JUPITER SEA & AIR SERVICES PVT. LTD, EGMORE – CHENNAI, INDIA.
E-MAIL : Robert.sands@jupiterseaair.co.in Mobile : +91 98407 85202
Corporate News Letter for Tuesday April 30, 2024.
:: Today’s Exchange Rates ::
Source : The Economic Times
|
CURRENCY |
PRICE |
CHANGE |
%CHANGE |
OPEN |
PREV.CLOSE |
DAY's LOW-HIGH |
|
83.47 |
0.110001 |
0.131958 |
83.39 |
83.36 |
83.385- 83.505 |
|
|
1.0715 |
0.0022 |
0.205732 |
1.0689 |
1.0693 |
1.0691- 1.0734 |
|
|
104.6029 |
0.279396 |
0.267817 |
104.3864 |
104.3235 |
104.3864- 104.6663 |
|
|
89.4377 |
-0.047401 |
-0.052971 |
89.363 |
89.4851 |
89.2958- 89.543 |
|
|
155.833 |
-2.497009 |
-1.577092 |
157.99 |
158.33 |
154.516- 160.216 |
|
|
1.2528 |
0.0035 |
0.280156 |
1.2487 |
1.2493 |
1.2485- 1.2549 |
|
|
105.661 |
-0.277 |
-0.261474 |
106.039 |
105.938 |
105.462- 106.082 |
|
|
0.536 |
0.0058 |
1.093928 |
0.5279 |
0.5302 |
0.5218- 0.5397 |
/// Sea Cargo News ///
PIL
predicts Red Sea crisis to keep it in black for 2024
Despite sharply reduced earnings in 2023, Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL) expects the Red Sea crisis to keep the once-struggling liner operator in the black for 2024.
PIL submitted its 2023 financial statements to the Accounting
and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore early in April 2024. The
figures showed PIL’s net profit dived to US$307 million, from US$3 billion in
2022 and US$2.6 billion in 2021, as the freight market normalised after the
Covid-19-fuelled boom.
In mid-2020, as PIL faced a third consecutive loss-making year,
the company secured a restructuring arrangement with Heliconia Capital
Management, a subsidiary of Singapore’s state-backed investment vehicle Temasek
Holdings.
Consequently, in February 2021, Ivy 2 Investments VCC, a
variable capital company managed by Heliconia, purchased 5 million preference
shares in PIL, although the company remains controlled by the founding Teo
family. As of March, Ivy 2 Investments has over 2.37 million preference shares.
In March 2021, PIL, with court approval, reached an agreement to
delay payments to bond holders. However, the pandemic-induced windfall saw PIL
repay US$1 billion of debt ahead of schedule by the end of 2021.
PIL CEO Lars Karstrup said in an interview with local media that
while PIL’s 2023 net profit had fallen sharply, it gelled with the rest of the
market.
He described the results as “in line with peers at a time when
container shipping rates began their downward trajectory, after
pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions and a slowdown in the e-commerce
boom.”
Karstrup said that PIL navigated the market correction through
cost management, improved efficiencies and network expansion, amidst steady
shipment volumes.
PIL reduced fuel consumption, optimised ship deployment and used
digitalisation to enhance operational efficiency. The boom years have left PIL
with cash holdings of US$1.9 billion, which should be adequate weather any
challenges, said Karstrup.
Karstrup added that the rerouting of ships around the Cape of
Good Hope amid the Red Sea crisis has absorbed some of the tonnage overhang,
and sets PIL on course for a profitable 2024.
Temporary
channel opens in Baltimore to facilitate ship traffic after bridge collapse
Dali after knocking down the Baltimore bridge / Source:
VesselFinder.The Captain of the Port of Baltimore established the Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, which is on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and will provide limited access for commercially essential vessels.
The Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, depicted in green, in the below drawing, has a controlling depth of six metres, a 90-metre horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 41 metres, and will facilitate additional commercially essential vessel traffic through the port. This action is part of a phased approach to opening the main channel.
The Fort
Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, depicted in green, has a controlling depth
of 20 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 135
feet, and will facilitate additional commercially essential vessel traffic
through the port of Baltimore. Infographic courtesy of Key Bridge Response 2024
Unified Command.
FMC refuses to comment on contradictory D&D rules claim
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has refused to comment on
claims by the World Shipping Council (WSC) that its interpretive rule on
detention and demurrage (D&D) charges is contradictory.
On 18 April, the WSC filed a petition with the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking to have the FMC
correct what it said is “an internal contradiction in its new rule on detention
and demurrage.”
The WSC wanted to alter the wording of the rule that defined the
“billed party” to include trucking companies that control containers to account
for situations where vessel operators enter directly into written contracts
with truckers that use containers in freight movements.
The dispute comes from the wording of the finalised interpretive
rule on D&D charges, which WSC President & CEO John Butler argues:
“Contains a significant internal contradiction regarding the billing of motor
carriers for detention and demurrage. That inconsistency is already creating
substantial confusion and uncertainty for ocean carriers and other industry
participants.”
He added the preamble to the rule states that an ocean carrier
may invoice a motor carrier with which it holds a contract. “The language of
the rule itself, however, appears to prohibit such billing,” said Butler. However, in a Preamble Text the FMC responded
to this question raised in the comments pages of its proposed rule.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding on the commenter’s part
about the rule’s applicability. As discussed in the NPRM [Notice to Proposed
Rulemaking], a primary purpose of this rule is to stop demurrage and detention
invoices from being sent to parties who did not negotiate contract terms with
the billing party.”
An FMC spokesman told Container
News: “Since this is an ongoing case there are limitations that can
be discussed.”
Nevertheless, the WSC asked the FMC to fix this inconsistency,
and the carrier representative said, it has, so far not done so, and as a
result, WSC has petitioned the court to correct the rule “in order to ensure
regulatory clarity for ocean carriers, their customers and business partners.’’
Industry sources, however, have claimed that the carriers, who
almost exclusively opposed the D&D rule in the Federal Register’s comments,
simply do not like paying.
One source said that the WSC is overstepping its authority, and
another said that nobody likes paying charges. “My dog ate stones last week, I
can’t tell you how much I had to pay for ultrasound and the like, I didn’t like
it at all,” the source pointed out.
A third source argued that the carriers need to be more
politically savvy, “We are in an election year there is nothing that Congress
would like more than to take on a bunch of foreign carriers to show that they
are supporting American industry.”
According to the Federal Register when collecting comments on
the D&D rules “VOCCs [vessel operating common carriers] overwhelmingly
questioned or did not support the rule.”
The three issues raised by commenters most often were: “(1)
concerns with the prohibition on billing other parties that are not
contractually connected, (2) concerns with additional information the
Commission proposed to require in addition to the OSRA 2022 mandated
information, and (3) concerns with the time periods for billing.”
The tussle between the eldest and youngest sons of the Evergreen
group’s late founder, Chang Yung-fa, intensified on 22 April, after the eldest
son, Chang Kuo-hua, was accused of reaping an illicit profit of nearly US$64
million, allegedly through insider trading of Evergreen Marine Corporation’s
shares.
Accused with Chang Kuo-hua is another EMC director, Ko
Li-ching.
The accuser, lawyer Lin Wen-peng, one of EMC’s minor
shareholders, filed his complaint with the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office.
Lin is understood to be an ally of Chang Kuo-hua’s youngest brother,
Kuo-wei. Lin’s accusation is widely seen as Chang Kuo-Wei’s indirect initiation
of a legal battle
Following Chang Yung-fa’s death in 2016, his four sons began a
struggle for control over the Taiwanese shipping and aviation group, which
includes EVA Airways. The patriarch named Chang Kuo-wei, borne of his second
wife, as his successor in his will, but this was not accepted by his older
brothers, who were all borne of their father’s first wife.
Chang Kuo-wei was subsequently removed from the family
business and he established Starlux Airlines, although he somewhat
returned to the fold in 2022, as chairman of EVA Airways’ domestic carrier, Uni
Air. In the past year, his older brothers are understood to have acted to
separate EMC from EVA Airways, selling off cross-affiliated shares.
In response to Lin’s accusation, Chang Kuo-hua issued a
statement denying any wrongdoing, and called for rational communication, saying
that any disputes with his brothers should not implicate “innocent people”.
He explained, “On the ex-dividend date of EMC’s stocks on 30
June last year, I purchased a huge amount of shares in an after-hours
transaction, intending to increase my stake in EMC. I haven’t sold any stocks
so far and have no plan to sell my shares. The transaction was declared in
accordance with the law, and there was no insider trading, let alone any
profit.”
Chang Kuo-hua said he has dedicated his life to the
shipping business, and in 2017 and 2018, when EMC struggled due to structural
overcapacity, he did not hesitate to support the company by buying additional
shares.
He added, “Some people have manipulated the media and abused the
judicial process by implying that Ms Ko and I have engaged in insider trading,
amid a recurrence of disputes over the group’s management rights. I’m a
law-abiding citizen and will fully cooperate with any
investigation.”
Baltimore City Council is seeking compensation from the owner
and manager of the container ship Dali over the Francis Scott Key Bridge
collapse.
In papers submitted to the US federal courts on 22 April, Mayor
Brandon Scott and city officials have accused Singapore-based tonnage provider
Grace Ocean and ship manager Synergy Marine of negligence.
The plaintiffs alleged that Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine were
careless, negligent and reckless, and asserted the 10,000 TEU Dali, which was
assigned to Maersk Line’s Asia-US East Coast service, was not seaworthy
when the
vessel hit the bridge on 26 March, killing six
construction workers.
While the cause of the allision between Dali and the bridge is
still being investigated, the US National Transportation Safety Board chair
Jennifer Homendy said at a US Senate hearing on 10 April that
investigators are concentrating on electrical issues on the ship, believing
there is a relation between the blackout on Dali and the vessel drifting off
course and knocking into the bridge.
Baltimore’s officials have charged that after the supposed power
outage in Dali, the backup generator failed to be activated.
Scott and council officials stated that Grace Ocean and Synergy
Marine must be held fully responsible for the bridge collapse, even though the
two companies have filed a petition seeking to cap any resulting damages,
and denying any liability for the incident.
While the damages were not quantified, Baltimore’s authorities
stated that the port produced US$70 billion of income annually, and ocean-going
container ships made 3,600 trips in 2023. They added that since 1980, ships
have passed under the bridge without accidents and that closing the shipping
channel in Patapsco River has resulted in economic damage.
The 2015-built Singapore-flagged Dali remains anchored outside
Baltimore, pending investigations and salvage operations. Representatives of
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine have not responded to Container News’ request
for comment.
YM Masculinity / Credit: Martina Li
Yang Ming has announced the upcoming implementation of a revamp
service set-up for its Far East - East Coast of South America (FE-ECSA)
network.
The Taiwanese box line has decided to enhance the existing SA3
service and launch a new service, namely SA5, effective from early May.
With the addition of the SA5 service, Yang Ming aims to
strengthen its existing service network and provide customers with a more
comprehensive delivery service across FE-ECSA markets.
SA3 service
Shanghai (China) – Ningbo (China) – Yantian (China) – Hong Kong
– Singapore – Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) – Santos (Brazil) – Navegantes (Brazil) –
Montevideo - Buenos Aires – Paranagua – Santos – Singapore – Hong Kong –
Shanghai
SA5 service
Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Singapore - Rio de
Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Itapoa – Navegantes – Santos – Colombo –
Singapore – Hong Kong – Qingdao.
Danish ocean carrier Maersk has decided to upgrade its ME2
container service with the addition of port calls to key destinations in North
Europe. In particular, Maersk will include the ports of Rotterdam, Felixstowe
and Bremerhaven in the ME2 service rotation from the third week of April.
The updated port rotation of the ME2 service will be Port
Tangier (Morocco) – Algeciras (Spain) – Rotterdam (Netherlands) – Felixstowe
(UK) – Bremerhaven (Germany) – Port Tangier – Salalah (Egypt) – Jebel Ali (UAE)
– Mundra (India) – Nhava Sheva (India) – Port Tangier.
"This strategic extension of the ME2 service to key
destinations in North Europe will benefit North India’s exporters, particularly
those in the lifestyle and retail sectors," said Maersk in its
announcement, adding that manufacturers and exporters will get expedited access
to important consumer markets in North Europe.
The transit times for ocean transports between Mumbai ports and
North Europe will be shortened by five to seven days, according to the
Copenhagen-based box line, while on the backhaul from North Europe to India,
the importers for the automotive sector will benefit from faster transit times
for automotive components transported into India.
"With the enhancements made to the ME2 service, we are
emphasising our commitment towards one of the most important trade routes. By
adding port calls to key destinations in North Europe, we are empowering our
customers with faster access to the vital market, thereby enabling them to
capitalise on business opportunities and increase their competitiveness,"
stated Morten Juul, Head of Regional Ocean Management for Indian
Subcontinent, Middle East & Africa at Maersk.
Despite the expansion, the nominal capacity of the weekly ME2
service will remain unchanged. However, Maersk will deploy two additional
vessels to the rotation to accommodate the extended coverage in North Europe.
MSC and
Mercy Ships join forces to build state-of-the-art hospital ship
A groundbreaking partnership involving MSC Group, MSC
Foundation, and the nonprofit Mercy Ships International is set to initiate the
construction of a state-of-the-art hospital ship. This vessel will annually
provide free surgeries and training to thousands of individuals across Africa.
On 8 April, Captain Gianluigi Aponte, chairman of MSC Group and
MSC Foundation, along with his son Diego Aponte, president of MSC Group and
Member of the MSC Foundation Board, and Don Stephens, founder of Mercy Ships,
solidified an agreement to launch this transformative project.
The MSC Foundation's initial donation serves as a testament to the leaders' dedication to ensuring access to vital healthcare for future generations.
"I spent part of my childhood and early years in the
shipping industry in the Horn of Africa, it is a region close to my heart. I
saw firsthand the challenges faced by many local communities there and this
shaped my conviction that improving the availability of healthcare would bring
real and lasting impact for them.
It has been extremely gratifying to work with Don and provide
this crucial support through his unique organisation Mercy Ships, our
partnership has reaped extraordinary results already and now we are on the
verge of expanding their fleet to increase this support. I truly look forward
to seeing this new ship set sail to help more communities across Africa,"
stated Captain Aponte, founder of the MSC Group.
Since its establishment in 1978, Mercy Ships has performed over
117,000 life-changing specialized surgical procedures. These interventions
encompass a wide range of services, including maxillofacial reconstructions,
contracture release for severe burns, orthopaedic corrections in children,
cleft lip and palate repair, as well as ophthalmology and dental care.
As a non-governmental organization, Mercy Ships is dedicated to
enhancing the capabilities of local healthcare systems through sustainable
surgical education, training, and advocacy initiatives.
To date, Mercy Ships has provided additional training to more
than 54,300 local professionals in various medical fields.
By expanding its fleet with a purpose-built hospital ship,
designed with similar specifications as the Global Mercy™ and emphasizing
designated training areas, Mercy Ships aims to bolster its capacity for
collaborating with host nations on training and advocacy endeavours.
The pressing need to expedite access to surgical care and
education in sub-Saharan Africa remains evident. During his welcome speech at
the recent West African College of Surgeons (WACS) conference in Freetown, Vice
President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh of Sierra Leone highlighted that the country
still grapples with a staggering 91% unmet surgical needs.
While acknowledging the strides made thus far, he called for
concerted collaborative efforts to address the existing surgical deficits.
“The investment of many around the world towards a fleet of
hospital ships will be enhanced by the future of our new purpose-built vessel.
The mission of Mercy Ships to bring Hope and Healing is only possible by the
generosity of our partners, volunteer crew, and the provision of God.
Today, I am grateful to MSC for their support,"
stated Don Stephens, founder of Mercy Ships,
who confirmed Mercy Ships’ vision for serving African nations with
safe surgical care and education.
The upcoming vessel will offer living quarters for approximately
600 crew members and guests. Its hospital facilities will occupy two decks,
spanning over 7,000 square meters.
These facilities will include six operating rooms, a fully
equipped laboratory, and advanced training areas such as a simulation lab.
These features enable Mercy Ships to enhance local surgical capabilities during
its usual 10-month field service periods while docked in ports.
“This new hospital ship will bring state-of-the-art equipment
and facilities to support the nations we serve. This new vessel and her future
crew will enable us to meet surgical needs while supporting host nations as
they develop healthcare systems with their next generation of medical
professionals,” stated Gert van de Weerdhof, CEO of Mercy Ships.
/// Air Cargo News ///
Teleport teams up with Viejet on New Delhi – Ho Chi Minh City capacity
Nelson Wu,
VietJet Air Cargo Managing Director, and Pete Chareonwongsak, CEO of Teleport
at the signing partnership agreement. Photo: TeleportSoutheast Asia air logistics provider Teleport has signed a
contract to manage the exclusive commercial rights of Vietjet Air Cargo’s New
Delhi – Ho Chi Minh City belly cargo capacity to better serve the growing air
cargo demand coming in and out of Southeast Asia.
This follows the November 2023 signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between Vietjet Air Cargo
and Teleport to mutually extend its network, combining Teleport’s southeast
Asia air logistics network with Vietjet’s Asia Pacific flight network.
Vietjet Air Cargo’s Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City sector flies four
times a week, with available extended connections across the Vietjet Air and
Teleport networks cargo destinations such as Melbourne, Sydney and
Auckland.
Nelson Wu, Vietjet Air Cargo managing director, said: “We see
this as the beginning of a deeper partnership with Teleport to leverage their
end-to-end Total Cargo Management capabilities, and their experience to ensure
we never fly empty on our New Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City sector.
“Vietjet’s hub out of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi greatly
complement Teleport’s seven key Southeast Asia hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta,
Bangkok, Manila, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. By synergising our cargo
networks, sales operations and e-commerce logistics across strategic markets,
Vietjet Air Cargo will mutually unlock a wider range of destinations, far
beyond point-to-point shipping.”
Wu added: “We believe in the tangible benefits of this
partnership and are committed to turning our shared vision into reality. By
expanding this network of cooperation, we aim to create a more extensive and
valuable ecosystem, unlocking new possibilities and driving further
innovation.”
Teleport chief executive Pete Chareonwongsak said: “This
partnership is very meaningful for Teleport as it shows Vietjet Air Cargo’s
trust in us to commercially manage their New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City sector on
their behalf.”
Teleport has managed belly cargo capacity for all six airlines
under AirAsia since 2018.
Chareonwongsak added: “When we combined AirAsia’s belly capacity
as one and built it on a Total Cargo Management foundation using technology, we
learned how to help low-cost airlines maximise their passenger belly capacity.
Because we were founded in 2018, we had a good headstart in
capturing the emerging e-commerce opportunity at the time, and built that into
one of our core capabilities.”
“As a result, we have been successful in providing value-added
incremental revenue on AirAsia’s available belly space – AirAsia’s ancillary
revenue contribution by Teleport grew from 2% (RM209 mil/USD50 mil) in 2018 to
6% (RM761 mil/USD162 mil) in 2023.
This is a highly scalable model for low-cost airlines to
maximise their cargo operations. With this track record, we are confident
VietJet Air Cargo will benefit as our newest Teleport Air Partner.”
In March, Teleport placed
its capacity on freight forwarder platform
CargoWise.
WestJet Cargo looks to capitalise on additional Paris flights
© 2019
Chad Slattery. Source: WestJet CargoWestJet Cargo is hoping to capitalise on the addition of extra
weekly bellyhold flights between Calgary and Paris CDG.
WestJet has announced that it will increase the number of times
it flies between Calgary and the French capital to five-times-per week in the
winter and daily in the summer from last year’s four flights in the winter and
five in the summer.
The service is operated using WestJet’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
aircraft, which offer around 18 tons of cargo capacity per flight. The route supports a “diverse cargo base” and
offers connections to various locations in France and beyond, the carrier said.
Sales agent services – along with value-added services such as
business intelligence – will be provided by ECS Group. Kirsten de Bruijn,
executive vice president of cargo at WestJet, said: “Our expansion into
European markets through the Paris hub is a key part of our growth strategy.
ECS Group’s technological support and network have been indispensable in
enhancing our service capabilities, allowing us to pursue new opportunities in
additional European countries.”
Earlier this year, WestJet outlined its plans to target digital
investments in cargo as well as network and product expansion following the
launch of freighter operations last year. The Canada-based combination
carrier’s will launch a new website this year “in anticipation of a shift
towards more self-service options”.
It also plans to launch new digital partnerships with the
possible addition of its capacity to a digital marketplace. On network, the airline is adding a bellyhold
flight to Seoul in May and will upgrade its Narita service to a year-round
operation.
Cathay’s cargo volumes rise again in March
Source:
Cathay PacificCathay Pacific has reported increased air cargo demand in March
following the Chinese New Year, while e-commerce and express demand helped
boost volumes.
The airline carried 134,551 tonnes of cargo in March, an
increase of 10.5% compared with March 2023. The month’s cargo revenue tonne
kilometres (RFTKs) increased 4.1% year on year.
In comparison, the cargo load factor decreased by 4.3 percentage
points to 62.7% as available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs) increased by 11.2%
year on year.
In the first three months of 2024, tonnage increased by 11.1% to
a total of 356,380 tonnes, against a 15.2% increase in AFTKs and a 6.2%
increase in RFTKs, compared with the same period for 2023.
Cathay’s cargo volumes for the first quarter have been bolstered
by its specialist verticals, especially perishables.
Chief Customer and commercial officer Lavinia Lau said: “Cargo
demand was stronger in March, with our tonnage up by 26% compared with the
previous month and up by 11% compared to March 2023.
“Cargo demand out of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland picked
up quickly after factories re-opened following the Chinese New Year holidays,
and we observed an increase in e-commerce and express shipments due to the
end-of-quarter rush.”
Lau added that the airline’s outlook was positive ahead of the
Chinese Mainland’s forthcoming Labour Day ‘Golden Week’ holiday period from
April 29 to May 5.
She said that “we expect e-commerce demand to remain strong and
for overall air cargo demand to be stable on long-haul routes”.
Swissport adds forwarder handling services at Frankfurt
Photo: Swissport
Swissport has continued to roll out its forwarder handling services, with JAS Worldwide utilising the product in Frankfurt. The handler has been offering forwarder handling at its facilities in Vienna and Graz for a number of years but is now looking to roll the service out globally.
Frankfurt is the latest location to offer the service and forwarder JAS Worldwide has decided to sign up for the offering. Forwarder handling sees Swissport add a direct business relationship with forwarders and not solely with airlines.
Among the handling solutions for forwarders are
build-up/break-down, security screening, sorting, services which before
forwarders dealt with in their own warehouses.
Swissport said that the expansion of forwarder handling is in
line with the company’s “holistic approach of serving the entire logistics
community beyond airlines”.
“By offering forwarder handling we are contributing to our
customers’ value creation and can also eliminate third-party involvement, which
translates directly into time and cost savings for our customers,” said Andreas
Behnke, managing director interim of Swissport Cargo Services Germany and
Austria.
“Combined with our digitalized processes and tools, the new
offer allows for streamlined logistics processes and efficient freight
handling.”
Swissport became JAS Worldwide’s sole cargo handling agent at
the airport in January.
Matthias Frey, vice president global airfreight operations at
JAS Worldwide, said: “We are pleased to solidify another partnership with
Swissport through this new ground services agreement. Given their exceptional
service record, particularly in JAS’s Pharma sector, we are confident in
Swissport’s ability to deliver the same level of excellence at Frankfurt
Airport.”
Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen,
in association with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, welcomed three koalas to
their custom-built, dedicated habitat called Koalia. Apart from being the only
koalas in the Netherlands, they are the first to set foot on Dutch soil, says a
release from Air France KLM Martinair Cargo.
"Koalas are housed
in zoos around the world within the scope of management programmes contributing
to the genetic wellbeing of the population and protecting the species. The
koala is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Red List, and Australia has classified the species as endangered
following a rapid decline in their numbers in recent years."
An animal caretaker from
Ouwehands Zoo departed for the Californian San Diego Zoo to pick up the koalas
on April 4, the release added. "KLM Cargo previously transported giant
pandas from China to the Netherlands destined for Ouwehands Zoo in 2017."
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo specialises in animal-friendly, responsible transportation of various species and employs specialised staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to accompany the animals on their journey, the release added.
"KLM is one of very
few airlines with its own animal hotel at Schiphol. It is fully equipped to
care for animals before, during and after the journey. In a secluded
environment, specially trained animal stewards ensure that the animals travel
as comfortably and safely as possible."
Upon arrival, the
animals are unloaded from the aircraft’s cargo hold and transported to the KLM
Animal Hotel, where they are cleared through customs and undergo a health
check.
The final leg of the
journey saw them travelling from Amsterdam to Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen. Koalia
will open on April 25, after which visitors to Ouwehands Zoo will be able to
observe the koalas, the release added.
WestJet Cargo strengthens network with Calgary to Paris-CDG
service
WestJet Cargo announced the strengthening of its flights between Calgary and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The route, operating 5-7 times weekly, underscores WestJet Cargo's commitment to expanding its footprint in Europe and enhancing service efficiency through strategic hubs, says an official release.
"Paris CDG acts as a central hub, enabling WestJet Cargo to connect with various destinations across Europe using multiple modes of transport.
This connectivity is
bolstered by the strong partnership with ECS Group whose expertise in logistics
and network capabilities has been vital in overcoming transportation challenges
and optimising cargo routes.
The route supports a
diverse cargo base with a payload capacity of 18 tonnes, feeding and de-feeding
various locations in France and beyond."
Kirsten de Bruijn,
Executive Vice President, Cargo, WestJet says: "Our expansion into
European markets through the Paris hub is a key part of our growth strategy.
ECS Group's technological support and network have been indispensable in
enhancing our service capabilities, allowing us to pursue new opportunities in
additional European countries.
" Jean Ceccaldi,
Managing Director, Aero Cargo France, a subsidiary of ECS Group adds:
"We're proud to support WestJet Cargo with our Quantum e-quotation system
and Apollo business intelligence platform.
These tools enable
efficient management of cargo capacities and market analysis, supporting
WestJet Cargo's goals of technological excellence and enhanced service
delivery." The commitment to sustainability also plays a role in the
partnership with both companies working to integrate sustainable practices into
their operations, the release added.
Alaska Air Cargo betting on converted freighters for business boost
Alaska Air Cargo is
looking ahead to improvements in its cargo booking system, an expanded
freighter fleet and reinforced infrastructure in the coming months this year.
"We launched the
first phase of our new end-to-end cargo management system in October, and we
converted two passenger 737-800 aircraft to dedicated freighters," Adam
Drouhard, Managing Director, Alaska Air Cargo said in his latest update. "We
invested in infrastructure and equipment at stations across the state of
Alaska."
The changes, Drouhard
added, brought disruptions to operations along with January’s temporary
grounding of the 737-9 MAX aircraft and winter weather challenges. A door plug
of Alaska Airlines' flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane, blew out mid-air on
January 5, 2024. While some were injured, all the 177 passengers and crew
survived the accident on the flight from Portland, Oregon to Ontario,
California.
Listing out the action
plan for 2024, Drouhard says: "Improvements to cargo bookings: Throughout
the year, we will roll out updates to our online system to make it more
efficient and streamlined for customers and our employees.
*Expanded and reliable
freighter fleet: We are working closely with Boeing to ensure that our new
737-800BCF freighters will perform at the level required to serve our
customers. We expect both freighters to enter service over the next few weeks.
*Reinforced
infrastructure: The plane is only part of the equation for the communities we
serve. Our investments in infrastructure and equipment like new cargo loaders
will enable our services to be more robust and reliable at every station."
Both the converted
737-800BCFs are likely to be deployed later this spring, he added,
"allowing us to better serve our customers in 20 communities across the
state of Alaska and beyond." "With these new bigger, more efficient
737-800s, we are excited to launch dedicated freighter service between
Anchorage and Los Angeles through Seattle.
This is the first time
our freighters will fly beyond Alaska or Seattle, and it’s an exciting moment
for our team. Many of the goods that Alaska residents depend on come from
Southern California, and this new service will streamline the supply chain bringing
those products into Alaska and across the state. The expanded freighter routes
will also create faster connections for seafood and other products shipping out
of Alaska."
The two freighters can
carry 10,000 more pounds (more than 4,500 kgs) than Alaska's three 737-700
freighters, Drouhard added. "Many of the groceries, household goods and
essential medicine shipping into the state of Alaska come from Southern California,
and this new freighter route will streamline that supply chain."
The bigger freighters
will also be in full service in time for the height of the salmon fishing
season, allowing fresh sustainable sockeye from Bristol Bay and other fisheries
to reach markets across the lower 48 more quickly. As Alaska Air Cargo looks forward
to the potential opportunity to expand service to Hawai’i – "another state
uniquely reliant on air cargo – we will draw on our experience in the state of
Alaska to listen to local communities and create supply-chain solutions that
best meet their needs."
Alaska Q1 net loss at
$132mn Alaska Airlines reported a net loss of $132 million for the first
quarter of 2024 on operating revenue of $2.2 billion. Cargo and other revenue
increased 10 percent to $64 million.
"Air Group's first
quarter operation and results were significantly impacted by Flight 1282 in
January and the Boeing 737-9 MAX grounding which extended into February.
The company has received
$162 million in initial cash compensation from Boeing to address the financial
damages incurred during the first quarter."
"I want to
recognize Alaska's employees for their uncompromising prioritisation of safety,
for taking great care of our guests, and for delivering strong performance in
the first quarter," says Ben Minicucci, CEO, Alaska Airlines.
"Despite
significant challenges to start the year, our results have far exceeded initial
expectations. Thanks to thoughtful capacity planning, network optimisation and
diligent cost control, we are well positioned to carry our strong performance
into the second quarter and beyond."
Alaska Airlines agreed
to purchase Hawaiian Airlines for $18 per share , and the proposal was approved
by Hawaiian shareholders. "Completed inspections of all 737-9 MAX aircraft
and returned the fleet to service in February, and enhanced quality oversight
programme at the Boeing production facility to validate the work and quality of
our aircraft as they progress through the manufacturing process."
I hope you have enjoyed
reading this update. Have a nice day.
With kind regards
Robert
Sands
Joint Managing Director
Jupiter
Sea & Air Services Pvt. Ltd
Casa
Blanca, 3rd Floor
11, Casa
Major Road, Egmore
Chennai –
600 008. India.
Tel : + 91 44 2819 0171
/ 3734 / 4041
Mobile : + 91 98407 85202
E-mail : robert.sands@herculescargo.in
Comments
Post a Comment