casas<br />
Editor-in-Chief
Content<br />
January 2019<br />
22<br />
08 The<br />
Lounge<br />
Mentoring the young<br />
through teaching<br />
ECS GROUP AROUND THE WORLD<br />
Cover Story<br />
ECS Group: Nurturing tomorrow's<br />
industry leaders<br />
CONTENTS<br />
09 Global<br />
News<br />
Saudia Cargo brings the<br />
int’l Cirque du soleil to Riyadh<br />
Amazon adds 10 more<br />
freighters to cargo eet<br />
26 Feature<br />
Feeding the world<br />
34- Made in Germany:<br />
Electric trucks<br />
of the future<br />
38 - Airlines<br />
DAE sells portfolio of <strong>18</strong> aircraft<br />
on lease to 15 airlines<br />
Air Astana to launch<br />
new ights between Uzbekistan<br />
and Europe<br />
41 - Airports<br />
Emirates takes delivery of its last<br />
Boeing 777-300ER aircraft<br />
Prague welcomes record 16.8 million<br />
passengers in 20<strong>18</strong><br />
44 - Technology<br />
Japan's 'Lovot” on a mission to<br />
cheer you up<br />
46- Executive Moments<br />
Raj Subramaniam is new<br />
President & CEO of FedEx<br />
50 - Upcoming Events<br />
44 - Falco: The world's rst<br />
autonomous ferry<br />
30 - DUBAI: Engineered<br />
to be the world's future<br />
aviation capital<br />
48 - Photo Gallery:<br />
MEBAA Show <strong>Dec</strong>ember 10-12, 20<strong>18</strong><br />
DWC, Dubai Airshow Site
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS<br />
www.meaclconference.com<br />
Middle East Air Cargo & Logistics Conference<br />
Connecting Middle East to the World<br />
and the World to the Middle East<br />
January 29-30, 2019 | Dubai South HQ | Dubai, UAE<br />
Middle East Air Cargo & Logistics 2019 will bring together airlines, airports, forwarders, shippers, brokers,<br />
logistics & supply chain companies, and aviation service providers to gain market intelligence and excellent<br />
networking. Air cargo and logistics executives from the Middle East and globally will join for this unique<br />
conference, and discuss the future trends in air freight logistics. The UAE government has heavily invested<br />
on infrastructure and technology to facilitate seamless cargo transportation and supply chains. Learn about<br />
your business opportunities in this exciting region!<br />
Program Highlights<br />
The big picture on Air Cargo & the global<br />
supply chain<br />
Will Middle East keep its position as<br />
leading cargo gateway?<br />
Innovation in Logistics & Supply Chain<br />
Artificial Intelligence in<br />
logistics - what to expect?<br />
Shipper’s view<br />
Expo 2020 -assessment of<br />
procurement of opportunities<br />
Building world competitive<br />
airports/cargo hubs<br />
E-commerce -redefining<br />
industry relationship<br />
Humanitarian logistics<br />
The future of the air cargo industry<br />
Gold Sponsor<br />
Silver Sponsor<br />
Host Sponsor Endorsed by Organized by<br />
Media Partners
The<br />
L<br />
UNGE<br />
Mentoring the young<br />
through teaching<br />
Stanley Lim holds the record as the longest serving<br />
council member of the Singapore Logistics Association<br />
having been with the group since 1992. He served as<br />
SLA chairman for several terms, including this year,<br />
with focus on globalizing the organization founded in<br />
1973 that represents nearly 600 companies.<br />
Lim, 71, is a well respected figure in Singapore's<br />
freight forwarding industry with an illustrious 50-year<br />
career in the business. Apart from SLA, he also serves in<br />
the International Federation of Freight Forwarders<br />
Association (FIATA) Extended Board where he chairs<br />
the Congress Committee.<br />
After completing his Cambridge education in<br />
teaching, Lim opted to work for the Government of<br />
Singapore as customs officer instead of teaching. Two<br />
years later, he moved to the logistics industry.<br />
“I am already 50 years in this industry. I'm already 71,”<br />
Lim proudly shared with Air Cargo Update on the<br />
sidelines of the first FIATA Congress ever held in New<br />
Delhi, India. “I have been doing logistics all these years.<br />
Logistics is in my blood and I'm very passionate about it.”<br />
Lim, the Group Chief Operating Officer of Addicon<br />
Logistics Management (S) Pte Ltd. which has 10 offices<br />
across Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Thailand<br />
and Bangladesh, says although he didn't teach in his<br />
younger years, the time calls for him to pass on his<br />
knowledge to the younger generation.<br />
“We need to nurture the young,” says Stanley who<br />
now teaches diploma courses at SLA's Logistics<br />
Academy apart from running his business and actively<br />
serving various trade organizations.<br />
“After I left school in my senior Cambridge level, I was<br />
offered to become a school teacher. But I became a<br />
customs officer and after two years, I said, ‘I must go<br />
Stanley Lim<br />
Group Chief Operating Officer, Addicon Logistics Management Pte Ltd.<br />
Chairman, Singapore Logistics Association<br />
Chairperson Congress Committee, FIATA Extended Board<br />
into logistics.’ I did not accept the teaching job but I'm<br />
now teaching the young in diploma courses in the<br />
academy.”<br />
In recognition of his invaluable contributions to<br />
Singapore and the global freight forwarding industry,<br />
Lim was bestowed the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM)<br />
Public Service Award by the President of the Republic of<br />
Singapore in 2001. In 2006, he won the Golden Chariot<br />
Award – Achievement for Strengthening International<br />
Relationships in the Transport Sector, in Shenzhen,<br />
China.<br />
Lim says the freight forwarding industry is moving to<br />
the digital world but at a slow pace for various reasons.<br />
“Technology is imposed unto us. It's disruptive to the<br />
industry and we have to adapt to cater to this<br />
innovation so that we can be up to date and serve our<br />
customers in the right way. The freight forwarding<br />
industry is not so receptive yet but we have no choice<br />
but to adapt,” the businessman said.<br />
Singapore is one of the leading nations in technology.<br />
It's pushing to become a smart-nation where<br />
everything is interconnected digitally.<br />
“In Singapore, the government is pushing for<br />
digitalization. We're aiming to become a “smart-nation”<br />
where everything is interconnected. We have to use<br />
technology not to replace humans but to get humans to<br />
make use of technology for their business,” said Lim.<br />
With so many things to learn and pass on, Lim says he<br />
unwinds by meeting people through networking,<br />
having a couple of drinks and trading jokes with friends.<br />
“I love humor and humorous moments,” he says.
Saudia Cargo brings the international<br />
Cirque du soleil to Riyadh<br />
RIYADH: Using four B747-400,<br />
Saudi Airlines Cargo Company<br />
transported 400 tons of equipment<br />
and supplies for the international<br />
event Cirque du soleil from Zagreb,<br />
Croatia to the Saudi capital, Riyadh.<br />
Saudia Cargo CEO Omar Talal Hariri<br />
said the company is proud to be part<br />
of Circue du soleil held in Riyadh from<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 17 to 29, 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
"Saudia Cargo is proud to be part of<br />
this entertainment event, providing<br />
all its logistical capabilities, and<br />
always keen to extend cooperation<br />
and joint efforts with all stakeholders<br />
to achieve the Kingdom's Vision<br />
2030,” said Hariri.<br />
The Saudia Cargo CEO said the<br />
Kingdom's flagship air carrier is<br />
c a p p i n g 2 0 1 8 w i t h m a j o r<br />
a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s i n h a u l i n g<br />
production cargo for various major<br />
entertainment events held in Saudi<br />
Arabia.<br />
“During the year, Saudia Cargo has<br />
contributed to so many events, and<br />
festivals, due to its logistical<br />
capabilities in terms of its freighter<br />
fleet, charter services or ground<br />
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
handling services,” he said.<br />
Saudia Cargo carried cars, spares,<br />
and equipment for the FIA Formula E<br />
Championship for the 20<strong>18</strong> Saudia Ad<br />
Diriyah E-Prix festival sponsored by<br />
the Saudi Arabian Airlines.<br />
It also hauled cargoes for the WWE<br />
Greatest Royal Rumble held in<br />
Jeddah.<br />
What about this place<br />
keep the same artwork<br />
or change ?
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
Amazon adds 10 more freighters<br />
to cargo fleet<br />
SEATTLE: Amazon is leasing 10<br />
more B767-300 freighter aircraft<br />
from Air Transport Services Group,<br />
Inc. (ATSG) bringing to 50 the current<br />
fleet of the e-commerce global giant.<br />
Amazon Air, a subsidiary of<br />
Amazon, which runs the fleet said<br />
the 10 new planes will be operated<br />
on Amazon's behalf by an ATSG<br />
airline and will join the air cargo<br />
operation over the next two years.<br />
Amazon Air's operation was<br />
launched in 2016 to suppor t<br />
package delivery to the rapidly<br />
growing number of customers who<br />
love fast delivery, great prices and<br />
vast selection.<br />
With advanced algorithms and<br />
software used for capacity and route<br />
planning, the Amazon Air operation<br />
c a n t r a n s p o r t h u n d r e d s o f<br />
thousands of packages per day. With<br />
a dedicated air network the<br />
company currently has 40 aircraft<br />
flying in and out of gateway<br />
operations at over 20 airports,<br />
making two-day shipping possible<br />
almost anywhere in the U.S.<br />
“Our customers love massive<br />
selection and fast delivery, and the<br />
Amazon Air capacity we are building<br />
enables Prime delivery speeds for<br />
customers from Seattle, Washington<br />
to Miami, Florida,” said Dave Clark,<br />
Senior Vice President of Worldwide<br />
O p e r a t i o n s a t A m a z o n . “ B y<br />
expanding the Amazon Air network<br />
through our partnership with ATSG<br />
we're able to ensure we have the<br />
capacity to quickly and efficiently<br />
deliver packages to customers for<br />
years to come.”<br />
“We're pleased to expand<br />
and extend our partnership<br />
in support of Amazon's<br />
exceptional ability to<br />
provide reliable and fast<br />
delivery to its customers,”<br />
said Joe Hete, President<br />
and CEO of ATSG. “As the<br />
world's leading source of<br />
customer-dedicated 767<br />
cargo aircraft, we have the<br />
access to aircraft and are<br />
uniquely qualified to<br />
support Amazon for many<br />
years to come.”<br />
Amazon will open a new Regional<br />
Air Hub next year at Fort Worth<br />
Alliance Airport, and the Air Hub at<br />
the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky<br />
International Airport will open in<br />
2021. Recently, Amazon also<br />
announced a gateway operation to<br />
launch in Wilmington, Ohio, in 2019<br />
as well as an expanded operation in<br />
Rockford, Illinois.<br />
Frankfurt-Hahn<br />
Airport cargo volumes<br />
up 58.4%<br />
FRANKFURT: Freight<br />
volumes at Frankfurt-Hahn<br />
Airport increased by 58.4<br />
percent from January to<br />
October 20<strong>18</strong> and the<br />
positive trend is likely to<br />
continue with China<br />
Aerospace International<br />
Holdings Limited (CASIL)<br />
agreeing to distribute Asian<br />
goods within Europe via<br />
Frankfurt.<br />
CASIL, along with a number<br />
of global logistics service<br />
providers, signed air freight<br />
contracts worth more than<br />
2.6 billion yuan (about EUR<br />
334 million) for intensive<br />
cooperation and support of<br />
the Chinese "One Belt One<br />
Road" initiative, Frankfurt-<br />
Hahn Airport disclosed.<br />
The airport has been<br />
connecting Europe with<br />
China through new freight<br />
routes as part of its<br />
agreement with CASIL. The<br />
first flight from Shanghai was<br />
operated with a Boeing 747-<br />
400 by Suparna Airlines.<br />
The flights will be operated<br />
with various cargo airlines to<br />
different destinations in<br />
China, including Zhengzhou<br />
(CGO) and Hong Kong (HKG).<br />
“The new cargo flights to<br />
China are an important step<br />
in further expanding the<br />
cargo business at Frankfurt-<br />
Hahn Airport. With its 24-<br />
hour operating permit,<br />
flexible slots and fast<br />
handling, Frankfurt-Hahn<br />
Airport is ideally positioned<br />
for the freight business and a<br />
backbone of the German<br />
export industry,” says<br />
Christoph Goetzmann, Chief<br />
Operating Officer (COO) of<br />
Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn<br />
GmbH.
Lufthansa Cargo is<br />
first to offer DG<br />
online for shippers<br />
FRANKFURT: Lufthansa Cargo became the<br />
world's first cargo airline to make an application<br />
available for digital creation of transport<br />
documents required for dangerous goods with the<br />
launch in <strong>Dec</strong>ember of DGD.online.<br />
The new DGD.online offering will strongly<br />
support shippers and can be used in equal measure<br />
for shipments sent via air, road and sea. The<br />
developers, using input from pilot customers,<br />
focused on achieving a very user-friendly<br />
application with validation and convenience<br />
features designed to add value, Lufthansa said.<br />
“With DGD.online, we are further expanding our<br />
digital offering and striving to make it as easy as<br />
possible for our customers and partners to use<br />
electronic services. In this way, we can all leverage<br />
the potential that digitization has to offer and make<br />
air cargo handling even faster and more efficient in<br />
the future,” said Boris Hueske, Head of Digital<br />
Transformation at Lufthansa Cargo.<br />
Siemens Healthcare GmbH is one of the first<br />
users of DGD.online, having already accompanied<br />
all stages of the application's development.<br />
“This new application fits seamlessly into our<br />
digitization strategy. DGD.online will have a lasting,<br />
positive effect on the productivity of our service<br />
delivery process,” said Markus Dess, logistics<br />
process planner at Siemens Healthineers.<br />
DGD.online can be used to, for example,<br />
generate electronically signed dangerous goods<br />
declarations and send them automatically,<br />
complete with attachments such as safety data<br />
sheets. Forwarders and other logistics providers<br />
can also be digitally integrated into the handling<br />
process, facilitating paperless cooperation.<br />
DGD.online is equipped for future use of eDGD.<br />
The integrated validation and convenience<br />
features can help accelerate processes and prevent<br />
costly errors, Lufthansa Cargo assured.
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
Etihad Cargo lifts global capacity<br />
with more flights to Barcelona<br />
Argentine beef<br />
back to the US for the<br />
first time in 17 years<br />
ABU DHABI: With Etihad Airways<br />
now having five flights a week<br />
between the capital of the United<br />
Arab Emirates and Barcelona, Etihad<br />
Cargo's capacity has also expanded<br />
along with its global network.<br />
Etihad Cargo said its expanded<br />
belly hold capacity into Spain will<br />
provide freight forwarders and cargo<br />
customers greater access to its global<br />
network along key trade routes<br />
connecting Europe to the Middle<br />
East, Africa and Asia over its Abu<br />
Dhabi hub.<br />
Etihad launched its first scheduled<br />
flights linking Abu Dhabi and<br />
B a r c e l o n a o n N o v e m b e r 2 8 .<br />
Combined with its daily Madrid<br />
service, launched in 2015, these<br />
operations now offer more than<br />
23,000 tons per year of cargo capacity<br />
for the Spanish market. In addition,<br />
trucking services from gateways<br />
across Europe further compliment<br />
the network, offering customers<br />
greater reach & faster delivery times.<br />
“20<strong>18</strong> has been a very successful<br />
year for Etihad Cargo, with positive<br />
progress achieved across our fleet<br />
and network optimization, our<br />
p r o d u c t s d e v e l o p m e n t a n d<br />
enhancement, and our digital<br />
transformation,” said Abdulla<br />
Mohamed Shadid, Etihad Airways<br />
Managing Director Cargo and<br />
Logistics.<br />
“More recently, following our<br />
decision to deploy additional<br />
capacity to key markets such as China,<br />
India and Vietnam, as well as an<br />
aircraft dedicated for charters to<br />
meet fourth quarter demand, this<br />
Barcelona service marks a timely<br />
addition to the network. We are<br />
e n c o u r a g e d b y t h e d e m a n d<br />
demonstrated by the market for this<br />
service and delighted to see the<br />
inaugural flight carrying 17.6 tons of<br />
cargo,” he noted.<br />
Etihad Cargo first started operating<br />
in Spain as on off-line carrier, sending<br />
shipments to Paris and Amsterdam<br />
via truck to feed into the Etihad<br />
network . Since the inaugural<br />
passenger flight to Madrid on March<br />
30, 2015, Etihad Cargo has provided<br />
daily air cargo services to key<br />
destinations across the GCC, Africa,<br />
Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia<br />
and Australia.<br />
The new Barcelona service will have<br />
an initial schedule of five times per<br />
week before increasing to a daily<br />
service on March 31, 2019.<br />
FORT WORTH, Texas:<br />
American Airlines Cargo flew<br />
nearly 14,000 pounds of<br />
Argentine beef to Miami last<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember, the first time in 17<br />
years after the US agreed to<br />
lift the import ban on meat<br />
products from the Latin<br />
American country.<br />
The decision was reached at<br />
the recently held G20 summit<br />
in Argentina's capital, Buenos<br />
Aires. Argentine beef were<br />
banned in the US since 2001<br />
amid fears of an outbreak of<br />
foot-and-mouth disease.<br />
Cattle herds in Argentina have<br />
been free of the disease since<br />
2007.<br />
American Airlines Cargo says<br />
the Argentine beef, one of the<br />
most sought-after entrees,<br />
were among the wide range of<br />
seasonal food flown by air<br />
worldwide for Christmas and<br />
New Year celebrations.<br />
“Our team was ready and<br />
waiting to deliver the first air<br />
shipments of Argentinian beef<br />
within days of the regulation<br />
change,” said Lorena Sandoval,<br />
Director of Cargo Sales – Latin<br />
American and Miami for<br />
American Airlines Cargo.<br />
Argentina is a country that is<br />
synonymous with high-end<br />
meat and has attained a worldclass<br />
reputation for its beef<br />
production.<br />
With American's daily<br />
widebody services between the<br />
U.S. and various locations in<br />
Argentina, the airline is poised<br />
to offer customers wishing to<br />
ship beef to the U.S. and<br />
beyond even more<br />
opportunities to move their<br />
goods in 2019.
Turkish Cargo livestock volume up 138% in 20<strong>18</strong><br />
ISTANBUL: Turkish Cargo says the<br />
volume of livestock it carried, pets<br />
included, grew by 138 percent in 20<strong>18</strong><br />
compared to 2017 as it marches<br />
forward to reach its goal of becoming<br />
one of the top 5 cargo brands in the<br />
world.<br />
“In 20<strong>18</strong>, we grew 138% in livestock<br />
transport! We welcome our best<br />
friends in a healthy and comfortable<br />
environment under the rules of CITES<br />
and IATA. As customers' preferred air<br />
cargo brand, we continue to grow<br />
with confident steps in the sector.<br />
#TurkishCargo,” the company<br />
announced on its LinkedIn profile but<br />
did not cite numbers in details.<br />
Turkish Cargo will continue to<br />
operate its freighter flights out of the<br />
Istanbul Ataturk International Airport.<br />
But staring January 1, 2019, its belly<br />
hold capacity will be moved out of the<br />
Istanbul New Airport, the hub of<br />
Turkey's flag carrier, Turkish Airlines,<br />
w h i c h s e r v e s m o re t h a n 3 0 4<br />
destinations as of 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
This year, Turkish Cargo kept its 8th<br />
spot as the top global cargo brand<br />
with World Air Cargo Data (WACD), an<br />
independent research consultancy<br />
firm, affirming its 29 percent rise in<br />
revenue and 25 percent rise in<br />
transpor ted cargoes between<br />
J a n u a r y t o S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 8<br />
compared to the same period last<br />
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
year.<br />
At Turkey's biggest transportation<br />
and logistics fair, “Logitrans” held Nov<br />
14-16, 20<strong>18</strong>, Chief Cargo Officer<br />
Turhan Ozen highlighted the<br />
company's target goals and future<br />
plans.<br />
The company bagged the “International<br />
Air Cargo Carrier of the Year”<br />
at the Atlas Logistics Awards<br />
Ceremony organize d during the fair.
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
Drones deliver first vaccines to<br />
remote island in Vanuatu<br />
Drone use in Africa<br />
gaining momentum<br />
PORT VILA, VANUATU: One in 5<br />
children in the remote Pacific islandnation<br />
of Vanuatu is not fully<br />
immunized but that's changing with<br />
its government and UNICEF teaming<br />
up to use commercial drones to reach<br />
even the farthest village in this<br />
archipelago.<br />
In a world's first, UNICEF and<br />
Vanuatu’s Ministr y of Health<br />
successfully delivered via commercial<br />
drones vaccines for anti-hepatitis and<br />
tuberculosis for children in Cook's Bay,<br />
a small scattered community with no<br />
health center or electricity accessible<br />
only by foot or small local boats<br />
known as banana boats.<br />
Tucked in styrofoam boxes with icepacks<br />
and temperature logger, the<br />
vaccines were transported last<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember to Cook's Bay using<br />
commercial drones from Australia's<br />
S w o o p A e r o a n d G e r m a n y ' s<br />
WingCopter, both specialized in<br />
delivering supplies in hard to reach<br />
areas.<br />
The drone operators were selected<br />
after a bidding process and agreed<br />
not to be paid if they failed to deliver<br />
the vaccines.<br />
Covering a 50-km flight over<br />
numerous islands and way points, the<br />
vaccines reached its destination which<br />
would have otherwise been extremely<br />
difficult due to its remote location.<br />
Henrietta H. Fore, UNICEF Executive<br />
Director, the project is a big leap in<br />
their goal to reach out to the remotest<br />
places on earth.<br />
“With the world still struggling to<br />
immunize the hardest to reach<br />
children, drone technologies can be a<br />
game changer for bridging that last<br />
mile to reach every child,” she said.<br />
Miriam Nampil, a registered local<br />
nurse, she had experienced extreme<br />
difficulty serving the Cook's Bay<br />
community and the drones are<br />
extremely helpful to attend to their<br />
medical needs.<br />
“It's extremely hard to carry ice<br />
boxes to keep the vaccines cool while<br />
walking across rivers, mountains,<br />
through the rain, across rocky ledges.<br />
I've relied on boats, which often get<br />
cancelled due to bad weather,” said<br />
Nampil, the nurse who injected the<br />
world's first drone-delivered vaccine.<br />
”As the journey is often long and<br />
difficult, I can only go there once a<br />
month to vaccinate children. But now,<br />
with these drones, we can hope to<br />
reach many more children in the<br />
remotest areas of the island.”<br />
Vanuatu's government says it will<br />
integrate drone delivery of vaccines<br />
into its national immunization and<br />
other health programs.<br />
JOHANNESBURG: The use<br />
of commercial drones is<br />
gaining momentum in Africa's<br />
three leading<br />
industries—agriculture,<br />
mining and renewable energy,<br />
according to the German<br />
company Microdones.<br />
Established in 2005 in<br />
Germany, Microdones has set<br />
its sights on Africa which is<br />
seeing a significant impact on<br />
the use of drones and<br />
integrated solutions in<br />
growing businesses connected<br />
to those three industries.<br />
Hanno Truter, Sales<br />
Manager for Microdrones<br />
Africa, said the continent has<br />
a lot of potentials<br />
economically and drones<br />
could be used to unlock them.<br />
In Microdrones news blog,<br />
Truter explained unlike other<br />
territories, Africa is very much<br />
different mainly because of its<br />
sheer size and scope.<br />
“First of all, let me give you<br />
a bit of perspective on the<br />
actual size of Africa,” explains<br />
Truter. “If you look at it from<br />
South to North, you're talking<br />
about 8,000 kilometers and<br />
from East to West about 7500<br />
km. North America, China,<br />
India, Eastern Europe, Spain,<br />
France, Germany, Switzerland<br />
and Japan all can fit into<br />
Africa itself. So that's quite a<br />
vast area to cover.”<br />
But because Africa remains<br />
underdeveloped there are<br />
many challenges in different<br />
fronts. For one, only 28<br />
percent of African countries<br />
have regulations in place with<br />
drone use because many<br />
governments consider drones<br />
as aircraft and should be<br />
handled as such.<br />
Truter says drone use in<br />
Africa also faces<br />
technological, economic,<br />
social and legal challenges.
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
AirBridgeCargo Airlines partners with<br />
Unilode Aviation on IoT concept<br />
LONDON: AirBridgeCargo Airlines<br />
and Unilode Aviation Solutions have<br />
extended their ULD management<br />
partnership for the extensive usage<br />
of Transmitting Portable Electronic<br />
Devices (TPEDs) for ULDs – pallets<br />
and containers.<br />
This Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE<br />
v.5.0) tracking and sensing device will<br />
be firmly mounted to ULDs supplied<br />
and managed by Unilode and carried<br />
in the cargo compartments of<br />
AirBridgeCargo's Boeing 747<br />
freighter fleet, the companies said.<br />
The monitoring devices will be<br />
used to track ULDs, register all<br />
environmental parameters, covering<br />
such crucial factors as temperature,<br />
humidity, illumination and shock<br />
a c t i o n s t o g u a r a n t e e 1 0 0 %<br />
transparency of shipment data. In<br />
addition, AirBridgeCargo will get<br />
accurate information from Unilode<br />
about the cargo status and its<br />
location, be it in the air or on the<br />
ground (warehouse, apron).<br />
Both companies have reached<br />
agreements on the terms of BLE v. 5.0<br />
usage, with the main work to be<br />
c o m p l e t e d a f t e r w a r d s .<br />
AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Unilode<br />
Aviation Solutions are working on<br />
the rollout, making sure all the ULDs<br />
are properly equipped with BLE v.5.0,<br />
Bluetooth readers are installed at the<br />
p l a c e s o f c a r g o m o v e m e n t<br />
(warehouse, ground handling<br />
p re m i s e s ) , a n d d e d i c a ted I T<br />
infrastructure is set to capture signals<br />
for real-time cargo monitoring.<br />
“ W i t h t h e p e n e t r a t i o n o f<br />
digitalization taking place in the air<br />
cargo sector, we want to make sure<br />
that our customers get the full<br />
benefit of it, be it general cargo, abc<br />
pharma, abc XL or other specialist<br />
dedicated services,” stated Sergey<br />
L a z a r e v , G e n e r a l D i r e c t o r,<br />
AirBridgeCargo Airlines.<br />
“AirBridgeCargo Airlines is<br />
Unilode's loyal customer since 2004<br />
and we are very pleased to work<br />
t o g e t h e r i n o u r d i g i t a l<br />
transformation program which will<br />
enhance Unilode's ULD management<br />
with the most innovative solutions<br />
available in the market,” added<br />
Benoît Dumont, Unilode CEO.<br />
AirBridgeCargo Airlines had since<br />
upgraded its online track and trace<br />
tool, introduced 24/7 Control Tower<br />
to monitor status of special cargo<br />
shipments, and reinforced its team at<br />
all levels.
UPS increases freight rates to US and Canada<br />
ATLANTA, GA: UPS has increased<br />
by 4.9% its freight rates for all ground,<br />
air and international services within<br />
and between the United States,<br />
Canada and Puerto Rico.<br />
The company said the rate changes<br />
that took effect on <strong>Dec</strong>ember 26,<br />
20<strong>18</strong> will support ongoing expansion<br />
and capabilities enhancements while<br />
ensuring UPS is fairly compensated<br />
for the value and high service levels it<br />
provided.<br />
“UPS continues to make investments<br />
in capacity, technology and<br />
reach of our transportation network<br />
in order to support our customers'<br />
growth, visibility, and service needs,”<br />
the company said in a statement.<br />
Last November, UPS, a global<br />
logistics provider and leading<br />
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
advocate for global trade, lauded the<br />
US, Canada and Mexico for agreeing<br />
to sign the US-Mexico-Canada<br />
Agreement (USMCA).<br />
The signed USMCA but is yet to be<br />
ratified is unofficially known as NAFTA<br />
2.0. It is meant to supersede the North<br />
American Free Trade Agreement<br />
( N A F T A ) w h i c h t h e T r u m p<br />
administration believes does not<br />
support the US economic agenda.<br />
“The new USMCA will help to take<br />
time, cost and complexity out of trade<br />
between the United States, Mexico<br />
and Canada,” said David Abney,<br />
C h a i r m a n a n d C E O o f U P S .<br />
“Specifically, the agreement will<br />
significantly improve customs<br />
regulations, spur the growth of e-<br />
commerce through new digital trade<br />
rules and support the participation of<br />
more small businesses in regional and<br />
global supply chains.”<br />
UPS has been a vocal supporter of<br />
modernizing the North America trade<br />
regime and bringing it into the 21stcentury.<br />
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo rolls<br />
out new digital products<br />
THE NETHERLANDS: Air France<br />
KLM Martinair Cargo has rolled out<br />
new digital products following the<br />
success of its online booking toll<br />
myCargo lauched about 2.5 years ago.<br />
The company says it recently added<br />
the option to make instant bookings of<br />
up to 4 tons 24/7 and the option of<br />
booking pharma shipments online.<br />
It also launched an API (Application<br />
Programming Interface) capability that<br />
will enable customers to directly<br />
connect with Air France KLM Martinair<br />
Cargo's “Quote & Book” online<br />
booking tool into their systems,<br />
offering more efficiency gains.<br />
“ We a re v e r y p l e a s e d w i t h<br />
myCargo's degree of adaptability and<br />
its customer satisfaction ratings. We<br />
get a lot of positive responses from<br />
customers. In <strong>Dec</strong>ember, we reached a<br />
milestone in Europe by having 52% of<br />
the quotes requested online. This<br />
means, in practice, that about every 20<br />
seconds a quote is requested online<br />
during a working day,” says GertJan<br />
Roelands, Vice President Europe at Air<br />
France KLM Martinair Cargo.<br />
“We promote our digital approach<br />
with our GoSurfing campaign, which<br />
we recently introduced in Germany<br />
and will be rolling out further in Europe<br />
in the weeks ahead. Another<br />
development driving online sales is<br />
our new program for small and<br />
medium-sized forwarders called<br />
“WHAT COUNTS,” he added.<br />
WHAT COUNTS creates value for Air<br />
F r a n c e K L M M a r t i n a i r C a rg o<br />
customers in three ways. First, it gives<br />
customers the opportunity to save<br />
Blue Credits for the cargo flown which<br />
they can use to buy airline tickets.<br />
Second, it gives them access to<br />
MyCargo, allowing them to book and<br />
manage shipments 24/7. Third, the<br />
GertJan Roelands<br />
WHAT COUNTS approach is largely<br />
based on big data.<br />
“This enables us to send targeted<br />
offers to customers, based on their<br />
specific needs. We began rolling out<br />
this program in the Netherlands last<br />
year, which led to higher customer<br />
satisfaction ratings and increased<br />
sales. That is why we decided to roll out<br />
the program throughout Europe,”<br />
explained Roelands.
GLOBAL NEWS<br />
Emirates SkyCargo lifts close to<br />
10,000 tons of Irish exports in 20<strong>18</strong><br />
DUBLIN, IRELAND: Close to<br />
10,000 tons of Irish seafood, cheese,<br />
chocolate, beef, pharmaceuticals and<br />
electronics heading to the Far East<br />
were transpor ted by Emirates<br />
Skycargo in 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
The freight division of Emirates says<br />
35% of Irish export cargo for 20<strong>18</strong> are<br />
food items such as crabs, oysters,<br />
razor shells and salmon, much of<br />
which went to the Far East, specifically,<br />
Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore.<br />
Other produce made its way to the<br />
supermarkets of Dubai and onwards<br />
to Asia like yogurt, cheese, Irish beef,<br />
chocolates and baby milk formula.<br />
Emirates SkyCargo also transported<br />
2,000 tons of pharmaceuticals from<br />
Dublin to Australia, India and the<br />
Middle East during the period.<br />
O t h e r I r i s h p ro d u c t s b e i n g<br />
exported to markets such as the UAE,<br />
China, Singapore, Australia and South<br />
Africa, and making up 35% of exports,<br />
include computer equipment,<br />
electronics and machinery.<br />
L a r g e C o m p u t e r s e r v e r s<br />
(supporting Cloud Technology)<br />
manufactured in Ireland are exported<br />
worldwide using Emirates' wide-body<br />
aircraft services to Australia, New<br />
Zealand and the Middle East.<br />
M i c h a e l M e a g h e r, E m i r a tes<br />
SkyCargo manager for Ireland, said<br />
t h e c o m pa n y 's p re s e n c e h a s<br />
enhanced business activities in<br />
Ireland since it began operating on<br />
the route in January 2012.<br />
It carried 50,000 tons of cargo out<br />
Dublin at that time making the<br />
company the top cargo carrier from<br />
Ireland to the Middle East, Australia<br />
and China.<br />
“We are continuing to<br />
grow our operation in<br />
Ireland and are currently<br />
developing Dublin as a<br />
gate-way to aNorth<br />
America for cargo traffic<br />
coming from Dubai and<br />
elsewhere on our network.<br />
This is a very exciting<br />
development for the<br />
Emirate SkyCargo team in<br />
Dublin, where every piece<br />
of cargo is treated with kid<br />
gloves to ensure it arrives at<br />
its destination in perfect<br />
condition,” said Meagher.<br />
Flying twice daily between Dublin<br />
and Dubai and beyond, Emirates<br />
offers up to 25 tons of belly cargo<br />
capacity on each of its Boeing-777<br />
aircraft on the route.<br />
LATAM Cargo gets<br />
first of 3 converted<br />
freighters<br />
BRAZIL: LATAM Cargo<br />
welcomed in <strong>Dec</strong>ember the<br />
first of three 767-300ER<br />
(Extended Range) passenger<br />
aircraft converted to 767-<br />
300BCF (Boeing Converted<br />
Freighters).<br />
The second freighter will be<br />
delivered in 2019 and the<br />
third in 2020, the company<br />
said noting that the change is<br />
part of its strategy to upgrade<br />
its fleet of freighters amid<br />
expansion plans in Latin<br />
America. The new deliveries<br />
will bring to 12 LATAM<br />
Cargo’s fleet of freighters.<br />
“This new addition to our<br />
fleet strengthens our presence<br />
in Latin America by<br />
reinforcing our cargo<br />
operation and supplementing<br />
our passenger network. This<br />
aircraft, together with the<br />
other two B767BCF that will<br />
be delivered over the next<br />
two years, clearly attests to<br />
LATAM’s commitment to the<br />
region’s cargo markets,” said<br />
Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM<br />
Cargo.<br />
Considered one of the most<br />
complex operations in<br />
commercial aviation, the<br />
conversion was successfully<br />
completed with the<br />
collaboration of several<br />
departments of the LATAM<br />
Group. Initially, the converted<br />
aircraft will operate in South<br />
America, Central America and<br />
Europe.<br />
LATAM Cargo said<br />
migrating towards a uniform<br />
B767F fleet allows it to better<br />
adjust its itineraries to the size<br />
and seasonal fluctuations of<br />
the South American cargo<br />
markets.<br />
It also gives greater<br />
flexibility in terms of routes<br />
and operating frequency.
LOGISTICS NEWS<br />
Aramex Fleet offers Saudi 'fleeters' additional income<br />
RIYADH/DUBAI: The Uber in<br />
c o u r i e r s e r v i c e w a s re c e n t l y<br />
introduced in the Kingdom of Saudi<br />
Arabia with 'Aramex Fleet'—a crowdbased<br />
delivery platform that connects<br />
Saudi nationals to flexible last mile<br />
paid delivery work.<br />
Aramex (DFM: ARMX), the leading<br />
global provider of comprehensive<br />
logistics and transportation solutions,<br />
says the project supports Saudi<br />
Arabia's call for economic reforms<br />
and the strong demand for the<br />
company's services in the Kingdom.<br />
In a statement, the company<br />
explained Aramex Fleet follows a<br />
network-based business model that<br />
provides Saudi nationals ('Fleeters')<br />
with income per successful delivery.<br />
All Fleeters are on-boarded through a<br />
dedicated digital platform, which<br />
provides security and transparency by<br />
recording names, vehicle types, and<br />
license plate numbers.<br />
Aramex is the first among major<br />
i n t e r n a t i o n a l l o g i s t i c s a n d<br />
transportation providers to integrate<br />
this service in the MENA region, with<br />
plans to introduce the platform to at<br />
least 10 more countries over the next<br />
12 months.<br />
Commenting on the launch,<br />
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Nowaiser,<br />
General Manager of Aramex in Saudi<br />
Arabia, said Saudi Arabia is Aramex's<br />
largest market in the Middle East<br />
leading growth in the region's shared<br />
economy.<br />
“'Aramex Fleet' will help boost<br />
economic growth in Saudi Arabia by<br />
empowering Saudi nationals through<br />
c r o w d s o u r c e d e m p l o y m e n t<br />
opportunities and flexible working<br />
hours, whilst increasing last mile<br />
delivery capacity for customers<br />
during busy periods,” he said.<br />
Khalid Jamjoum, Head of Global<br />
Capacity Planning and Last Mile<br />
Innovation at Aramex, added,<br />
Aramex's newest innovative product<br />
will transform the way packages are<br />
delivered today.<br />
“This on-demand supply will enable<br />
us to seamlessly scale-up during peak<br />
seasons to absorb more business and<br />
maintain our service levels. Our digital<br />
transformation strategy focuses on<br />
leveraging lean, tech-driven models<br />
such as 'Aramex Fleet' to tackle<br />
capacity constraints and enhance last<br />
mile delivery. We look forward to<br />
announcing further innovations in the<br />
near future,” he said.<br />
In October, Aramex launched<br />
WhatsApp for Business which<br />
i n c l u d e s a t r a c k a n d t r a c e<br />
functionality as well as a 'find Aramex<br />
nearest location' feature. The<br />
company says the project is part of its<br />
e f f o r t s to e n h a n c e c u s tomer<br />
experience and digitize the end-toend<br />
shipment journey.<br />
Saudi nationals can join the Aramex<br />
Fleet platform through the official<br />
website: fleet.aramex.com<br />
India sets integrated logistics plan as industry<br />
seen to reach $215 billion in value by 2020<br />
N E W D E L H I : T h e I n d i a n<br />
government says it's preparing an<br />
integrated logistics plan to speed up<br />
the movement of goods in the sector<br />
seen to reach a market value of over<br />
US$215 billion by 2020.<br />
Commerce and Industry Minister<br />
Suresh Prabhu said the plan would<br />
integrate all sectors—air, road,<br />
ship ad rail.<br />
“We are preparing an integrated<br />
logistics plan and also a portal to<br />
make logistics efficient and costeffective<br />
in the country,” said Prabhu<br />
during the recently held CILT<br />
(Chartered Institute of Logistics &<br />
Transport) India Expo 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
CILT said the Suresh Prabhu<br />
logistics industry<br />
i n I n d i a i s<br />
currently valued<br />
at $160 billion and<br />
p r o v i d e s<br />
employment to<br />
m o r e t h a n 2 2<br />
million people.<br />
G r o w t h i n t h e<br />
s e c t o r i s<br />
noticeable with<br />
even the World<br />
Bank agreeing to upgrade the<br />
country's logistics performance from<br />
54th in 2014 to 35th in 2016.<br />
With a growing population of over<br />
1.3 billion and the rise in the middle<br />
class, India's logistics sector is seen<br />
as a vital connectivity to the country's<br />
quest for economic development.
CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal opens at Khalifa Port<br />
ABU DHABI: COSCO Shipping<br />
Ports (CSP) Abu Dhabi Terminal at<br />
Khalifa Port was officially opened last<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember positioning the UAE capital<br />
as the regional hub for COSCO's<br />
global network of 36 ports and<br />
enhancing its connectivity to major<br />
trade routes along the Belt and Road<br />
Initiative (BRI).<br />
The deepwater, semi-automated<br />
container terminal includes the largest<br />
Container Freight Station (CFS) in the<br />
Middle East, covering 275,000 square<br />
meters.<br />
It offers facilities for full and partial<br />
bonded container shipments, the full<br />
range of container packing services,<br />
short-term warehousing for deconsolidated<br />
cargo as well as easy<br />
connectivity with container terminals<br />
in Khalifa Port, the Emirates News<br />
Agency WAM reported.<br />
The terminal is also the first<br />
international greenfield subsidiary of<br />
COSCO Shipping Ports, a subsidiary of<br />
China COSCO Shipping, the largest<br />
integrated shipping enterprise in the<br />
world. CSP has so far invested AED1.1<br />
billion in capital expenditure on<br />
construction and machinery at the<br />
terminal.<br />
The partnership with COSCO<br />
Shipping Ports is part of a five-year<br />
strategy by Abu Dhabi Ports aimed at<br />
strengthening the maritime sector in<br />
the capital and driving economic<br />
LOGISTICS NEWS<br />
diversification, in line with Abu Dhabi<br />
Economic Vision 2030, by increasing<br />
regional trade and attracting foreign<br />
direct investment.<br />
Abu Dhabi Ports has earmarked<br />
AED10 billion in investment that will<br />
increase capacity at Khalifa Port from<br />
the current 5 million TEU to 9.1 million<br />
TEU, which also includes boosting<br />
capacity at Terminal 1 to more than 5<br />
million TEU.<br />
The CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal has a<br />
design capacity of 2.5 million TEU and<br />
will begin with a handling capacity of<br />
1.5 million TEU, with 1200 metres of<br />
quay. The water depth of the terminal<br />
is 16.5 meters, allowing it to<br />
accommodate mega-vessels typically<br />
carrying in excess of 20,000 TEU.<br />
CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal is the result<br />
of the 35-year agreement between<br />
Abu Dhabi Ports and COSCO Shipping<br />
Ports whose terminal portfolio covers<br />
the five main port regions in Mainland<br />
China, Southeast Asia, Europe, the<br />
Mediterranean and the Black Sea.<br />
The new terminal is part of Abu<br />
Dhabi Ports' five-year growth strategy<br />
to increase Khalifa Port, with its two<br />
container terminals, to a combined<br />
total capacity of 9.1 million TEUs. The<br />
addition of CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal<br />
has already moved Khalifa Port up<br />
from being the 89th largest container<br />
port in world rankings to within the<br />
top 25.<br />
DB Schenker commits stricter CO2<br />
targets in freight transport<br />
ESSEN, GERMANY: DB Schenker<br />
says it's committed to impose stricter<br />
CO2 reduction targets for commercial<br />
vehicles over 7.5 tons.<br />
"I believe that more can be done and<br />
more must be done," says Jochen<br />
Thewes, CEO of DB Schenker, on the<br />
occasion of Deutsche Bahn's "Green<br />
November" initiative. "To encourage<br />
t h e f o r t h c o m i n g s t r u c t u r a l<br />
transformation in the automotive<br />
industr y and the availability of<br />
alternative drive technologies in freight<br />
transport as well, I consider the<br />
ambitious CO2 reduction targets for<br />
commercial vehicles of 20% by 2025<br />
and 35% by 2030 to be absolutely<br />
feasible.<br />
Having joined the global climate<br />
initiative EV 100, DB Schenker recently<br />
decided to gradually convert its own<br />
fleet of distribution vehicles to<br />
electromobility.<br />
The objective is to retrofit all vehicles<br />
up to 3.5 tons with electric drives or fuel<br />
cells by 2030. Half of all vehicles<br />
weighing between 3.5 and 7.5 tons will<br />
also be electrically powered by then.<br />
Even today, DB Schenker already<br />
operates electric transport vehicles in<br />
Austria, Italy and Norway as well as<br />
electric cargo bikes in a dozen<br />
European cities.<br />
In addition, a pilot project in Germany<br />
together with MAN and Fresenius<br />
University is currently testing the<br />
efficiency of digitally controlled truck<br />
convoys, also known as "platooning".<br />
Together with the Swedish startup<br />
Einride, the world's first electric and fully<br />
autonomous truck was recently put into<br />
commercial operation.
COVER STORY<br />
ECS Group<br />
Nurturing tomorrow's industry leaders<br />
Teaming up with colleges, universities, numerous startup nurseries and accelerators<br />
as well as airlines and transit agents around the world, ECS is launching the<br />
#NexGenLeaders—a project that challenges the best young innovators to come up<br />
with new ideas on how to improve the air cargo industry. The best projects will be<br />
revealed at “Air Cargo Europe” in Munich, Germany in June 2019.<br />
Behind a l l s u c c e s s f u l<br />
companies are people. The<br />
employees who think and<br />
execute the work. The management<br />
that oversees the operations and<br />
directs its future. And the consumers<br />
who patronize the products or services<br />
that companies sell.<br />
Despite the emergence of new<br />
technologies that have taken over<br />
many sectors in recent years, the value<br />
of human capital remains strong in the<br />
air cargo industry so much that it<br />
continues to invest on people,<br />
e m p o w e r i n g t h e m w i t h n e w<br />
knowledge, skills and techniques.<br />
ECS Group, the largest integrated<br />
GSSA worldwide with more than 1,000<br />
strong employees across 69 offices in<br />
47 countries, is taking its human<br />
capital investment a notch up with the<br />
launch of #NexGenLeaders—a project<br />
that challenges the best young<br />
innovators to come up with new ideas<br />
on how to help improve the air cargo<br />
industry.<br />
Adrien Thominet, CEO of ECS Group,<br />
explained to Air Cargo Update the<br />
project is aimed at discovering new<br />
talents and tomorrow's industry<br />
leaders and giving them the<br />
opportunity to grow in the GSSA<br />
industry.<br />
“We indeed have the intention to<br />
launch an ambitious project on the<br />
international scale to discover<br />
tomorrow's industry leaders. In the<br />
four corners of the world, the project<br />
will be an opportunity for students,<br />
startups and ECS group employees to<br />
make their ideas known and to deploy<br />
their talents with the same goal:<br />
rejuvenating our industry by way of<br />
innovation,” says Thominet who is<br />
deeply passionate about empowering<br />
the Millennials with industr y<br />
opportunities.<br />
“Known as #NexGenLeaders, this<br />
project will consist of a challenge<br />
lasting almost 6 months, with a totally<br />
dematerialized on-line part followed<br />
by a live finale. The grand jury<br />
consisting of experts from our industry<br />
will elect the best projects which will be<br />
revealed during the Munich “Air Cargo<br />
Europe” event in June 2019,” he added.<br />
The project involves collaborating
“<br />
The men and women in<br />
the Group are the<br />
keystone behind our<br />
growth. Although we<br />
have our eyes constantly<br />
turned toward the future,<br />
we also count a great deal<br />
on the new generation to<br />
take up the everyday<br />
challenges and invent<br />
tomorrow's industry with<br />
a new way of seeing<br />
things and having<br />
groundbreaking ideas. We<br />
are convinced that their<br />
new ways of seeing<br />
things, from an external<br />
standpoint, are the ideal<br />
complement for the skills<br />
of our more experienced<br />
collaborators. “<br />
-Adrien Thominet,<br />
ECS Group CEO<br />
with many colleges and universities<br />
worldwide as well as numerous<br />
nurseries and accelerators. ECS said<br />
#NexGenLeaders will be a wideranging<br />
activity for the company this<br />
year. The initial response has been<br />
encouraging with even airlines and<br />
transit agents pledging support.<br />
“Convinced of the value of this<br />
project, several partners (airlines and<br />
transit agents) have also promised<br />
their support to help us carry this<br />
project through,” said Thominet.<br />
A Dynamic Network<br />
With an operation that spans<br />
through continents, dozens of<br />
countries, involving multi-cultural<br />
workforce working at different time<br />
zones, ECS Group says people united<br />
with common goals despite their<br />
diversity is the core strength that<br />
drives it to succeed.<br />
“The strength behind ECS Group has<br />
always been our expertise and, more<br />
particularly, the expert input of our<br />
collaborators all over the world. Local<br />
group managers are fully aware of<br />
their market and have established<br />
privileged ties with their partners.<br />
These "local heroes” as we sometimes<br />
call them form a single joint network<br />
enabling our Group to develop over<br />
the years. Our managers and<br />
collaborators have a wide range of<br />
profiles adding to our complementary<br />
capability and making our Group<br />
particularly dynamic from the<br />
commercial standpoint,” explained<br />
Thominet.<br />
“The men and women in the group<br />
are the keystone behind our growth.<br />
Although we have our eyes constantly<br />
turned toward the future, we also<br />
count a great deal on the new<br />
generation to take up the everyday<br />
challenges and invent tomorrow's<br />
industry with a new way of seeing<br />
things and having groundbreaking<br />
ideas. We are convinced that their new<br />
ways of seeing things, from an external<br />
standpoint, are the ideal complement<br />
for the skills of our more experienced<br />
collaborators,” he continued.<br />
Combining the expertise of the<br />
company's experienced people while<br />
welcoming innovative ideas, help ECS<br />
Group maximize its resources and spell<br />
growth.<br />
“What we are striving to do at ECS<br />
Group is to add together all these
COVER STORY<br />
ECS GROUP AROUND THE WORLD<br />
This service offer, the heart<br />
of our strategy, illustrates<br />
the confidence that our<br />
airline partners put in our<br />
expertise and performance.<br />
We have this type of<br />
partnership with JetStar<br />
Asia, Air Italy and more<br />
recently with NokScoot. We<br />
are particularly proud of<br />
this cooperation which<br />
points toward the future of<br />
our group,” said Thominet<br />
who noted that this is an<br />
important goal for ECS<br />
Group that requires deep<br />
commitment from its team.<br />
strengths and complementary profiles.<br />
They represent our ace card and we are<br />
reaping the benefits of this strategy<br />
every day, within the group, the<br />
affiliates, and more generally on an<br />
industry-wide scale,” said Thominet.<br />
New deals<br />
ECS Group capped 20<strong>18</strong> with new<br />
partnerships, collaborations and<br />
prospects for expansion. First, it<br />
welcomed new shareholder Naxicap, a<br />
multibillion private equity firm<br />
focusing on leverage buyouts and<br />
growth capital.<br />
Thominet said Naxicap's entry as<br />
investor will enable ECS Group to<br />
“considerably bulk up our investment<br />
plan and work on new acquisitions to<br />
expand our already considerable<br />
network even more.”<br />
In Latin America, ECS Group formed<br />
a new partnership with the Brazilheadquartered<br />
BCS Air, enabling it to<br />
expand on the market.<br />
“Our partnership is the result of a<br />
long friendship and we are now<br />
reaping all the benefits. The BCS AIR<br />
team, headed by the particularly<br />
proficient João Ferreira, this is what<br />
one might call a perfect team,<br />
recognized as the leading GSSA in<br />
Brazil, for technical and innovative<br />
accomplishments. The team is<br />
dynamic, enthusiastic and deeply<br />
committed to the future of our group<br />
and its expansion, especially in Latin<br />
America,” Thominet shared.<br />
Last year, ECS also demonstrated its<br />
growing expertise on Total Cargo<br />
Management (TCM) by replacing the<br />
airline entirely for the complete cargo<br />
chain.<br />
“This service offer, the heart of our<br />
strategy, illustrates the confidence that<br />
our airline partners put in our expertise<br />
and performance. We have this type of<br />
partnership with JetStar Asia, Air Italy<br />
and more recently with NokScoot. We<br />
are par ticularly proud of this<br />
cooperation which points toward the<br />
future of our group,” said Thominet<br />
who noted that this is an important<br />
goal for ECS Group that requires deep<br />
commitment from its team.<br />
This year, ECS Group envisions keep<br />
up with its positive growth with new<br />
projects, products and innovations<br />
with Thominet saying they are<br />
“constantly on the lookout for new,<br />
solid and sustainable partnerships.”<br />
“ECS Group now has locations in the<br />
four corners of the world and our<br />
network extends to every continent. it<br />
does not prevent us from continuing<br />
our organic growth however, through<br />
acquisitions (recently in Latin America<br />
with BCS AIR and last year with EXP-<br />
AIR Cargo in Canada); other projects<br />
are under way and every day is a<br />
challenge to plan the way our group<br />
could deploy further. We take great<br />
care of this network which is what<br />
makes us strong, stronger from dayto-day.<br />
It is particularly true in Northeast<br />
Asia and the Pacific where we<br />
have several ongoing projects for<br />
expansion to help us better set up in<br />
the region,” the CEO said.
COVER STORY<br />
Adrien Thominet, ECS Group CEO<br />
Digitalization is<br />
essential for our industry<br />
and we must accompany<br />
this change. Obviously,<br />
the change is already<br />
taking place but without<br />
everybody's backing, it<br />
will take longer for the<br />
process to be<br />
implemented entirely.<br />
Performance<br />
improvement and<br />
making our daily work<br />
easier should offer the<br />
means of overriding any<br />
reticence in changing our<br />
way of working.<br />
Adrien Thominet, the CEO of ECS<br />
Group, has been with the company for<br />
more than 23 years. An economics<br />
graduate, he first worked in New York<br />
and Tokyo before settling back to his<br />
roots, Paris, France.<br />
Constantly looking out for growth,<br />
this pragmatic and dynamic business<br />
leader who helped steer the company<br />
to new heights in the GSSA industry,<br />
shares more insights with <strong>ACU</strong> on<br />
different issues facing the air cargo<br />
industry.<br />
As someone who has been in the<br />
GSSA business for many years,<br />
please briefly tell us the perks of<br />
nurturing a career in this industry.<br />
Our industry is somewhat watertight<br />
but it does actually offer<br />
thousands of opportunities. With the<br />
constantly growing demand, the air<br />
cargo industr y is developing<br />
continuously, and the field of<br />
possibilities is as open as ever. The<br />
industry players are all driven by the<br />
same concern for performance and<br />
renewal.<br />
The industry is particularly effective<br />
for those who dare. In this line of<br />
thinking, it is also possible to bring to<br />
the fore innovative ideas, and to move<br />
the traditional ways of doing things. In<br />
short, it means constantly maintaining<br />
action and taking up new challenges<br />
every day. From a more personal<br />
standpoint, I have had the opportunity<br />
of working in a group which has never<br />
stopped its expansion in terms of<br />
performance and geographical<br />
coverage. My job is especially<br />
interesting, as is the group in which I<br />
work. Being constantly in the field, face<br />
to face with the players who make and<br />
keep this industry alive is an experience<br />
which is a long way from the humdrum<br />
will never be a simple routine.<br />
The Yellow Vest Movement in<br />
France is gaining momentum,<br />
what's your stand on issues being<br />
raised as one of the biggest<br />
employers in the GSSA industry?<br />
Above all, the Yellow Vest Movement<br />
is a protestation movement reacting to<br />
the government policy (tax on<br />
automobile fuel, increased cost-ofliving).<br />
At ECS Group, we do not "do”<br />
politics but at the heart of our concerns<br />
lies the well-being and development of<br />
our cooperators. There is a very strong<br />
team spirit at ECS group and we want<br />
to develop it, by setting up various<br />
tools and processes, by internal<br />
communication, organization and<br />
above all, by involving the teams to the<br />
utmost so that they feel that they are<br />
supported by the group.<br />
The Yellow Vest Movement has not<br />
affected our group in any way and has<br />
not had any impact on our quality of<br />
service and our in-house organization.<br />
In terms of innovations, please<br />
share with us your latest projects in<br />
this front.<br />
Internally, we have begun to deploy<br />
business intelligence and reporting<br />
tools. These innovative solutions will<br />
revolutionize our way of working and<br />
dealing with the various markets. Not<br />
only are these tailor-made tools easy to<br />
use, but they also represent a<br />
considerable gain in time and boost<br />
our performance enormously. We will<br />
soon be announcing a new product.<br />
Innovation is therefore the heart of<br />
our concerns and our everyday work,<br />
without it being a constraint. On the<br />
contrary, we see it as a tool, a driving<br />
force and a target. That is why<br />
innovation is part of the 5 values at ECS<br />
Group.<br />
In your opinion, how can the air<br />
cargo industry in general address<br />
problems with digitalization?<br />
As mentioned previously, the matter<br />
of innovation, digitization or any other<br />
conversion of our methods should not<br />
be seen as a constraint but as a chance.<br />
Change is often considered warily,<br />
whereas it should be greeted<br />
enthusiastically.<br />
Digitalization is essential for our<br />
industry and we must accompany this<br />
change. Obviously, the change is<br />
already taking place but without<br />
everybody's backing, it will take longer<br />
for the process to be implemented<br />
entirely. Performance improvement<br />
and making our daily work easier<br />
should offer the means of overriding<br />
any reticence in changing our way of<br />
working.
ANALYSIS<br />
Feeding the world<br />
Demand for air cargo soars as consumer appetite<br />
for food variety and healthier options grows<br />
“<br />
As disposable income rises, consumer expenditure on food and<br />
beverages in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa regions will<br />
increase from 53% of global expenditure in 2017 to 60% by 2030.<br />
Urbanization and population growth are expected to aid this consumer<br />
spend. As a result, packaged foods and beverages are expected to<br />
become more accessible, with increased access to international brands<br />
and western food types. – Euromonitor International<br />
“<br />
By Gemma Q. Casas<br />
Contributions from Oman Air, as the national airline, to<br />
the economy of the Sultanate of Oman have been very<br />
significant and these are expected to show further<br />
growth. Each new destination started, adds to an already<br />
existing successful bilateral relations apart from the<br />
trade, business and tourism prospects. In addition to our<br />
online network, we work with almost 75 interline<br />
partners helping us extend our selling horizon to all<br />
continents in the world.<br />
- Mohammed Ali Al Musafir<br />
Oman Air Senior Vice President, Commercial Cargo
ANALYSIS<br />
he air cargo industry may just<br />
Taccount for transporting a<br />
third of world trade annually<br />
but those are high value goods worth<br />
trillions.<br />
In recent years, much of these air<br />
flown goods constitute fresh produce<br />
from different farming villages<br />
immediately transported to various<br />
cities across the world as the demand<br />
for healthier food options get<br />
stronger.<br />
The food and beverage industry<br />
has become so big it contributed<br />
US$77.5 trillion in global economy in<br />
2017, largely driven by the rise in<br />
population, urbanization and growth<br />
in middle class in emerging markets<br />
within Asia-Pacific, the Middle East<br />
and North Africa, according to<br />
leading market research firm<br />
Euromonitor International.<br />
Consumer expenditure<br />
on food and beverages<br />
was pegged at US$6.6<br />
trillion or 8.5 percent of<br />
world GDP in 2017. Much<br />
of the growth was seen in<br />
Asia-Pacific, the Middle<br />
East and Africa.<br />
Air flown food is<br />
common practice<br />
nowadays that it's not<br />
surprising to see guests at<br />
a wedding reception in<br />
Shanghai eat succulent<br />
lobsters freshly harvested<br />
from Halifax, Canada<br />
flown within hours after<br />
being plucked from the<br />
waters. Lobsters are a<br />
must in weddings in China<br />
despite high value on<br />
belief that they bring luck<br />
to the couples.<br />
China's new rich consume lobsters<br />
at unimaginable proportions helping<br />
Canada's lobster industry—mainly in<br />
the maritime provinces of Nova<br />
Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward<br />
Island and Newfoundland—to grow<br />
more than $5 billion in value annually.<br />
The demand for these crustaceans is<br />
also high in Europe, Japan, Korea and<br />
Thailand.<br />
In Dubai, airlifting food from all<br />
corners of the world at whim is also<br />
common—mainly among the affluent<br />
class. Wines from California, Chile,<br />
Argentina, France, etc. Caviar from<br />
Russia. Fresh seafood from Japan.<br />
Salmon from Norway. Edible flowers<br />
from Thailand or Africa. Chocolates<br />
from Belgium or Switzerland. Truffles<br />
from Italy. Lamb from Australia.<br />
Cheese and dairies from France. And<br />
the list goes on.<br />
And millions of expatriates in Dubai<br />
and the rest of the United Arab<br />
Emirates, including millions more in<br />
nearby countries around the oil-rich<br />
Middle East like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,<br />
Bahrain, others, are also heavily<br />
dependent on air freight for their<br />
food on a regular basis. Poultry and<br />
processed meat from Brazil, New<br />
Zealand, Africa and Australia; grains<br />
and legumes from South Asia, Africa,<br />
Asia; vegetables and fruits from India,<br />
Iran and Pakistan, and so on.<br />
G r a p e s , c h e r r i e s , o r a n g e s ,<br />
pomegranate, among other seasonal<br />
fruits, from Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon<br />
and Iran, are also regularly flown to<br />
Europe and other parts of the Middle<br />
East via air freight.<br />
And the demand for air transported<br />
fresh vegetables and fruits, fish,<br />
seafood, meat and dairies, and<br />
processed food is forecast to grow<br />
even more as consumers' appetite for<br />
food variety and healthier options get<br />
stronger.<br />
Healthy perishable market<br />
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight<br />
d i v i s i o n of E m i r a t e s , s a i d i t<br />
transported close to 400,000 tons of<br />
perishables year-on-year since the<br />
launch of its specialized service<br />
Emirates Fresh in April 2017 and is<br />
bracing for more shipments in the<br />
second half of this year.<br />
The Dubai-based freight carrier<br />
said fruits and vegetables were the<br />
largest category of perishables it<br />
transported at 150,000 tons with<br />
more than 20 percent sourced from<br />
India mainly for the UAE, home to a<br />
large expatriate population from all<br />
over the world.<br />
“The three different service levels of<br />
Emirates Fresh allow us to respond to<br />
the varied needs of perishables<br />
exporters. We continue to work with<br />
our customers and to invest in and<br />
develop Emirates Fresh as well as our<br />
other sector specific offerings. This is<br />
what helps us stay ahead of the<br />
game,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates<br />
Divisional Senior Vice President,<br />
Cargo.<br />
The freight carrier transported over<br />
65,000 tons of seafood and close to<br />
60,000 tons of meat during the<br />
period.<br />
Salmon from Norway to East Asia,<br />
seafood from South Africa and<br />
Uganda to Europe and premium meat<br />
from Melbourne to the Middle East,<br />
were some of the high-value seafood<br />
items it carried along with close to<br />
25,000 tons of meat exports from
ANALYSIS<br />
Saudi Arabia, food and<br />
agriculture imports<br />
US$19 billion in 2014.<br />
Largest consumer of food in GCC region<br />
growing at <strong>18</strong>.5 percent annually, analysts<br />
forecast the Kingdom's food imports to reach<br />
US$70 billion per annum in the next five years<br />
In neighboring Saudi Arabia, food<br />
and agriculture imports were valued<br />
at US$19 billion in 2014. As the largest<br />
consumer of food products in the<br />
GCC region growing at <strong>18</strong>.5 percent<br />
annually, analysts forecast the<br />
Kingdom's food imports to reach<br />
US$70 billion per annum in the next<br />
five years.<br />
The Kingdom's lands and weather<br />
are not suitable for farming, thus, it<br />
resorts to food importation mainly<br />
sourced from India, Brazil, Germany,<br />
France, Egypt and Argentina. And<br />
food imports keep the governmentowned<br />
Saudia Cargo busy all year.<br />
“Despite the slowdown in economy,<br />
Saudi Arabia's food consumption is<br />
forecast to grow by 7.3 percent in<br />
2016, to SR224.5 billion and projected<br />
to reach SR259.4 billion in 20<strong>18</strong>. In<br />
sum, capital spending in the food<br />
sector will expand further, while the<br />
value of the casual dining sector will<br />
increase at a growth rate of 3 per cent<br />
per annum,” said Anees Moumina,<br />
CEO of Sedco Holding Group, a<br />
l e a d i n g S h a r i a h - c o m p l i a n t<br />
organization, in his interview for The<br />
Hotel Show Saudi Arabia.<br />
Turkish Cargo, now ranked as the<br />
8th top freight carrier, is also doing<br />
good in terms of perishables, helping<br />
in the process to make Turkey's<br />
agricultural products a global brand.<br />
The carrier also transports live fish<br />
and other seafood products to Oman,<br />
Kuwait and some countries in Africa<br />
like Ghana.<br />
American Airlines is also doing<br />
great in transporting fresh produce.<br />
During the first half of 20<strong>18</strong>, the<br />
company moved nearly 12 million<br />
pounds of fresh asparagus around the<br />
world, helping in the process growers<br />
from Mexico and Peru.<br />
“The majority of what we move is<br />
green asparagus, but we do move<br />
very small amounts of both the albino<br />
and purple varieties. And because<br />
they are all fresh spears, they do<br />
require careful specialized handling,”<br />
shared Joe Goode, American Airlines<br />
Cargo's managing director, Sales –<br />
Western Division.<br />
“In addition to moving significant<br />
volumes of asparagus, we also move<br />
large volumes of lettuce, radicchio,<br />
tomatoes and mangoes into Asia over<br />
the same period of time,” he added.<br />
This spring, American carried<br />
multiple shipments of the vegetable<br />
on a daily basis between Los Angeles<br />
(LAX) and Tokyo (NRT). To put it in<br />
perspective, just in 20<strong>18</strong> so far, the<br />
airline shipped enough asparagus<br />
spears to span 8.5 Tour de France<br />
routes (one of which is a collective<br />
2,200 miles) when lined up end-toend,<br />
or enough to fill nearly 240 space<br />
shuttles.<br />
Cold chain market heated up<br />
The world's insatiable appetite for<br />
air flown food is not only benefitting<br />
the air cargo industry but the cold<br />
chain market and the rest of the<br />
supply chain as well.<br />
Markets and Markets, a data<br />
intelligence company servicing 7,500<br />
customers worldwide including 80%<br />
of global Fortune 1,000 companies,<br />
estimate the cold chain market to<br />
grow to US$293.27 billion by 2023 as<br />
international trade of perishable<br />
foods increases.<br />
“The global cold chain market is<br />
estimated to account for US$203.14<br />
billion in 20<strong>18</strong> and is projected to<br />
reach US$293.27 billion by 2023, at a<br />
CAGR of 7.6%. The global cold chain<br />
m a r k e t i s e x p a n d i n g w i t h<br />
considerable growth potential over<br />
the next five years. The growth of this<br />
market can be attributed to the<br />
growth of international trade of<br />
perishable foods, technological<br />
advancements in refrigerated storage<br />
& transport, government support for<br />
the infrastructural development of<br />
the cold chain industry and increase<br />
in consumer demand for perishable<br />
foods,” the research firm said in its<br />
report Cold Chain Market Global<br />
Forecast 2023.<br />
The increase in consumption for<br />
perishable foods would require more<br />
refrigerated transport & refrigerated<br />
storage. Emerging markets in the<br />
Asia-Pacific are projected to post the<br />
highest growth as it sees massive<br />
expansion in food retail chain<br />
industry.<br />
“The refrigerated storage market is<br />
estimated to be dominated by the<br />
Asia Pacific region. Refrigerated<br />
storage capacities are growing in the<br />
Asia Pacific due to the increased need<br />
for reducing wastage of perishable<br />
foods. In North America and Europe,<br />
the refrigerated transport industry is<br />
b o o m i n g , m a i n l y d u e t o t h e<br />
advancement of technology in<br />
refrigerated trucks, vans, trailers,
COVER STORY<br />
andmaritime reefer containers,”<br />
MarketsandMarkets noted.<br />
In the frozen cold chain market,<br />
dairy and frozen desserts will drive<br />
the highest percentage of growth due<br />
t o t h e i r n e e d f o r c o n s t a n t<br />
temperature control. The market is<br />
growing for these items especially in<br />
China where the government<br />
encourages daily consumption as<br />
main source of protein.<br />
“Dairy & frozen desserts are<br />
witnessing high demand due to<br />
e c o n o m i c g r o w t h a n d r a p i d<br />
u r b a n i z a t i o n , a l o n g w i t h<br />
sophisticated marketing channels,<br />
which have led to significant changes<br />
in dietary patterns. Government<br />
guidelines in China state that milk is a<br />
major source of calcium and protein,<br />
and recommend regular milk<br />
consumption, which has led to milk<br />
a n d d a i r y p r o d u c t s b e i n g<br />
incorporated into the daily diet of<br />
consumers,” the report said.<br />
In 2017, ice cream, meat and<br />
seafood which required temperatures<br />
ranging between -<strong>18</strong> °C to -<br />
24 °C (-0.4 °F to -11.2 °F) drove the<br />
cold chain market to new growth.<br />
Humanitarian cargo<br />
When natural disasters strike, the<br />
air freight industry is also tapped to<br />
quickly and effectively deliver food,<br />
medicines, shelter and other supplies<br />
to victims.<br />
In conflict zones, the weight is also<br />
on the industry to deliver vital life<br />
sustaining supplies. The United<br />
Nations says the world is facing the<br />
largest humanitarian crisis since its<br />
creation with more than 165 million<br />
people in over 40 countries in need of<br />
i n t e r n a t i o n a l h u m a n i t a r i a n<br />
assistance. Across the world, over 815<br />
million people are hungry and more<br />
than half of them are living in<br />
countries at war.<br />
In 2016, the UN served 164.2<br />
million people in 47 countries in need<br />
of humanitarian assistance with the<br />
majority located in just three<br />
countries—Yemen 21.2 million; Syria<br />
13.5 million, and; Iraq 10.4 million.<br />
Yemen and Syria remain major<br />
concerns for the UN with just a<br />
Required Temperatures<br />
ice<br />
cream<br />
Seafood<br />
Meat<br />
Range between<br />
-<strong>18</strong> °C to -24 °C<br />
fraction of those in need helped due<br />
to logistical challenge and limited<br />
funding.<br />
Responding to these crises on a<br />
global scale requires methodical and<br />
systematic operation that requires<br />
rigid security and cooperation<br />
between aid agencies, organizations,<br />
air freight carriers, forwarders and<br />
countries.<br />
Air freight plays a pivotal role in the<br />
delivery of food, medical supplies,<br />
shelter and other relief goods in<br />
conflict zones and this is particularly<br />
c h a l l e n g i n g i n a r e a s w h e r e<br />
infrastructures have been destroyed<br />
or under attack.<br />
Away from the war zones, the UN<br />
must also provide for over a million<br />
Rohingya Muslims who began fleeing<br />
Myanmar by boat or on foot with<br />
barely any belongings to neighboring<br />
B a n g l a d e s h a f t e r a m i l i t a r y<br />
crackdown in August 2017 that led to<br />
thousands of deaths and reports of<br />
rape and sexual abuse among women<br />
and girls.<br />
The UN, which described the<br />
military offensive in Myanmar's<br />
Rakhine state where the Rohingyas<br />
are deeply rooted as a “textbook<br />
example of ethnic cleaning” says it<br />
needs US$12.83 million to feed the<br />
refugees every month with rice,<br />
lentils, yellow split peas, vegetable oil<br />
and other food essentials flown by air<br />
freight carriers.<br />
Managed by the World Food<br />
Program, the United Nations<br />
Humanitarian Service (UNHAS)<br />
mainly deliver humanitarian aid to<br />
different countries operating more<br />
than 92 chartered planes, 20 ships<br />
and 5,000 trucks on a daily basis.<br />
The world's largest humanitarian<br />
aid logistics hub, the International<br />
Humanitarian City, is located in Dubai<br />
hosting nine United Nations agencies<br />
and over 40 NGOs, making the<br />
emirate a vital link in facilitating first<br />
responses at a global scale to conflict<br />
zones and disaster areas in all corners<br />
of the world.<br />
The International Air Transport<br />
Authority (IATA) described air cargo as<br />
“a trade facilitator that contributes to<br />
global economic development and<br />
creates millions of jobs. The global<br />
economy depends on the ability to<br />
deliver high-quality products at<br />
competitive prices to consumers<br />
worldwide. Air cargo transports over<br />
US$6 trillion wor th of goods,<br />
accounting for approximately 35% of<br />
world trade by value” but in recent<br />
times its role had expanded to saving<br />
lives in areas where there are poverty<br />
and conflict.<br />
Apart from food, the industry plays<br />
a crucial role in transpor ting<br />
medicines and vaccines to save lives<br />
in Africa and other parts of the world.<br />
Many major carriers support this<br />
move.<br />
“The World Health Organization<br />
e s t i m a tes t h a t i m m u n i z a t i o n<br />
programs will prevent more than 4<br />
million annual child deaths by 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
Air cargo is critical in flying these<br />
temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals<br />
in the best conditions, using<br />
cutting-edge technologies and<br />
procedures,” said IATA.
AVIATION<br />
Dubai South, a multi-phased urban development covering 145 square<br />
kilometers, is designed to handle up to 220 million passengers at the Al<br />
Maktoum International Airport and 16 million tons of cargo every year. The<br />
airport city will also house a Dh25 billion (about USD7 billion) residential<br />
zone, a free zone business park, logistics and cargo district and the<br />
exhibition site being built to host Expo 2020 Dubai.<br />
hree years ago in January,<br />
TDubai International (DXB)<br />
m a d e h i s t o r y w h e n i t<br />
officially took over from Heathrow<br />
Airport the title as the world's busiest<br />
airport for international passengers.<br />
It's also the third top airport in the<br />
world in terms of passenger traffic<br />
along with Har tsfield-Jackson<br />
Atlanta International Airport and<br />
Beijing Capital International Airport.<br />
This year, DXB's passenger traffic<br />
reached 1 billion. It marked the<br />
occasion with a warm welcome to the<br />
family of nine-year-old Arjun who<br />
w a s a d j u d g e d t h e b i l l i o n t h<br />
passenger to arrive in Dubai. The<br />
family of four, who came from<br />
Orlando, Florida via Emirates flight<br />
EK220, had been given a luxurious<br />
vacation package during their stay.<br />
Founded on September 30, 1960, it<br />
took DXB over 51 years to reach its<br />
5 0 0 m i l l i o n t h p a s s e n g e r o n<br />
<strong>Dec</strong>ember 31, 2011. Remarkably, the<br />
additional 500 million passengers<br />
came within just seven years.<br />
“The billionth passenger has flown<br />
through Dubai International Airport,<br />
marking a new phase in its journey<br />
towards a bright future. One billion<br />
passengers have made DXB a part of<br />
their personal story and helped<br />
shape Dubai into a global hub,” His<br />
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin<br />
Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President,
AVIATION<br />
Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai<br />
was quoted in the media as saying.<br />
Diversified aviation<br />
Echoing Sheikh Mohammed's<br />
statement, Mohammad Al Falasi,<br />
Dubai South Aviation District<br />
Business Development Director, says<br />
the vision has always been to<br />
establish Dubai as the global aviation<br />
capital.<br />
“We are not building the largest<br />
airports in the world. We are building<br />
the aviation capital of the world,”<br />
Sheikh Mohammed previously<br />
stated highlighting Dubai's capacity<br />
to reinvent aviation with new<br />
products, technologies and services.<br />
Dubai South is the<br />
emirate's answer to this<br />
vision. With total<br />
investment of US$70<br />
billion, this multi-phased<br />
urban development<br />
covering 145 square<br />
kilometers is the site for<br />
the Al Maktoum<br />
International Airport which<br />
is designed to handle up to<br />
220 million passengers and<br />
16 million tons of cargo<br />
every year once fully<br />
completed.<br />
It will also house a Dh25 billion<br />
(about USD7 billion) residential zone,<br />
a free zone business park, logistics<br />
and cargo district and the exhibition<br />
site being built to host Expo 2020<br />
Dubai. In all, Dubai South is<br />
envisioned to create 500,000 jobs.<br />
“We have the mandate from His<br />
Highness Sheikh Mohammed to turn<br />
Dubai South into the aviation capital<br />
of the world by building soft and hard<br />
i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a b o v e a n d<br />
underground. To ensure ease of<br />
doing business and the smart way to<br />
do business by offering consolidated<br />
solutions in one location. This<br />
mandate is very important because<br />
28 percent of our GDP comes from<br />
aviation,” explained Al Falasi.<br />
By 2025, Dubai South is forecast to<br />
generate over 35 percent of Dubai's<br />
GDP.<br />
Dubai South Aviation District is<br />
d i v i d e d i n t o f o u r b u s i n e s s<br />
verticals—General Aviation which is<br />
home to the VIP Terminal, hangars,<br />
fuel farm, catering, ground handling,<br />
helicopter operations; Maintenance<br />
and Technical Suppor t which<br />
includes a paint shop, the MROs and<br />
t h e a e r o s p a c e s u p p l y c h a i n ;<br />
Commercial, which has retail & hotel<br />
and the exhibition area; and an<br />
Education and Training vertical that<br />
hosts the Emirates Flight Training<br />
Academy, simulators and different<br />
universities and vocational training<br />
institutes.<br />
Dubai South Aviation District<br />
added last year the Suppliers<br />
Complex which caters to small and<br />
medium enterprises in the aviation<br />
and aerospace industries, specifically<br />
the MRO sector. With a budget of<br />
US$55 million for 20<strong>18</strong>, the Complex<br />
and two aerospace supply chain<br />
buildings were built, designed to<br />
allow for easy and quick start-up for<br />
related companies.<br />
Globally, the value of MRO &<br />
Te c h n i c a l S u p p o r t i n d u s t r y<br />
generated as much as US$75.6 billion<br />
in 2017 and by 2022, growing at 2.4%<br />
CAGR, it would reach US$84.9 billion.<br />
In the Middle East, the industry is<br />
also projected to grow bigger with<br />
spending for MRO by major airlines<br />
reaching US$10.2 billion in 2027 from<br />
only US$5.6 billion in 2017.<br />
Major MRO companies such as<br />
Lufthansa Technik, GE Aviation and<br />
Advanced Aerospace Industries have<br />
successfully positioned themselves<br />
at Dubai South Aviation District for<br />
the region's growing MRO industry.<br />
In terms of education and training,<br />
three major companies have already<br />
established their presence at Dubai<br />
South—the Emirates Flight Training<br />
Academy, the University of South<br />
Wales and Dynamic Advanced<br />
Training.<br />
“Two more global universities are<br />
coming. Construction for their<br />
facilities will start in 2019,” shared Al<br />
Falasi. “There is a great shortage for<br />
aviation professionals in this region.<br />
The Aviation District is also home<br />
to at least five FBOs catering to VIP<br />
passengers.<br />
ENOC Group, which supplies jet<br />
fuel to DXB through two jet fuel
AVIATION<br />
Mohammad Al Falasi:<br />
Helping transform<br />
Dubai South<br />
pipelines, recently announced the<br />
16.2-km jet fuel pipeline to the Al<br />
Maktoum International Airport will<br />
be fully operational in the first<br />
quarter of 2020 in time for Dubai<br />
Expo 2020 to support infrastructure,<br />
assuring seamless jet fuel supply to<br />
the airlines.<br />
Upon completion, the<br />
pipeline will carry 2,000<br />
cubic meters of jet fuel per<br />
hour to Al Maktoum<br />
International Airport,<br />
helping meet the demand<br />
for aviation services from a<br />
significant proportion of<br />
the international visitors to<br />
the Expo.<br />
Set to meet the demand for jet fuel<br />
at Dubai Airports up until 2050, the<br />
pipeline will be equipped with stateof-the-art<br />
safety features including a<br />
leak detection system, complete<br />
automation control and quality<br />
control, among others.<br />
Multimodal logistics hub<br />
Reaching two thirds of the world<br />
within just seven hours, Dubai's<br />
access to many key destinations in<br />
Europe, Asia, the Middle East and<br />
Africa is unparalleled. And this gives<br />
businesses at Dubai South the edge<br />
to deliver goods and services quickly<br />
and efficiently.<br />
“This remains the gateway to the<br />
Middle East, Africa and a third of the<br />
world's population within a fourhour<br />
flight radius and two thirds of<br />
the world within seven hours,” Al<br />
Falasi said.<br />
For cargo, Dubai's proximity to<br />
most destinations &its technologically<br />
advanced infrastructure in<br />
seaports & airports, facilities for<br />
aviation, cargo and logistics make<br />
things happen seamlessly & quickly.<br />
“We move cargo in four hours. It<br />
used to be 16 hours,” Al Falasi noted,<br />
adding that Dubai South Logistics<br />
District offers connectivity on land,<br />
sea and air to ensure the best<br />
possible results in transporting<br />
goods. “The speed of doing business<br />
is how we differentiate ourselves<br />
from the rest.”<br />
Strategically located next to the Al<br />
Maktoum International Airport,<br />
Dubai South Logistics is also<br />
connected to the Jebel Ali Port, the<br />
busiest port in the Middle East and<br />
8th across the world with 150<br />
shipping lanes, in addition to having<br />
direct access to the UAE's main transemirates<br />
highways.<br />
Mohammad Al Falasi is the<br />
Director of Business Development<br />
for Dubai South's Aviation District.<br />
In his role, he is responsible for<br />
identifying potential opportunities,<br />
driving profitable and<br />
sustainable growth in-line with<br />
business needs, and providing<br />
various solutions to existing and<br />
potential customers as part of the<br />
continued growth of Dubai South<br />
Aviation District.<br />
Since joining Dubai South,<br />
previously known as Dubai World<br />
Central (DWC) 12 years ago,<br />
Mohammad has been instrumental<br />
in the transformation of the<br />
d i s t r i c t ' s A v i a t i o n s e c t o r,<br />
cultivating partnerships with<br />
leading aviation industry players<br />
and facilitating the growth of the<br />
burgeoning aerotropolis.<br />
Before joining Dubai South in<br />
2006, Mohammad held various<br />
positions, in which he was able to<br />
gain extensive experience in the<br />
media, construction, real estate<br />
and logistics in Dubai's market. He<br />
is a graduate of the American<br />
InterContinental University in<br />
London, United Kingdom and<br />
holds a BBA in International<br />
Business & Marketing.
TRUCKING<br />
Europe's strongest economy, Germany,<br />
which also leads the continent in the<br />
transport industry, has begun steps to<br />
move away from fuel-powered trucks<br />
to the more efficient and<br />
environment-friendly electric trucks.<br />
Daimler's all-electric eActros<br />
Mercedes-Benz Trucks have been<br />
steered across roads in a number of<br />
German cities since September 20<strong>18</strong> in<br />
line with the federal government's<br />
push for cleaner environment by<br />
reducing carbon dioxide emissions,<br />
one of the many global pollutants that<br />
impact climate change.<br />
ore battery charging<br />
Mstations are being built<br />
across Germany as the<br />
country pushes for more electric<br />
trucks and other vehicles to be used in<br />
the foreseeable future.<br />
The rest of Europe agreed to slash<br />
carbon dioxide emissions by 37.5<br />
percent from new cars starting 2030.<br />
U n d e r t h i s E u r o p e a n U n i o n<br />
agreement, 15% cut for both cars and<br />
trucks should be targeted by 2021<br />
despite strong opposition from car<br />
manufacturers.<br />
Signed in <strong>Dec</strong>ember 2015, The Paris<br />
Climate Agreement envisions a fossilfree<br />
future for earth by 2050 to<br />
protect the environment and<br />
u l t i m a t e l y k e e p t h e g l o b a l<br />
temperature rise well below 2°C.
TRUCKING<br />
Incentives to roll in 2019<br />
Andreas Scheur, Germany's Federal<br />
Minister for Transport and Digital<br />
Infrastructure, ordered electric trucks<br />
to be exempt from truck tolls from<br />
January 1, 2019 as part of the<br />
government's long-term plan to<br />
encourage the use of alternative<br />
energy-powered vehicles.<br />
“Electric trucks will be exempt from<br />
truck tolls from 1 January 2019. This is<br />
a great incentive for transport<br />
companies to switch to green<br />
vehicles,” the minister was quoted as<br />
saying about the plan in Süddeutsche<br />
Zeitung, one of Germany's largest<br />
daily newspapers.<br />
Growing urban emissions is one of<br />
the many problems facing cities and<br />
heavy trucks have been identified as<br />
among heavy polluters with a single<br />
truck consuming about 40 times the<br />
fuel consumption of a personal<br />
vehicle.<br />
Germany is expanding its existing<br />
toll on trucks from nearly 15,000 km of<br />
federal highways to 40,000, leaving<br />
only the electric trucks exempt from<br />
paying toll fees as additional incentive<br />
to those switching to environmentfriendly<br />
vehicles.<br />
Further, the German government is<br />
continuing its "Concept ELV²" project<br />
which is essentially the development<br />
and testing of heavy-duty electric<br />
trucks for distribution operations with<br />
subsidy from the Federal Environment<br />
Ministry (BMU) and the Federal<br />
Ministry of Economy and Energy<br />
(BMWi).<br />
Gas-fueled trucks are also exempt<br />
from paying road toll charges from<br />
2019 apart from a subsidy of up to<br />
EUR 12,000 for LNG trucks and up to<br />
EUR 8,000 for CNG trucks.<br />
The Benz eActros<br />
With the German freight logistics<br />
the largest in Europe with an<br />
estimated turnover of over EUR 170<br />
billion annually, the country leads in<br />
innovation when it comes to modes of<br />
transport, interlinked roads, rails,<br />
water and air routes. Last October,<br />
Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered<br />
yet another all-electric eActros to a<br />
customer for on-road testing.<br />
Meyer-Logistik, a company based<br />
in Friedrichsdorf in Hessen, will be<br />
test-driving a 25-ton truck with a<br />
refrigeration unit for transporting<br />
temperature-sensitive foodstuffs<br />
from the warehouse to different<br />
supermarkets in the centre of<br />
Hamburg.<br />
The weight of the transported<br />
goods can be up to 10 tons. The whole<br />
day's tour is approximately 100 km<br />
long and is dealt with by one driver in<br />
one shift at first. There is no need to<br />
recharge during the trip because the<br />
range of the eActros is up to 200 km.<br />
Daimler said Meyer-Logistik is one<br />
of 20 customers from different<br />
industries that have integrated the<br />
heavy-duty electric truck into their<br />
fl e e t . E a c h of t h e s e s e l e c ted<br />
customers will put a near-series<br />
version of either the <strong>18</strong> or 25-ton<br />
variant through its paces in real<br />
operations and will test the respective<br />
vehicle for its suitability for their daily<br />
field of work.<br />
T h e a i m i s to m a ke l o c a l l y<br />
emission-free and quiet driving a
TRUCKING<br />
reality in cities by 2021, also with<br />
series heavy-duty trucks – and all of<br />
this as economically viable as with a<br />
diesel truck. The test series consists<br />
of t wo p h a s e s , e a c h w i t h 1 0<br />
customers and spanning a total of<br />
around two years.<br />
The first eActros of the so-called<br />
"innovation fleet" has been in action<br />
since September with a customer,<br />
and the second one was handed over<br />
at the beginning of October. The rest<br />
of the first phase of vehicle handovers<br />
will be completed by the end of<br />
the year.<br />
All test customers transport goods<br />
in urban areas and use the eActros for<br />
tasks which would otherwise be<br />
carried out by conventional diesel<br />
vehicles – in a wide range of different<br />
sectors and categories. The palette<br />
ranges from food to building and<br />
industrial materials. The body<br />
variants range from refrigerated and<br />
box bodies to bulk goods and<br />
tarpaulin bodies.<br />
Field tests, the real benchmark<br />
Oliver Kraft, Head of Key Account<br />
Management Mercedes-Benz Trucks<br />
Germany, said the practical tests of<br />
the eActros are very important for the<br />
company to gauge it effectively.<br />
" Each customer makes a<br />
valuable contribution<br />
towards the further<br />
development right up to<br />
series production by using<br />
and testing the eActros in a<br />
very special area of<br />
everyday operation. Our<br />
experts are available to our<br />
customers around the<br />
clock. Before starting, we<br />
have given our customers<br />
intensive advice,” he said.<br />
“That includes working together to<br />
define their individual requirements,<br />
choose the corresponding variant of<br />
the eActros and sort out questions<br />
about the required infrastructure.<br />
Before the tests started, our experts<br />
gave the drivers and the customers'<br />
dispatchers thorough coaching,” he<br />
added.<br />
Matthias Strehl, Managing Director<br />
of Meyer-Logistik , said using<br />
alternative drive concepts are an<br />
i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t o f t h e i r<br />
commitment to their customers.<br />
"As a company that supplies<br />
supermarkets with foodstuffs in<br />
metropolitan areas, we would like to<br />
keep the impact of our work on<br />
humans and the environment as<br />
small as possible. That is why using<br />
alternative drive concepts has been<br />
such an important part of our<br />
corporate strategy long since. We are<br />
happy to be able to test drive the<br />
eActros in Hamburg now,” he said.<br />
Adding: “We think e-trucks are<br />
perfect for delivering over that last<br />
mile – for example to supermarkets.<br />
Because they are locally emissionfree<br />
and very silent, which really<br />
re d u c e s t h e b u rd e n o n l o c a l<br />
residents."<br />
The refrigerated replacement box<br />
on the eActros used by Meyer-<br />
Logistik is the "W.KO COOL" model<br />
supplied by Schmitz Cargobull. It has<br />
optimum insulation for energyefficient<br />
transport of refrigerated<br />
goods.<br />
This robust body is ideally suited<br />
for intensive day-to-day use. The<br />
purely electrically operated cooling<br />
unit functions completely emissionfree<br />
and is specially designed for use<br />
in distribution traffic.<br />
"Electromobility for commercial<br />
vehicles is a highly significant topic<br />
that opens up new opportunities. We<br />
use these with our refrigerated unit,"<br />
said Jörg Irsfeld, Head of IKAM at<br />
Schmitz Cargobull.<br />
The truck of the future<br />
The frame of the Mercedes-Benz<br />
Actros is used as the basis for the<br />
eActros. Otherwise, the vehicle<br />
architecture has been configured<br />
specifically for an electric drive<br />
system, with a high proportion of<br />
specific components.<br />
The drive axle, for example, is<br />
based on the ZF AVE 130 that has<br />
already proved its worth in hybrid<br />
and fuel-cell buses from Mercedes-<br />
Benz, and has now been fundamentally<br />
revised for the eActros.<br />
The drive system comprises two<br />
electric motors located close to the<br />
rear-axle wheel hubs. They have an<br />
output of 126 kW each, together with<br />
a maximum torque of 485 Nm each.<br />
The gearing ratios turn this into 11<br />
0 0 0 N m e a c h , re s u l t i n g i n a<br />
performance that is comparable with<br />
that of a diesel truck.<br />
The maximum permissible axle<br />
load stands at the usual 11.5 tonnes.<br />
The energy comes from lithium-ion<br />
batteries with 240 kWh. Depending<br />
on the available charging capacity,<br />
they can be fully charged within two<br />
to eleven hours (at 150 and 20 kW).
eed New Artwork
DAE sells portfolio of <strong>18</strong> aircraft on lease to 15 airlines<br />
AIRLINES<br />
Jonathan Morris, Head of Wholesale Banking and Senior Executive Vice President at Emirates NBD Bank and Firoz Tarapore, Chief<br />
Executive Officer at Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, with their respective teams after concluding a new four-year unsecured revolving<br />
credit facility with an initial commitment of US$535 million from a group of eight regional banks. DAE has made Emirates NBD as<br />
its sole Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner.<br />
D U B A I : D u b a i A e r o s p a c e<br />
Enterprise (DAE) Ltd. has entered into<br />
a definitive sale agreement to sell a<br />
portfolio of <strong>18</strong> mid-life aircraft to<br />
institutional investors.<br />
The <strong>18</strong> aircraft in this portfolio are<br />
on lease to 15 airlines in 13 countries<br />
and have a weighted average age of<br />
approximately 9 years with a<br />
weighted average remaining lease<br />
term of 4.5 years. The portfolio is<br />
made up of 69% current generation<br />
narrow body aircraft, 24% widebody<br />
a i r c r a f t , a n d 7 % AT R 7 2 - 6 0 0<br />
turboprop aircraft., said DAE which<br />
will act as portfolio servicer.<br />
“We continue to build our managed<br />
aircraft portfolio. This transaction<br />
takes us one step closer to our stated<br />
goal of having US$5 billion of<br />
managed aircraft assets. Investors are<br />
increasingly recognizing the value of<br />
DAE's Aircraft Investor Services (AIS)<br />
p l a t f o r m a n d e n t r u s t i n g t h e<br />
management of their aircraft assets to<br />
us. So far, we have continued to<br />
o u t p e r f o r m o u r i n v e s t o r s '<br />
expectations in all the portfolios we<br />
manage,” said Firoz Tarapore, Chief<br />
Executive Officer of DAE.<br />
MEA & Rolls-Royce sign deal for aircraft total care<br />
BEIRUT: The Lebanese carrier<br />
Middle East Airlines–Air Liban (MEA)<br />
has decided to purchase four new and<br />
two option Airbus A330-900neo<br />
powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000<br />
engines scheduled for delivery in<br />
2021.<br />
Rolls-Royce signed in <strong>Dec</strong>ember a<br />
contract with MEA to provide support<br />
for the Trent 7000 engines powering<br />
its new Airbus A330-900neo fleet. The<br />
contract covers long-term engine<br />
maintenance services, throughout<br />
the operation of the engine with MEA,<br />
the purchase of spare engines and<br />
supply of parts.<br />
The contract was signed during the<br />
Lebanon-UK Business and Investment<br />
Forum in London by MEA Chairman -<br />
Director General Mohamad El-Hout<br />
and Rolls-Royce Chairman Ian Davis<br />
and witnessed by the Prime Minister<br />
of Lebanon, His Excellency Mr Saad<br />
Hariri and the Rt. Honourable Alistair<br />
Burt, UK Minister of State for<br />
International Development and<br />
Minister of State for the Middle East.<br />
Rolls-Royce will deliver the latest<br />
engine in its Trent range, the Trent<br />
7000, along with its flagship TotalCare<br />
support service. The Trent 7000 is part<br />
of a Trent family that has now<br />
accumulated more than 125 million<br />
engine flying hours.<br />
“We are committed to ensuring our<br />
airline is at the leading-edge in terms<br />
of using technology to provide<br />
excellent customer service and<br />
performance. Our new aircraft, and<br />
their latest-generation Trent 7000<br />
engines, will deliver on that goal.<br />
Rolls-Royce Totalcare is expected to<br />
offer optimisation to our maintenance<br />
costs through long term<br />
engine maintenance services,” said<br />
MEA Chairman - Director General<br />
Mohamad El-Hout.<br />
The relationship between Rolls-<br />
Royce and MEA dates back more than<br />
50 years, when the airline operated<br />
Dart-powered Viscount aircraft. MEA<br />
currently operates five Airbus A330<br />
aircraft powered by Trent 700<br />
engines, which will be progressively<br />
replaced by these latest aircraft.<br />
The 68-72,000lb thrust Trent 7000<br />
delivers a step change in performance<br />
and economics compared to the Trent<br />
700. Benefitting from a bypass ratio<br />
double that of its predecessor, the<br />
Trent 7000 will improve specific fuel<br />
consumption by 10% and will<br />
significantly reduce noise.
AIRLINES<br />
Air Astana to launch new flights<br />
between Uzbekistan and Europe<br />
Aviation District and<br />
D J Aviation to build<br />
two hangars<br />
ASTANA: The national carrier of<br />
Kazakhstan, Air Astana, will offer<br />
new flights to Tashkent, Uzbekistan<br />
via its Astana hub from London<br />
Heathrow, Frankfurt and Paris CDG<br />
starting March 29, 2019 through the<br />
summer.<br />
Tashkent flights originating from<br />
London Heathrow will run three<br />
times weekly; from Frankfurt four<br />
times per week and twice a week<br />
from Paris.<br />
Timings have been<br />
optimized for seamless<br />
and convenient transfers<br />
to Tashkent through<br />
Astana's newly completed<br />
airport terminal. Flights<br />
are already available now<br />
to purchase from<br />
www.airastana.com or<br />
from Air Astana's ticketing<br />
offices.<br />
Richard Ledger, Vice President<br />
Marketing and Sales, Air Astana,<br />
said the airline is delighted to serve<br />
the Tashkent market which has huge<br />
potential for growth.<br />
“We are delighted to be able to<br />
offer this twice weekly service to<br />
Ta s h ke n t f r o m t h r e e o f o u r<br />
European departure airports on<br />
what we believe will be a highly<br />
popular route. Interest in the Silk<br />
Road destinations continues to<br />
grow and the addition of Tashkent<br />
offers passengers the perfect<br />
opportunity to combine a visit to<br />
Kazakhstan with Uzbekistan to<br />
f u r t h e r e x p l o re t h e re g i o n's<br />
fascinating history,” he said.<br />
Lead in return fares from London<br />
to Tashkent start from £386* for<br />
Economy Class, and £1,643* for<br />
Business Class.<br />
Fares are valid for year-round<br />
departures from London including<br />
the peak season.<br />
DUBAI: The Aviation<br />
District in Dubai South and D<br />
J Aviation, an Emirati<br />
company, has signed a<br />
Memorandum of<br />
Understanding (MOU) to<br />
construct two hangars set to<br />
be completed by the end of<br />
2019.<br />
Tahnoon Saif, Chief<br />
Executive Officer of the<br />
Aviation District at Dubai<br />
South expressed satisfaction<br />
over the signing of the MOU,<br />
saying: “The Aviation District<br />
in Dubai South is proud to<br />
have such partnership with<br />
UAE national partners,<br />
indicating the mutual trust<br />
and confidence.”<br />
Extending over an area of<br />
approximately 11,000 sqm,<br />
the two hangars will offer<br />
local, regional and<br />
international clients, various<br />
services including; aircraft<br />
parking, service provision<br />
and aircraft management, as<br />
well as regional management<br />
services, customer<br />
relationship, commence<br />
charter sales, setting up full<br />
A6 AOC structure, and<br />
fueling. The hangers will also<br />
provide maintenance<br />
covering; line maintenance,<br />
and cleaning.<br />
Ibrahim Al Mulla, CEO of D<br />
J Aviation thanked His<br />
Highness Sheikh Mohammed<br />
bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice<br />
President and Prime Minister<br />
of the UAE and Ruler of<br />
Dubai for the support he<br />
extended to the aviation<br />
sector in Dubai. He also<br />
thanked Sheikh Ahmed bin<br />
Saeed Al Maktoum,<br />
President of the Dubai Civil<br />
Aviation Authority, and<br />
Chairman of Dubai World for<br />
encouraging such projects.
AIRLINES<br />
Emirates takes delivery of its last Boeing 777-300ER aircraft<br />
DUBAI, UAE: Emirates received last<br />
month the final Boeing 777-300ER<br />
aircraft up for delivery on its order<br />
books, an important milestone in its<br />
history as the world's largest airline<br />
operating the Boeing 777 aircraft.<br />
The carrier also holds the record as<br />
the only airline in the world to have<br />
operated all six variants of the Boeing<br />
777 family. In essence, one of out<br />
ever y eight 777 aircraf t ever<br />
manufactured by Boeing has been<br />
delivered to Emirates.<br />
It will also be one of the first airlines<br />
in the world to fly the two next<br />
generation models— the Boeing 777-<br />
8 and 777-9—as it starts taking<br />
delivery of 35 Boeing 777-8s and 115<br />
Boeing 777-9s from 2020.<br />
These next generation aircraft will<br />
have a more fuel efficient design and<br />
will feature larger windows, increased<br />
cabin pressure and humidity, higher<br />
ceilings, wider cabin and an advanced<br />
inflight enter tainment system<br />
contributing to superior quality of<br />
travel experience.<br />
“The Boeing 777-300ER has been a<br />
cornerstone of Emirates' success story<br />
as the world's largest international<br />
airline. The aircraft's efficiency, range<br />
and payload capabilities have enabled<br />
us to connect our customers across six<br />
continents to and through Dubai, and<br />
offer them a flight experience that is<br />
second to none. With 140 of these<br />
aircraft in our fleet, the Boeing 777-<br />
300ER will continue to play an integral<br />
role in our operations and facilitating<br />
g l o b a l t o u r i s m a n d t r a d e<br />
opportunities in the years to come,”<br />
said Sir Tim Clark, President of<br />
Emirates Airline.<br />
Emirates' Boeing 777<br />
fleet has carried close to<br />
350 million passengers on<br />
more than 1.28 million<br />
flights and covered over<br />
6.6 billion kilometers since<br />
1996. That's the equivalent<br />
of flying almost 8,600<br />
times to the moon and<br />
back.<br />
Strong ties with Boeing<br />
The airline welcomed the first<br />
Boeing 777-300ER aircraft into its fleet<br />
in March 2005 and over the last 13<br />
years, the 777-300ER has become the<br />
backbone of Emirates' fleet operating<br />
currently to over 119 destinations<br />
across the airline's global network.<br />
On the partnership with Boeing, Sir<br />
Tim said: “We've worked closely with<br />
Boeing on the 777 program over the<br />
last three decades, and we will build<br />
on this partnership as we start taking<br />
deliveries of the 777-8 and 777-9<br />
aircraft from 2020.”<br />
Setting the standards for passenger<br />
experience and safety, Emirates has<br />
continually invested in its onboard<br />
product and services. The airline<br />
recently unveiled brand new cabins<br />
for its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft<br />
including the game-changing fullyenclosed<br />
First Class private suites as<br />
well as newly-designed seats and<br />
improved inflight entertainment<br />
systems for Business and Economy<br />
class cabins.<br />
Emirates has also started a program<br />
to reconfigure its 10 Boeing 777-<br />
200<strong>LR</strong> aircraft, installing new wider<br />
Business Class seats as well as a<br />
completely refreshed Economy Class<br />
for improved passenger comfort.<br />
Emirates operates one of the<br />
youngest aircraft fleets in the world<br />
with an average age of 5.87 years,<br />
much lower than the accepted norm<br />
in the aviation industry. The airline<br />
pursues an ambitious fleet renewal<br />
strategy by retiring older aircraft and<br />
i n t ro d u c i n g n e wer a n d m o re<br />
advanced planes leading to more<br />
efficient operations.
AIRPORTS<br />
Prague welcomes record 16.8 million passengers in 20<strong>18</strong><br />
P R A G U E : C z e c h Re p u b l i c 's<br />
increasing popularity in the global<br />
tourism industry has resulted to a<br />
record 16.8 million passengers<br />
handled at the Václav Havel Airport<br />
Prague by the end of 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
This is the third year in a row that<br />
Prague airport handled a record<br />
increase in passenger traffic with the<br />
latest figure representing a 9%<br />
increase than 2017, making it one of<br />
the fastest growing airports in Europe.<br />
The airport expects to welcome<br />
more travellers in 2019. On average, it<br />
services 46,000 passengers per day<br />
with July as the busiest month. The<br />
largest number of passengers, a total<br />
of 1.7 million, travelled to London,<br />
where all six international airports have<br />
direct connections to Prague.<br />
“For the third year in a row, Prague<br />
Airport has reported a record number<br />
of serviced passengers. We are<br />
expecting approximately 1.4 million<br />
passengers more in 20<strong>18</strong> compared to<br />
2017. The growth is anticipated to<br />
continue in 2019, both in terms of the<br />
number of passengers, where the<br />
expected increase is 3 to 5%, and in the<br />
number of direct routes,” said Vaclav<br />
Rehor, Chairman of the Board of<br />
Directors at Prague Airport.<br />
During the third quarter of 20<strong>18</strong>, the<br />
airport recorded a 9.3% growth in the<br />
number of serviced passengers, while<br />
the European average over the same<br />
period was 5%.<br />
Prague Airport has responded to<br />
this trend by investing in various<br />
development projects. “Next year, we<br />
are planning to open new check-in<br />
counters in Terminal 1 and a brand new<br />
check-in island in Terminal 2. We will<br />
finish the redevelopment of aircraft<br />
parking stands in pier B, where we will<br />
also modernize two departure gates.<br />
We will also start reconstruction and<br />
expanding our baggage sorting<br />
facility,” said Rehor.<br />
South Africa and Thailand now officially 'airport sisters'<br />
JOHANNESBURG: O.R. Tambo<br />
I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t a n d<br />
Suvarnabhumi International Airport<br />
are now officially “sisters” after signing<br />
a Memorandum of Understanding<br />
that calls for strategic links for mutual<br />
benefits.<br />
Airports Company South Africa and<br />
the Airports of Thailand Public<br />
C o m p a n y L i m i t e d a g r e e d t o<br />
undertake joint marketing and<br />
promotions as well as exchange of<br />
staff and information that include<br />
statistics on traffic and financial data,<br />
and best practices in airpor t<br />
d e v e l o p m e n t , o p e r a t i o n a n d<br />
management.<br />
Bongiwe Mbomvu, Acting CEO of<br />
Airports Company South Africa and Dr.<br />
Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of<br />
Airports of Thailand, signed the MoU<br />
last month.<br />
The two companies will also<br />
collaborate in marketing and<br />
promoting activities aimed at<br />
expanding passenger and air cargo<br />
traffic between the two airports.<br />
Mbomvu said their company is keen<br />
to demonstrate what it has to offer as<br />
well as learn from its colleagues in<br />
Thailand which is known for its multibillion<br />
tourism industry.<br />
“The airports business worldwide is<br />
undergoing rapid transformation to<br />
cope not only with growing passenger<br />
numbers but also with demands for<br />
extremely high levels of digitisation<br />
and automation of services. We<br />
believe that this agreement will benefit<br />
both parties in striving to stay ahead of<br />
market trends,” said Mbomvu.<br />
Airports Company South Africa<br />
continues to benefit from a similar<br />
agreement with Munich Airport<br />
signed in 2015.<br />
“We have gained much through this<br />
structured cooperation that enables<br />
the parties to identify where and how<br />
they can both benefit,” said Mbomvu.
WCS<br />
Singapore<br />
Need New<br />
Artwork
T E C H N O LO G Y<br />
Falco: The world's first autonomous ferry<br />
FINLAND: Using sensors, cameras and Rolls-<br />
Royce intelligence technologies, Falco<br />
successfully crossed the waters off Turku,<br />
Finland last month, unmanned, becoming the<br />
world's first autonomous ferry.<br />
The return to the shore of the 53.8-meter<br />
double-ended car ferry equipped with twin<br />
azimuth thrusters from Rolls-Royce was even<br />
more astonishing with only a remote control<br />
used to navigate its voyage.<br />
Rolls-Royce and Finferries, which acquired<br />
the ferry in 1993, began collaborating on a new<br />
research project called SVAN (Safer Vessel with<br />
Autonomous Navigation), to continue<br />
implementing the findings from the earlier<br />
A d v a n c e d A u t o n o m o u s Wa t e r b o r n e<br />
Applications (AAWA) research project, funded<br />
by Business Finland.<br />
Mikael Makinen, Rolls-Royce, President –<br />
Commercial Marine, said Falco's success is “a<br />
huge step forward in the journey towards<br />
autonomous shipping and reaffirms exactly<br />
what we have been saying for several years, that<br />
autonomous shipping will happen.”<br />
“This is a very proud moment for all of us and<br />
marks our most significant milestone so far.<br />
Today's demonstration proves that the<br />
autonomous ship is not just a concept, but<br />
something that will transform shipping as we<br />
know it,” he added.<br />
Mats Rosin, Finferries CEO, says history was made in the maritime<br />
industry with Falco's launch which had some 80 VIP guests aboard.<br />
“We are very proud that maritime history has been made on the<br />
Parainen-Nauvo-route once again. First with our world-renowned<br />
hybrid vessel Elektra and now Falco as the world's first autonomous<br />
ferry. As a modern ship-owner our main goal in this cooperation has<br />
been on increasing safety in marine traffic as this is beneficial for both<br />
the environment and our passengers. But we are also equally excited<br />
about how this demonstration opens the door to the new<br />
possibilities of autonomous shipping & safety,” said Rosin in a<br />
statement.<br />
Japan's 'Lovot” on a mission to cheer you up<br />
TOKYO: Japan is getting a new addition<br />
in its animated and eclectic world with the<br />
launch of the household robot named<br />
“Lovot”—an amalgam of “love” and<br />
“robot.”<br />
Groove X, a Japanese startup, with<br />
funding of about US$71.1 million from<br />
investors that include Toyota Motors Corp.,<br />
chat app operator Line Corp., and the<br />
Japanese government, unveiled its first<br />
creation in Tokyo on <strong>Dec</strong> <strong>18</strong>.<br />
The AI-powered cuddly robot resembles<br />
a penguin with cartoonish human eyes and<br />
can interact with owners. It's capable of<br />
showing affection when shown kindness<br />
and can be used to watch over the house<br />
via a camera that users can access through<br />
a mobile app while they are out.<br />
Groove X founder and CEO Kaname<br />
Hayashi told the media the Lovot “will draw<br />
out your ability to love.”
EXECUTIVE MOMENTS<br />
Raj Subramaniam is new President & CEO of FedEx<br />
Raj Subramaniam<br />
M E M P H I S , Te n n e s s e e : R a j<br />
Subramaniam has been named the<br />
new president & CEO of FedEx Express<br />
following the retirement of the<br />
company's head David Cunningham<br />
on <strong>Dec</strong>ember 31, 20<strong>18</strong>.<br />
Subramaniam was the executive<br />
vice president, chief marketing and<br />
communications officer of FedEx<br />
Corporation before he was named to<br />
his new post that took effect on<br />
January 1, 2019. He has been with the<br />
company for over 27 years, holding<br />
various executive level positions.<br />
He began his career in Memphis and<br />
David Cunningham<br />
subsequently moved to Hong Kong,<br />
where he oversaw marketing and<br />
customer service for the Asia Pacific<br />
region. He then took over as president<br />
of FedEx Express in Canada before<br />
moving back to the U.S. as senior vice<br />
president of international marketing.<br />
He was promoted to EVP marketing<br />
in 2013 at FedEx Services, prior to<br />
being named executive vice president<br />
a n d c h i e f m a r k e t i n g a n d<br />
communications officer at FedEx<br />
Corporation in 2017.<br />
Cunningham began his FedEx<br />
career in 1982 in operations at the<br />
FedEx Express World Hub in Memphis,<br />
Tenn. Over his more than 36-year<br />
career, he held numerous leadership<br />
positions across the FedEx Express<br />
operating company in multiple<br />
regions, including chief operating<br />
officer and president—international,<br />
FedEx Express Asia Pacific chief<br />
financial officer, and regional<br />
president of the Asia Pacific region.<br />
Most recently as president and CEO<br />
of FedEx Express, Cunningham has<br />
been responsible for the leadership<br />
and direction of the FedEx Express<br />
group, which includes FedEx Express<br />
and TNT.<br />
David J. Bronczek, president and<br />
chief operating officer, FedEx<br />
Corporation, thanked Cunningham for<br />
his distinguished services while<br />
expressing his optimism in Raj's global<br />
vision for growth for the company.<br />
Brie Carere, a more than 17-year<br />
F e d E x v e t e r a n , w i l l s u c c e e d<br />
Subramaniam as executive vice<br />
president, chief marketing and<br />
communications officer of FedEx<br />
Corporation.<br />
ATM has new chief as World Travel Market<br />
names new portfolio director<br />
DUBAI: The World Travel Market<br />
portfolio, which includes the Dubaibased<br />
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), is<br />
getting a boost with the appointment<br />
of French national Claude Blanc as<br />
new portfolio director.<br />
In his new role, Blanc takes on the<br />
overall responsibility for all events in<br />
the World Travel Market—WTM<br />
L o n d o n , Tr a v e l F o r w a rd , t h e<br />
International Travel & Tourism<br />
Awards, ATM, WTM Latin America<br />
and WTM Africa.<br />
Blanc has 25 years experience in the<br />
industry and was the CEO at the Parisbased<br />
Travel & Co, a tour operating<br />
group which he founded in 2007<br />
before his appointment.<br />
“Having been a sponsor, an<br />
exhibitor and a visitor at many travel<br />
trade shows, I bring a client<br />
perspective, an international network<br />
and a digital culture. It's an exciting<br />
time to come on board, as the WTM<br />
Portfolio is set to smash last year's<br />
achievement of $7 billion worldwide<br />
industry deals,” said Blanc.<br />
Blanc will now report to Nick<br />
Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed<br />
Travel Exhibitions, a travel industry<br />
stalwart, with more than 17 years of<br />
FTSE 100 experience in the travel<br />
industry with corporate giants such as<br />
British Airways, Iberia and Avios.<br />
Claude Blanc<br />
ATM 2019, taking place at Dubai<br />
World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1<br />
May 2019, will adopt cutting-edge<br />
technology and innovation as its<br />
spotlight theme.
MEBAA Show<br />
10-12 <strong>Dec</strong>ember 20<strong>18</strong><br />
DWC, Dubai Airshow Site
UPCOMING<br />
E V E N T S<br />
1st Port Development<br />
Southeast Asia Summit 2019<br />
Cargo Logistics<br />
Canada<br />
AVSEC World 2019<br />
A modern and well managed port sector is crucial<br />
to Southeast Asia's economic progress and to<br />
expanding global trading routes. Port<br />
infrastructure is a growing priority in such an<br />
extensive archipelagic region of some 24,000<br />
islands which span 5,200km east to west and<br />
3,400km from north to south. Indonesia,<br />
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the<br />
Philippines are currently planning to upgrading<br />
or building new port facilities.<br />
Expect notable speakers from different port<br />
authorities in ASEAN, port & terminal operators,<br />
s h i p p i n g l i n e s , l e a d i n g e q u i p m e n t<br />
manufacturers, solutions providers, investors,<br />
etc., to deliver informative presentations.<br />
Bangkok, Thailand<br />
January 23-24, 2019<br />
Middle East Air Cargo & Logistics<br />
2019 Conference & Awards<br />
North America's Largest Multimodal Expo &<br />
Conference will be held in the beautiful<br />
Vancouver, British Columbia. Connecting freight<br />
owners with freight movers – fostering<br />
multimodal synergy between diverse<br />
stakeholders in import, export and domestic<br />
supply chains, this is one event you wouldn't<br />
want to miss.<br />
Vancouver Convention Centre West<br />
February 5-7, 2019<br />
Breakbulk Middle East<br />
Breakbulk Middle East is the only exhibition and<br />
conference in the region specifically designed for<br />
the project cargo and breakbulk industry. Under<br />
the patronage of the Federal Transport Authority,<br />
more than 60 exhibitors, representing the end-toend<br />
value chain for the transport of oversize<br />
cargo, will be present at the event, with some of<br />
the leading names in the regional and<br />
international sector attending.<br />
Expect lively panel discussions, case studies and<br />
thought leadership in this two-day conference<br />
and exhibition, with key industry members<br />
sharing their knowledge and experience.<br />
Dubai World Trade Center<br />
February 11-12, 2019<br />
Air Cargo Africa<br />
2019<br />
AVSEC World in Miami, Florida, USA, will<br />
showcase the dynamic security environment and<br />
provide a forum to address the challenges that the<br />
industry faces. The Conference unites<br />
professionals in the security sphere to discuss<br />
current issues and actions to be taken to manage<br />
risks in the aviation industry today.<br />
With over 450 security experts representing the<br />
full spectrum of the aviation industry, this is the<br />
security event to attend and to expand your<br />
networks.<br />
Hilton Miami l Miami, Florida<br />
February 26-28, 2019<br />
Defence Logistics Central<br />
and Eastern Europe<br />
The 2019 conference will bring together the key<br />
military logisticians from across the Central and<br />
Eastern European region and beyond, to discuss<br />
new trends and crucial developments in Defence<br />
Logistics and discuss how modern Armed Forces<br />
are increasingly pursuing improved logistical<br />
efficiency.<br />
Prague, Czech Republic<br />
March 5-6, 2019<br />
13th World Cargo<br />
Symposium<br />
The Middle East Air Cargo & Logistics 20<strong>18</strong><br />
Conference & Awards is a new transformative<br />
event to be held in Dubai, the global business hub<br />
and the region's focal point in air freight and<br />
logistics. In partnership with Dubai South<br />
(formerly Dubai World Central), a sprawling<br />
multibillion economic zone supporting logistics,<br />
aviation, commercial, humanitarian, residential<br />
and other businesses around the Al Maktoum<br />
International Airport, the venue for Expo 2020,<br />
this conference promises to be an engaging and<br />
informative gathering of cargo operators,<br />
forwarders, airlines, integrators, airports,<br />
shippers, investors, brokers, general sales<br />
agents, entrepreneurs, suppliers, among other<br />
stakeholders.<br />
Dubai South | www.meacl.com<br />
January 29-30, 2019<br />
AIR CARGO AFRICA 2019 is the mega event set for<br />
in February at the Casino Convention Resort,<br />
Emperors Palace in City of Ekurhuleni. This year's<br />
theme “Liberalization & Modernization: The way<br />
to push frontiers of excellence in air freight<br />
industry in Africa.” Expect an engaging global air<br />
cargo community to explore and strengthen<br />
networking corridors with the African Continent.<br />
Casino Convention Resort, Emperors<br />
Palace, South Africa<br />
February 19-21, 2019<br />
The World Cargo Symposium (WCS) is the largest<br />
and most prestigious annual event of its kind and<br />
the only one to bring together key stakeholders<br />
from the entire air cargo supply chain. Join over<br />
1,000 air cargo leaders and more than 40<br />
exhibitors in Singapore, for this action-packed<br />
World Cargo Symposium.<br />
WCS 2019 will feature plenary sessions,<br />
specialized tracks, workshops and executive<br />
summits, tackling aspects related to Technology<br />
& Innovation, Security & Customs, Cargo<br />
Operations, and Sustainability.<br />
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore<br />
March 12-14, 2019<br />
To view Careers in Aviation Industry visit:<br />
http://www.aircargoupdate.com/index.php/careers
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