DHL Supply Chain recently launched a smart warehouse for international food packaging and processing company Tetra Pak in Singapore. The warehouse integrates internet of things (IoT) technology with data analytics to constantly monitor and maintain the conditions of perishable goods.
The combination of big data and IoT technology allows Tetra Pak to troubleshoot problems in real time. For instance, warehouse supervisors can use data to improve traffic flow, resource planning, and more efficiently make work assignments.
Goods are shelved within half an hour of arrival, and outgoing deliveries are prepared in just over an hour and a half.
The warehouse launch fits with other investments DHL Supply Chain has been making over the past few years. Most recently in May, the company expanded the number of warehouses that use its “smart glasses” vision picking tool, which implements augmented reality technology. In December, it announced plans to implement several emerging technologies in 350 of its 430 North American facilities, including augmented reality, IoT and robotics process automation.
Last November, the company ordered 10 Tesla Electric Class 8 semi-trailer trucks, which include self-navigation technology, to address a driver shortage. Earlier in 2017, the company also launched a pilot program testing robotic workers in warehouses and implemented IoT at an automotive site in China.
Source: Air Cargo World
Accenture announced the launch of its new cloud-based platform, Accenture’s Freight and Logistics Software (AFLS) Exchange, that allows for integration of air cargo carriers’ operations with those of their partners’ networks.
AFLS Exchange gives carriers real-time visibility across their partner and joint venture networks. Carriers can leverage the platform for route enquiries, capacity availability checks and bookings. According to Accenture, the platform is meant to digitally support efficient and secure transactions for carriers, which enables faster response times as compared to manual processes. As a result, carriers can save costs and optimize freight capacity.
The AFLS solution programs capacity checks, decreases the need for manual intervention, and offers a better grasp of space availability, therefore simplifying the air cargo reservation process, making it much more efficient.
Air France–KLM–Martinair Cargo has signed up as the launch carrier for the platform.
Accenture also recently launched its AFLS 8.0 booking platform with Virgin Atlantic Cargo, last month.
Source: Air Cargo World
Broker Air Charter Service was recently called into action to move almost 400 tons of components to complete a new power plant in Niger.
In total, four flights were needed to complete the operation.
Alex Busila, Cargo Director of ACS’s France office said: “Our client needed to get ten 40 foot containers, each weighing 35 tons, plus an extra 40 tons of cargo, from France to Niamey, the capital city of Niger. It was being flown in so that a new power plant could be completed in time to help provide power before the African Union summit, held in Niamey on June 6-7.
“The only aircraft capable of carrying three 40 foot containers of these weights in one go is the AN-124, so it was the natural choice for the flights. The tenth container was accompanied by another 40 tons of supplementary outsized cargo necessary for the construction.”
The charters flew out of France and were spaced one week apart, starting in mid-May and finishing in mid-June.
Source: Air Cargo News
Swissport has signed a long-term lease and is investing several million euros in equipment and fittings for the new facility, which is being built by Brussels Airport Company.
The building will consist of a 25,000 sq m warehouse, a material handling system, office space and 3,620 sq m of end-to-end facilities.
The brand new Swissport Pharma Center will feature an increased surface area for pharmaceutical products and ambient pharma space (+15° to +25°C) will more than triple from 800 sq m to 2,620 sq m. Additionally, a 1,000 sq m cooling facility (+2° to +8°C) will be available.
Landside it will feature 50 truck loading bays in a closed perimeter, while airside there will be “speed gates”, enabling “time efficient logistics processes from the warehouse into the aircraft cargo hold”.
Luzius Wirth, Executive Vice President Europe, Middle-East & Africa (EMEA) for Swissport, said: “Our new warehouse and the state-of-the-art Swissport Pharma Center will be the benchmark for modern and efficient air cargo and pharma logistics.”
Construction of the new Swissport facility started in January 2019 and will take about two years to complete, following a phased approach.
Swissport Belgium, with a workforce of some 2,000 employees, handles more than 550,000 tons of air cargo each year.
Source: Air Cargo News
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Animal Transport Association (ATA) to encourage industry adoption of IATA’s CEIV Live Animals Certification, during the recent ATA 49th Annual Conference in Budapest on July 10th.
Under the MoU, ATA will encourage its members to pursue attainment of the CEIV Live Animals certification program, which establishes baseline standards protecting animal welfare in handling and transport. ATA will also encourage its members to form CEIV Certified communities.
At the same time, ATA and IATA will collaborate to ensure ATA members are aligned with the CEIV Live Program requirements. The organizations also said they will jointly work to improve the handling and transport of animals worldwide and ensure access to training for stakeholders in the cargo community, though no further details have yet been determined.
Greater implementation of the CEIV Live Animal process will “result in better collaboration between supply chain members,” said Filip Vande Cappelle, president of ATA. In effect, this will set a common standard in the industry, which will ultimately support considerable cost saving for participants in the program.
IATA initially launched its CEIV Live Animal program last April, after working on its development with the London Heathrow Animal Reception Center (HARC) and Air Canada Cargo — Air Canada Cargo was the first company to obtain the certification, last August.
Source: : Air Cargo World / Air Cargo Week
The latest figures from Airports Council International (ACI) Europe show that cargo volumes were down by 2.2% in May.
European Union (EU) airports saw freight traffic fall by 2.3% while non-EU ones registered a 1.6% decline.
The only positive that can be drawn from the update is that the fall is slightly better than the 2.6% decline recorded over the first five months of the year.
Of the top 10 European airports for freight, only Madrid (4.5%), Liege (3.7%), Paris CDG (3.1%) and Frankfurt (0.6%) reported increases in freight traffic.
Source: Air Cargo News
Ukrainian airlines performed on schedule in June 2019, 73.9% of 5335 flights from Ukrainian airports, while the result of foreign airlines was 77.4%, with 3122 departures from Ukrainian airports, according to statistics published by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The most punctual airline of the country with the result of 96% of flights on schedule was Atlasjet Ukraine. Next come Motor Sich with a rate of 93.7% and Wind Rose with the result of 88.6% of flights without delay. In June, the largest airline in Ukraine, UIA performed 78% of flights in compliance with the schedule.
The worst results were shown by SkyUp and Bravo Airways, which completed without delay only 47.9% and 33.3% of all their flights, respectively.
Six foreign carriers did not detain any departure in June 2019: Alitalia, Aigle Azur, Aegean Airlines, Iraqi Airways, Bulgaria Air, Tarom.
Not less than 90% of Czech Airlines, airBaltic, Air Arabia, Belavia and Qatar Airways showed the punctuality result.
Among the outsiders in terms of punctuality were the British division of Wizz Air (46.4%), Arkia (42.9%) and Ernest Airlines (39.9%).
When making the rating, the flight was considered to be a schedule, if the deviation from the schedule did not exceed 15 minutes.
Punctuality rating of foreign airlines by departing from the airports of Ukraine in June 2019
Punctuality rating of Ukrainian airlines by departing from the airports of Ukraine in June 2019
Source: Avianews
Kuehne+Nagel has signed up to use the Vienna Pharma Handling Center at the city’s airport. The freight forwarder said that as a result of the deal it would have access to its own, exclusive handling area, at the new 1,600 sq m centre.
Julian Jäger, member of the Management Board (COO) of Flughafen Wien, said: “Quick and efficient cargo handling is a key success factor in international freight transport. Thanks to the new Pharma Handling Center, 23 countries can now be reached within a day and a half, and 15 countries can even be supplied within 24 hours of travel time via the Vienna pharma hub. We are delighted that Kuehne+Nagel relies on our flexibility and operational excellence.”
Patrick Mair, National Airfreight Manager at Kuehne+Nagel Austria, added: “All services such as packaging, storage, loading and unloading of temperature-controlled shipments can now be offered in an exclusive handling area. An additional benefit of the partnership is the fact that the facility is situated directly at the apron with very short tarmac distances to all aircraft positions. This enables a continuous cold chain for our shipments and seamless, temperature-controlled transportation to and from the aircraft, which was not previously available at Vienna International Airport.”
Vienna Pharma Handling Center was opened in December 2018. It is part of the Air Cargo Center and directly accessible from both, land and airside areas.
The facility provides two separate temperature-controlled areas: A 1,600 sq m CRT (Controlled Room Temperature) area for the handling of pharmaceuticals at 15 – 25°C and an additional 153 sq m for the storage, build-up and break down of 2° – 8°C shipments.
Source: Air Cargo Week
Building work has been completed on the structure of the largest building at Budapest Airport, which will be its new dedicated freight terminal BUD Cargo City, which covers 21,600 sq m and which will be used for the handling of air cargo.
The construction of the larger warehouse building at Budapest Airport’s new logistics base took nine months.
The BUD Cargo City will also house a 32,000 sq m concrete apron and will provide additional new parking positions for the simultaneous handling of two Boeing 747-8F type aircraft.
Construction of BUD Cargo City is financed by Budapest Airport for €50 million, and set for completion at the end of this year.
René Droese, Budapest Airport’s chief property and cargo officer said: “The current international trade conflicts undoubtedly pose challenges for the representatives of the industry, but we are confident, as the volume of air cargo handled by Budapest Airport is characterised by stability in 2019.”
Source: Airline Economics