Author: Admin

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association welcomed the creation by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of a global directory of public keys required for authentication of health credentials. The directory—called the Health Master List (HML)—will make a significant contribution to the global recognition and verification (interoperability) of government issued health credentials.

A public key enables third parties to verify that a QR code displayed on a health credential is authentic and valid. The HLM is a compilation of public key certificates signed by ICAO and regularly updated as more health proofs are issued and new public keys are required. Its implementation will ease the global recognition of health credentials outside of the jurisdiction in which they were issued.

“For international travel today, it is critical that COVID-19 health passes can be efficiently verified outside of their country of issuance. While the keys for verification are available individually, the creation of a directory will significantly cut complexity, simplify operations and improve trust in the verification process. We encourage all states to submit their public health keys to the HLM,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

The sharing of public keys used to perform this verification does not involve any exchange of or access to personal information.

The HML is available on the ICAO website. All states can upload their public keys and download those of other governments.

Through a pilot project associated with the HML, private sector providers of solutions for governments to verify health credentials will also be able access these keys. This will help facilitate the broadest coverage of health certificates in their offerings as international travel continues to ramp-up. IATA will participate in this pilot program to support the deployment of the IATA Travel Pass.

A Step Forward for One ID

The air transport industry’s interest in this type of directory goes beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

“COVID-19 Health Certificates must be removed as we progress towards overall travel normalization and industry recovery. But we must retain and build on the operational experience of verifying certificates globally. That includes securely sharing access to public keys with private sector solution providers. This will help to drive progress for contactless verification of traveler identities for which similar keys are needed. We cannot under-estimate how important this will be for the implementation of One ID which has the potential to dramatically simplify travel,” said Walsh.

One ID uses digital identity management and biometric technologies to streamline travel by eliminating repetitive checks of paper documents. The contactless checking of travel health credentials is advancing the experience needed to operationalize One ID. The challenge is the same: universal recognition of verified digital credentials irrespective of the jurisdiction in which they were issued, or the standard used. The successful sharing of public keys to verify COVID-19 health certificates will demonstrate that similar keys for digital identity documents can also be securely and efficiently be collected and shared, including with private sector solution providers.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications

By Rebecca Jeffrey

Copyright: Shutterstock

Strong air cargo rates are set to continue but capacity and ground handling challenges will continue.

This was the takeaway from the World Cargo Summit’s Air Cargo Market Update & Outlook, which focused on the market outlook for 2022 and beyond, hot spots for growth and the outlook for cargo charters.

Niall van de Wouw, managing director at CLIVE Data Services, said the company’s data comparing the fourth quarter of 2021 to the same period in 2019 showed that rates continued to increase on a global level, on average two and half times as high as pre-Covid.

It became tougher to move goods because of the challenges ground handling staff faced in loading/unloading/preighters. This led to congestion, which affected throughput.

“The difficulty in getting goods from A to B pushed up the rates to unprecedented levels.”

In the first two weeks of January 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 rates were up more than 40%.

“Looking ahead we currently see no fundamental changes in the dynamics that are causing these rates to be at these levels that we expect any easing soon.”

Abel Alemu, managing director, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, added that Covid-related labour shortages and quarantine restrictions “will keep capacity tighter for longer” and this may result in “persistently elevated airfreight rates”.

He added that reduced bellyhold capacity will also contribute to this “upwards pressure on airfreight rates”.

The industry stakeholders agreed that due to full order books for freighters, capacity remains in demand.

Reto Hunziker, group cargo director for charter broker Chapman Freeborn said the company has managed this by using in-house own control capacity including Bluebird Nordic 737s and Magma Aviation 747s, plus third-party carriers. He said that zero LOPA configuration aircraft also helped.

Konstantin Vekshin, chief executive officer of  Volga-Dnepr Group said the company resumed its Antonov 124-100 operations in 2021, but the fleet of 12’s estimated lifespan of 10-12 years is a concern. “It is a very unique piece of equipment and there is no replacement for it.”

Ethiopian Airlines Group is working with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to launch a B767-300ER freighter conversion line in Ethiopia. Alemu confirmed Ethiopian Cargo also currently has 20 preighters.

Ground handling support with regards to staff shortages and restrictions is a major concern.

Alemu pointed out some airports in Europe have said they will not handle preighters, while US ground handlers also have restrictions.

Hunziker said Chapman Freeborn has faced cancelled flights and delayed cargo clearance from airports of up to five days. “We have very big challenges with preighters especially out of China and Kong Kong both into Europe and the US.” As a result, there has been a shift to Vietnam and Korea, where the company operates preighters long term.

Vekshin added that Volga-Dnepr will await China’s legislation this year following the country’s ban on preighters. “If they’re sticking to their plans that maybe a game changer for the industry, at least for 2022…as it will affect all of us.”

Pharmaceuticals, PPE and e-commerce demand are set to continue to be strong drivers for the air cargo industry, according to Hunziker and Alemu.

Alemu said in the second half of 2021 major trade lanes were China-Europe, China-Latin America and South East Asia–US. The company saw major growth in South East Asia and recorded the largest expansion in Latin America.

Hunziker said growth was recorded worldwide in 2021 with China the driver for this.

Van de Wouw said US growth was up 30% in 2021 compared to 2020 when it was hit hard by Covid. APAC growth remained high in 2020 because of PPE trade, so 2021’s growth was not high.

He explained the Europe to US market is much stronger than from the US to Europe, adding Asia Pacific into the US “dwarfs” the market from the US to APAC.

While continued ocean freight congestion and reduced belly capacity is driving air cargo demand, the industry has no control over these factors, so uncertainty over the sustainability of growth remains, said van de Wouw.

He thinks as passenger demand returns “things will get worse” initially as there will be less room for cargo and pressure for capacity, until flight frequency increases but he doesn’t “see that happening anytime soon”.

27 / 01 / 2022

Image: Lufthansa Cargo Center (LCC) at Frankfurt Airport

Lufthansa Cargo’s handling operation at its Frankfurt hub has been “significantly” affected by Omicron infections amongst staff.

The carrier told Air Cargo News that transit shipment from the US, Canada and Europe, including Germany will be affected by a transit embargo as it looks to stabilise operations at Frankfurt.

“Loose freight via the Frankfurt hub from US & Canada and Europe (incl. Germany) that has not yet been delivered can unfortunately no longer be accepted by us and transported in a timely manner,” Lufthansa Cargo said.

Sister title, DVZ, reports that around 15% of volumes handled at its Frankfurt facility will be affected by the embargo.

However, direct deliveries as well as outbound deliveries in Frankfurt are still possible.

Certain product groups may also continue to fly, this includes urgent freight (same day shipments), valuable freight, animals, organ donations, mail and temperature-controlled shipments.

“Cargo that has already been accepted by us will be handled as soon as feasible,” Lufthansa Cargo added.

The carrier also stressed that all shipments routed through its hubs in Munich, Vienna and Brussels are not affected and these facilities are operating normally.

“Due to its high transmissibility, the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus continues to keep us on our toes and the infection figures have reached new record levels,” Lufthansa Cargo said.

“Notwithstanding the extensive preventive measures in place, we are now directly witnessing the increased infection incidence.

“This is leading to a pandemic-related abnormal reduction in staffing levels, which is significantly affecting our operations at this stage.”

It added: “We firmly believe that these measures will help to stabilise the situation and that we will gradually be able to return to normal operations as soon as possible.”

25 January 2022               

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to accelerate relaxation of travel restrictions as COVID-19 continues to evolve from the pandemic to endemic stage. IATA called for:

•             Removing all travel barriers (including quarantine and testing) for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine.

•             Enabling quarantine-free travel for non-vaccinated travelers with a negative pre-departure antigen test result.

•             Removing travel bans, and

•             Accelerating the easing of travel restrictions in recognition that travelers pose no greater risk for COVID-19 spread than already exists in the general population.

“With the experience of the Omicron variant, there is mounting scientific evidence and opinion opposing the targeting of travelers with restrictions and country bans to control the spread of COVID-19. The measures have not worked. Today Omicron is present in all parts of the world. That’s why travel, with very few exceptions, does not increase the risk to general populations. The billions spent testing travelers would be far more effective if allocated to vaccine distribution or strengthening health care systems,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Evidence

A recently published study by Oxera and Edge Health(i) demonstrated the extremely limited impact of travel restrictions on controlling the spread of Omicron. The study found that:

•             If the UK’s extra measures(ii) with respect to Omicron had been in place from the beginning of November (prior to the identification of the variant), the peak of the Omicron wave would have been delayed by just five days with 3% fewer cases.

•             The absence of any testing measures for travelers would have seen the Omicron wave peak seven days earlier with an overall 8% increase in cases.

•             Now that Omicron is highly prevalent in the UK, if all travel testing requirements were removed there would be no impact on Omicron case numbers or hospitalizations in the UK.

“While the study is specific to the UK, it is clear that travel restrictions in any part of the world have had little impact on the spread of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant. The UK, France and Switzerland have recognized this and are among the first to begin removing travel measures. More governments need to follow their lead. Accelerating the removal of travel restrictions will be a major step towards living with the virus,” said Walsh.

With respect to travel bans, last week, the WHO Emergency Committee confirmed their recommendation to “Lift or ease international traffic bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress experienced by States. The failure of travel restrictions introduced after the detection and reporting of Omicron variant to limit international spread of Omicron demonstrates the ineffectiveness of such measures over time.”

What happens when COVID-19 is confirmed as endemic?

All indications point to COVID-19 becoming an endemic condition—one that humankind now has the tools (including vaccination and therapeutics) to live and travel with, bolstered by growing population immunity.

This aligns with the advice from public health experts to shift the policy focus from an individual’s health status towards policies focusing on population-wide protection. It is important that governments and the travel industry are well-prepared for the transition and ready to remove the burden of measures that disrupt travel.

 “The current situation of travel restrictions is a mess. There is one problem—COVID-19. But there seem to be more unique solutions to managing travel and COVID-19 than there are countries to travel to. Indeed research from the Migration Policy Institute has counted more than 100,000 travel measures around the world that create complexity for passengers, airlines and governments to manage. We have two years of experience to guide us on a simplified and coordinated path to normal travel when COVID-19 is endemic. That normality must recognize that travelers, with very few exceptions, will present no greater risk than exists in the general population. And that’s why travelers should not be subject to any greater restrictions than are applied to the general community,” said Walsh.

Vaccination Priorities

Mutually recognized policies on vaccination will be critical as we approach the endemic phase. Barrier-free travel is a potent incentive for vaccination. The sustainability of this incentive must not be compromised by vaccine policies that complicate travel or divert vaccine resources from where they can do the most good. Issues to address include:

 •            Accepted vaccines: There is no universal recognition for all vaccines on the WHO Emergency Use list. This raises a barrier to travel as people have little choice on the range of vaccines available in their country.

•             Validity: There is no alignment on the length of vaccine validity. This will become a barrier to travel as eligibility for boosters is controlled by national policies. Unduly short validity periods that effectively require air passengers to get regular booster jabs to travel internationally will consume resources that could support primary vaccination in the developing world and booster doses for the most vulnerable. It is reported that the WHO’s Chief Scientist called for booster doses to be used “to protect the most vulnerable, to protect those at highest risk of severe disease and dying. Those are […] elderly populations, immuno-compromised people with underlying conditions, but also healthcare workers.”

 •            Distribution priorities: The calls of WHO and health experts for vaccine equity are not universally prioritized. Only half the states in Africa have been able to vaccinate more than 10% of their populations while many developed countries are reducing vaccination validity and considering second rounds of boosters. This creates a barrier to travel and strains testing resources in parts of the world where vaccine distribution is less advanced.

“Urgent consideration is needed for several critical concerns regarding vaccines. While Europe is aligning around a nine-month validity period for primary vaccinations, this is not universal. And booster shot validity has not been addressed. As the first quarter of the year is key to bookings for the peak-northern summer travel season, it is important to provide certainty to potential travelers as early as possible. Governments have declared intentions to support a travel recovery. Addressing questions on vaccination validity is a key element,” said Walsh.

Industry and Governments Finding Solutions Together

In October, the Ministerial Declaration of the ICAO High-level Conference on COVID-19 called for “one vision for aviation recovery.” IATA followed-up by publishing From Restart to Recovery in November. It is a blueprint for reconnecting the world following key principles of simplicity, predictability and practicality.

“The over-reaction of many governments to Omicron proved the blueprint’s key point—the need for simple, predictable and practical means of living with the virus that don’t constantly default to de-connecting the world. We have seen that targeting disproportionate measures at travelers has economic and social costs but very limited public health benefits. We must aim at a future where international travel faces no greater restriction than visiting a shop, attending a public gathering or riding the bus,” said Walsh.

 IATA Travel Pass

The successful rollout of the IATA Travel Pass continues with a growing number of  airlines already using it in daily operations to support the validation of health credentials for travel.

“Whatever the rules are for vaccination requirements, the industry will be able to manage them with digital solutions, the leader of which is the IATA Travel Pass. It’s a matured solution being implemented across a growing number of global networks,” said Walsh.

12 January 2022                No: 02

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the recovery in air travel continued in November 2021, prior to the emergence of Omicron. International demand sustained its steady upward trend as more markets reopened. Domestic traffic, however, weakened, largely owing to strengthened travel restrictions in China.

Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons are to November 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern.

•             Total demand for air travel in November 2021 (measured in revenue passenger-kilometers or RPKs) was down 47.0% compared to November 2019. This marked an uptick compared to October’s 48.9% contraction from October 2019. 

•             Domestic air travel deteriorated slightly in November after two consecutive monthly improvements. Domestic RPKs fell by 24.9% versus 2019 compared with a 21.3% decline in October. Primarily this was driven by China, where traffic fell 50.9% compared to 2019, after several cities introduced stricter travel restrictions to contain (pre-Omicron) COVID outbreaks.

•             International passenger demand in November was 60.5% below November 2019, bettering the 64.8% decline recorded in October.

“The recovery in air traffic continued in November. Unfortunately, governments over-reacted to the emergence of the Omicron variant at the close of the month and resorted to the tried-and-failed methods of border closures, excessive testing of travelers and quarantine to slow the spread. Not surprisingly, international ticket sales made in December and early January fell sharply compared to 2019, suggesting a more difficult first quarter than had been expected. If the experience of the last 22 months has shown anything, it is that there is little to no correlation between the introduction of travel restrictions and preventing transmission of the virus across borders. And these measures place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. If experience is the best teacher, let us hope that governments pay more attention as we begin the New Year, ” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

November 2021(% chg vs the same month in 2019)          World share1     RPK        ASK        PLF (%-pt)2         PLF (level)3

Total Market      100.0%  -47.0%  -39.7%  -9.7%     71.3%

Africa    2.0%      -55.1%  -48.4%  -9.2%     61.6%

Asia Pacific          38.5%    -69.8%  -58.9%  -21.7%  59.7%

Europe 23.8%    -39.4%  -32.7%  -8.3%     75.2%

Latin America     5.6%      -27.5%  -27.4%  -0.1%     82.2%

Middle East        7.4%      -52.6%  -43.6%  -11.6%  61.6%

North America  22.7%    -18.8%  -15.4%  -3.3%     78.6%

1% of industry RPKs   2Change in load factor vs 2019 3Load Factor Level

 International Passenger Markets

•             European carriers’ November international traffic declined 43.7% versus November 2019, much improved compared to the 49.4%% decrease in October versus the same month in 2019. Capacity dropped 36.3% and load factor fell 9.7 percentage points to 74.3%.

•             Asia-Pacific airlines saw their November international traffic fall 89.5% compared to November 2019, slightly improved from the 92.0% drop registered in October 2021 versus October 2019. Capacity dropped 80.0% and the load factor was down 37.8 percentage points to 42.2%, the lowest among regions.

•             Middle Eastern airlines had a 54.4% demand drop in November compared to November 2019, well up compared to the 60.9% decrease in October, versus the same month in 2019. Capacity declined 45.5%, and load factor slipped 11.9 percentage points to 61.3%.

•             North American carriers experienced a 44.8% traffic drop in November versus the 2019 period, significantly improved over the 56.7% decline in October compared to October 2019. Capacity dropped 35.6%, and load factor fell 11.6 percentage points to 69.6%.

•             Latin American airlines saw a 47.2% drop in November traffic, compared to the same month in 2019, a marked upturn over the 54.6% decline in October compared to October 2019. November capacity fell 46.6% and load factor dropped 0.9 percentage points to 81.3%, which was the highest load factor among the regions for the 14th consecutive month.

•             African airlines’ traffic fell 56.8% in November versus two years’ ago, improved over the 59.8% decline in October compared to October 2019. November capacity was down 49.6% and load factor declined 10.1 percentage points to 60.3%.

Domestic Passenger Markets

November 2021 (% chg vs the same month in 2019)         World share1     RPK        ASK        PLF (%-pt)2         PLF (level)3

Domestic             54.2%    -24.9%  -18.3%  -6.6%     75.6%

Australia              0.8%      -71.6%  -57.4%  -27.9%  55.6%

Brazil     1.6%      -8.5%     -8.1%     -0.4%     82.3%

China P.R.            19.8%    -50.9%  -33.2%  -22.1%  61.1%

India      2.1%      -17.1%  -7.1%     -9.6%     80.2%

Japan    1.4%      -37.5%  -23.6%  -14.3%  64.5%

Russian Fed.       3.4%      17.5%    12.6%    3.5%      83.5%

US          16.6%    -6.0%     -5.1%     -0.8%     81.4%

1% of industry RPKs   2Change in load factor vs 2019 3Load Factor Level

•             Australia remained at the bottom of the domestic RPK chart for the fifth consecutive month with RPKs 71.6% below 2019, albeit this was improved from a 78.5% decline in October, owing to the reopening of some internal borders.

•             US domestic traffic was down just 6.0% compared November 2019 – improved from an 11.1% fall in October, thanks in part to strong Thanksgiving holiday traffic.

View the full November Air Passenger Market Analysis

By Alfred Chua, Flight Global

China Airlines has disclosed record cargo revenues for 2021, as it doubles down on what it calls a “cargo-centric business model”.

For the full year, the Taiwanese carrier says cargo revenue surpassed NT$100bn ($3.6bn), the highest in its 62 years of operations.

China Airlines also stated that freighter revenue in December hit a single-month high of more than NT$15.4bn.

While it has yet to disclose its full-year earnings, the uptick in cargo takings is expected to help offset a collapse in passenger travel revenue amid the pandemic, and provide a lift to the carrier’s profitability.

China Airlines’ cargo unit operates a fleet of 21 dedicated freighters, comprising 18 Boeing 747-400Fs, as well as three 777 freighters.

The SkyTeam carrier mounted around 540 cargo flights a month, averaging around 120 flights weekly.

It added: “The integration of passenger and freighter capacity along with continued optimisation of schedules and connections meant that over a hundred passenger and freighter charter flights were dispatched in a given month.”

China Airlines, along with compatriot EVA Air, swung back to profitability in the third quarter of 2021, amid a steady rise in revenue. In previous quarters, both carriers have pointed to a strong cargo performance as a key factor in boosting their earnings.

“China Airlines will continue to focus on its cargo operations, closely monitor developments in the passenger market, and carefully review its passenger market strategy, as it works to maximise its operational profits,” the carrier said.

31 / 12 / 2021

By Damian Brett

Cathay Pacific Cargo B747F

Cathay Pacific has suspended all long-haul freighter and cargo-only passenger flights to and from Hong Kong until January 6.

The Hong Kong carrier said the move was in response to recently announced more stringent quarantine requirements for Hong Kong-based cargo crews.

The suspension applies to all long-haul cargo flights covering the transpacific, Europe, South West Pacific, Riyadh, and Dubai.

“We sincerely apologise for the disruption caused. We will be working with customers to mitigate the disruption as much as possible,” the airline’s cargo division stated.

“In addition, we are working with the relevant stakeholders on plans beyond 6 January and will communicate further on these as soon as possible.”

On December 28, the carrier had warned that the new crew restrictions could affect operations through the first quarter.

“Operational and travel restrictions that remain in place continue to constrain our ability to operate flights as planned,” the carrier said.

“We are consolidating our cargo flight schedule for the first quarter of 2022. There will be reductions to long-haul freighter and cargo-only passenger flight capacity.

“We regret that contracted tonnage will be impacted during this time. Our local sales teams will communicate specific details with affected customers directly.”

The BBC reports that some passenger flights have also been affected by the changes.

The move comes as Hong Kong battles the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus.

By Damian Brett

Air cargo rates are set to remain at an elevated level. Source: Bollore Logistics

The Omicron variant is set to keep air cargo capacity tight and as a result air cargo rates will remain at an elevated level.

In the latest Baltic Exchange market update, investment bank Stifel senior analyst Bruce Chan said that the new variant will restrict network capacity due to safety protocols, episodic infection and national response.

He added: “This and other new variants are likely going to delay a return to pre-pandemic international business travel (or international travel in general), which means that the complete return of belly capacity on those core lanes will also get pushed out.”

Chan said that there was also at least some risk that belly capacity may never fully recover if there is a permanent switch to hybrid in-person/virtual business.

“With renewed lockdowns in some countries and geographies, and with continued and not unreasonable public concern about viral spread, we believe the eventual transition of discretionary dollar spend away from goods and back to services may be elongated as well,” he said.

“These factors should support persistently elevated airfreight rates, in our view, and any shippers that were looking for relief in the seasonal first quarter freight lull may not find it – at least to the extent that they expect.”

Last week, IATA’s director general Willie Walsh also warned that a knee-jerk reaction to the Omicron variant from governments could have an impact on cargo capacity if restrictions dampen passenger demand.

Walsh said that after almost two years of Covid-19, governments have the experience and tools to make better data-driven decisions than the “mostly knee-jerk reactions to restrict travel that we have seen to date”.

“Restrictions will not stop the spread of Omicron,” he said. “Along with urgently reversing these policy mistakes, the focus of governments should be squarely on ensuring the integrity of supply chains and increasing the distribution of vaccines.”

The warnings come as airfreight rates continued to increase last week.

The latest figures from the Baltic Exchange Airfreight Index (BAI) show that prices from Hong Kong to North America reached a new index record of $12.41 per kg, compared with $6.77 per kg in the same week last year and $3.66 per kg in 2019.

There was also a new index record on services from Hong Kong to Europe, which reached $8.46 per kg compared with $5.61 per kg in the same week last year and $3.27 per kg in 2019.

Tommy Patrio Sorongan, CNBC Indonesia

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Kelangkaan kontainer yang berimbas pada rantai pasokan global sepertinya akan semakin jadi. Pasalnya, negara eksportir terbesar dunia, China, hingga hari ini masih memberlakukan kebijakan karantina Covid-19 yang sangat ketat.

Mengutip laporan Bloomberg yang dimuat Strait Times, China baru saja memberlakukan aturan baru karantina wajib selama tujuh minggu untuk pelaut China yang kembali. Selain itu, negeri pimpinan Presiden Xi Jinping itu juga melarang perubahan awak untuk pelaut asing.

Hal ini menjadi keluhan pengusaha ekspedisi. Pasalnya itu sangat menyulitkan pergantian kru dan juga perjalanan kapal keluar masuk negara yang menyebabkan kontainer tertahan.

“Pembatasan China menyebabkan efek langsung,” kata Sekretaris Jenderal Kamar Perkapalan Internasional, Guy Platten, yang mewakili pemilik kapal dan operator.

“Setiap pembatasan operasi kapal memiliki dampak akumulatif pada rantai pasokan dan menyebabkan gangguan nyata.”

Krisis ini tak hanya dikeluhkan pengusaha ekspedisi namun juga berimbas kepada sektor lainnya. Hal ini dikarenakan keterlambatan dan juga penambahan biaya yang kebanyakan dibebankan kepada konsumen.

“Kami memiliki kapal yang mengalami demurrage (biaya keterlambatan) … kami memiliki contoh di mana kami harus menyimpang, baik sebelum kami menelepon China atau sesudahnya,” kata Ms Eman Abdalla, direktur operasi dan rantai pasokan global di Cargill.

“Ada beberapa kasus di mana penundaan terjadi dalam hitungan jam, tetapi ada juga kasus di mana penundaan bisa berlangsung hingga berhari-hari.”

Euronav, salah satu pemilik supertanker minyak terbesar di dunia, telah menghabiskan sekitar US$ 6 juta atau Rp 84 miliar untuk menangani gangguan terkait krisis pergantian awak. Termasuk untuk transit dan karantina serta tanggungan biaya perjalanan lainnya.

“Di masa lalu, cukup menyenangkan melakukan rotasi kru ketika kami berada di China,” kata CEO Euronav Hugo De Stoop. “Dan sekarang, pada dasarnya, itu tidak mungkin.”

Sebelumnya ‘kiamat’ kontainer terjadi karena distribusinya yang kurang merata. Pasalnya banyak negara yang mulai menggenjot produksinya namun di sisi lain ada juga beberapa negara yang belum bisa melakukan ekspor akibat langkah-langkah penguncian Covid-19.

Krisis ini kemudian diperparah dengan meningkatnya permintaan global. Terutama di negara-negara barat menjelang libur natal.

By Damian Brett

Source: Airbus

CMA CGM has become the second company to sign up for Airbus’ new A350 freighter as the French logistics group continues its expansion in the air cargo market.

The shipping giant, which launched its CMA CGM Air Cargo business earlier this year, has signed a memorandum of understanding covering the purchase of four of the type.

The commitment, which Airbus expects to be finalised in the “coming weeks”, comes days after Air Lease placed the first provisional order for seven of the type  during the Dubai air show.

CMA CGM said that it would also apply to launch an airline – its current four aircraft are operated by Air Belgium – and it has filed an application for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) with the French Civil Aviation Authority.

The new aircraft, which will join the Group’s fleet in spring 2022 will be registered in France and will be based at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. 

“The creation of a French freight airline also requires the initial recruitment of around 50 pilots who will join the CMA CGM Group during the coming weeks, and the implementation of a structure dedicated to the Group’s airfreight operations,” the shipping group said.

In a press release, Airbus also detailed more of the freighter model’s capabilities.

The company said that more than 70% of the airframe is made of advanced materials resulting in a 30 tonne lighter take-off weight, generating an at least 20% lower fuel burn over its current closest competitor.

“With a 109 tonne payload capability (plus three tonnes/11% more volume than its competition), the A350F serves all cargo markets (Express, general cargo, special cargo…) and is in the large freighter category the only new generation freighter aircraft ready for the enhanced 2027 ICAO CO ₂ emissions standards.”

Earlier this month, Air Lease became the first company to sign up for the new freighter model.

CMA CGM already operates five A330-200Fs and in September announced plans to add a pair of Boeing 777 freighters.

Airbus chief commercial officer Christian Scherer says: ”We are proud to welcome CMA CGM Air Cargo in the group of operators for the A350F and we are equally pleased to support the company’s future strategic development.

 “Having an early endorsement by such an international cargo powerhouse as the CMA CGM Group is very gratifying.”

CMA CGM is not the only shipping line to be investing in the air cargo industry as they look to offer complete supply chain solutions.

Earlier this month, AP Moller Maersk announced that Star Air, its in-house aircraft operator, will purchase two new B777 Freighters to be delivered by Boeing in 2024 and leased three B767-300 Freighters which will be operational next year through Cargo Aircraft Management, the leasing arm of ATSG.