SHORT SHOTS

QR Cargo celebrates commencement of Latin America services
In an affectionate reception held at Miami Airport, QR Cargo and MIA officials welcomed the beginning of QR Cargo operated scheduled Boeing 777 freighter flights to South America. The twice-weekly freighter service commenced on 2 February, departs from Do-ha via Luxembourg and stops at Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Quito before arriving in Miami, Florida. Eastbound, the freighter stops at Liege before arriving in Doha.
On the occasion of the Latin America flights stated Uli Ogiermann, Chief Officer Cargo at QR: “We strive to connect these burgeoning import and export markets in the Americas with the rest of the world. Miami, in particular, is an important distribution hub for our air freight moving to and from the Latin American and Caribbean regions, given that Florida is an exporting powerhouse equipped with robust trade and supply chain infrastructure.”
The addition of these four destinations brings the cargo carrier’s freighter network in the Americas to 12 while increasing belly-hold cargo services on passenger aircraft to 13 cit-ies across the continent.
The cargo carrier anticipates a huge boost to the growing perishables and pharmaceutical exports out of these key markets, therefore the additional 200 tons of weekly cargo ca-pacity will supplement the belly-hold cargo capacity on Qatar Airways daily pax flights to Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Miami. 

Finnair appoints new GSSA
The Finnish national  carrier’s cargo arm, Finnair Cargo, has after the completion of a lengthy RFP process decided to appoint the Air Logistics Group as its General Sales and Service Agents (GSSA) in a total of seven countries throughout Europe.
The agreement which takes effect as of 1. April of this year allows Air Logistics to provide Finnair with full cargo sales, marketing, customer service, administration and operational support across Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Finnair took the decision to appoint Air Logistics at a time where the carrier continues to expand its cargo capacity offering throughout Europe and Asia.
Air Logistics COO, Stephen Dawkins commented on the new agreement by stating that “Air Logistics Group is proud to have been chosen by Finnair Cargo as its exclusive GSSA in some of the largest markets in Europe. Finnair is at the forefront of the European aviation industry with its new COOL Nordic Cargo Hub terminal opening at Helsinki Airport this year,” he added.

China Eastern rids itself of China Cargo stake
It’s finally happened!
Shanghai based China Eastern Airlines has rid itself of its complete shareholding in China Cargo Airlines by selling it off to Eastern Logistics which already own 83% of China Cargo Airlines.
The deal also entails that in the future the belly space capacity on offer by China Eastern will be sold by the China Cargo sales force.
China Eastern wishes to bring its focus back entirely to promoting the passenger sector and striving towards better investment returns for their shareholders.
On the other hand, China Cargo has not had an easy time during the past few years as losses accumulated between 2011 and 2015.

ECS joins up with Exp-Air Cargo
The ECS Group one of the leading global GSSA’s has decided to join forces with the Montreal-based Exp-Air Cargo in what is seen as a strategic move to what they term as consolidating their position as the leading general sales and services agent in the Americas. Exp-Air Cargo which was founded back in 1990 has established itself as an expert in airline cargo sales and management throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The move allows the ECS Group to expand their reach and increase the number of stations served throughout both countries.
Exp-Air which has agreements with various international airlines including the cargo divisions of some of the world’s top carriers has alongside its main base in Montreal, offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
ECS Group’s COO, Adrien Thominet commented on the deal by saying that “we share the same mind-set and have a common vision on how to tackle the challenges we are confronted with.”
The ECS Group commercial activities within the USA will in future be run by Exp-Air Cargo’s Managing Director, Danny Olynick.

Huawei and Deutsche Post cooperate
Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies and Bonn, Germany headquartered Deutsche Post DHL Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop different supply chain solutions for customers using industrial-grade Internet of Things (IoT) hardware and infrastructure.
Under the MOU, both enterprises will cooperate on innovation projects concentrating on cellular-based technology, which can convert large volumes of devices across long distances with minimal power consumption, reads a release. 
States DPDHL: “The greater connectivity can deliver a more integrated logistics value chain by providing critical data and visibility in warehousing operations, freight transpor-tation, and last-mile delivery.” The MOU will see Huawei make its IoT devices, connectivity experts, and network infrastructure accessible to Deutsche Post DHL Group, so the logis-tics company can use them in its warehousing, freight, and last-mile delivery services.
Huawei and DPDHL will also work together to market and commercialize the results of their innovations, including pilot commercial projects in China and Europe.

CEVA expands partnership with Mercedes in Brazil
Mercedes-Benz Brazil management has decided to expand its cooperation with the supply chain management specialists CEVA Logistics by renewing the present business partnership as well as awarding CEVA with new contracts.
CEVA services for Mercedes-Benz are concentrated in the southeast region of Brazil and encompass materials handling, line feeding and external warehousing. These have now been extended for a further three-year period.
Additionally, two new three-year contracts have been awarded to CEVA for interplant transportation in Juiz de Fora as well as packaging services at the Mercedes spare parts Distribution Center at Campinas, Sao Paulo.

Aircraft Movements
The Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) continues their fleet expansion by adding further B767F aircraft to their fleet.
Two new additions, a one-time Omni Air International B767 has been converted by Bedek Aviation into a B767-300BDSF. This aircraft will also fly for Amazon.
The other is an ex American Airlines B767 pax aircraft which will also be converted by Bedek into a 767-300ER freighter. Whether this one will also be flying in Amazon colours remains to be seen.
Turkish Airlines Cargo has just received another Airbus A330-200F directly from the Airbus factory. This is the last A330F to join TK’s Cargo fleet. The carrier now operates with nine A330-200F aircraft on worldwide cargo routes.
Atlas Air will also provide Amazon with a further B767-300 freighter. The aircraft which once flew passengers for Thomas Cook is being converted by Bedek Aviation and is expected to be handed over to Titan Aviation Leasing which is the aircraft leasing arm of Atlas Air Holdings.
ASL Airlines Belgium has leased another B737-400F. This time from Vx Capital. The aircraft which previously flew in passenger configuration for Alaska Airlines was converted for ASL by Aeronautical Engineering.

John Mc Donagh  /  Heiner Siegmund