Bamboo Airways now has a Cargo subsidiary
After dabbling in cargo flights last year and setting up serious GSSA networks across Europe and Asia, Bamboo Airways announced the launch of Bamboo Airways Cargo JSC on 03JAN23. The Hanoi,
Vietnam-based carrier founded in 2017, began operating in early 2019, and – aside from the turbulence caused by the pandemic - has had a rather colorful history thus far, with fraud allegations
in MAR22 leading to the arrest of the original founder along with a number of other key players in the airline’s owning group, FLC, at the time. Despite these tribulations, Bamboo Airways
followed a serious cargo strategy, first with charters early last year (SkyPort handled its first cargo charter out of Prague in JAN22, CFG reported: https://www.cargoforwarder.eu/2022/01/30/short-shots/),
and then moving to its own twice-weekly, B787-9 cargo flights out of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City from 26MAY22 to China, for example. It set out to establish a strong GSSA
network, selecting AIA Cargo in the UK and Germany, and ECS Group for its APAC operations. High time, therefore, to set up an official cargo subsidiary. Bamboo Airways Cargo JSC (BAC) is led by
Doan Huu Doan, Executive Vice Chairman and Executive Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, as Chairman of BAC. Nguyen Khac Hai, Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, is BAC’s CEO, and
Dang Van Vien is the Managing Director of BAC.
On the occasion of the cargo launch announcement, the airline also appointed Pham Dang Thanh as Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, lauding his vast aviation engineering experience
stemming from his education at the Kyiv Institute of Civil Aviation Engineers and various senior positions in the industry since then. His appointment comes as part of the airline’s restructuring
and stabilization phase in its effort to build on its position as one of Vietnam’s three largest airlines. Regarding the cargo subsidiary launch, Bamboo Airways stated that this was part of its
“overall strategy to build an aviation ecosystem, develop Bamboo Airways’ member companies, and create more favorable conditions for the airline to thrive in the coming time.” It
currently operates from and to 21 of 22 Vietnamese airports, and is constantly expanding its international presence to continental gateways in Asia, Australia, Europe.
Forward Air Corporation buys Land Air Express
Forward Air Corporation’s expedited LTL (Less-than-Truckload) service offer is about to turn “more-than” with its acquisition of Land Air Express over in U.S. The 32-year-old Greenville (Tenn.),
U.S.-based ground transportation and logistics services company which operates in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, announced the move in the first few days of the new year as part of its growth
strategy “that involves organic infrastructure investments, such as the ongoing LTL network expansion, as well as inorganic investments, including acquisitions of complementary
businesses.” Land Air Express, Inc., will be bought for USD 56.5 million – monies which will be paid both cash in hand as well as via the company’s credit facility. The transaction should be
completed by the end of this month, with Kentucky-based Land Air Express’ 270 employees and 200+ drivers then becoming part of Forward Air. Forward Air’s extensive ground services will be
enhanced by Land Air Express’ own expert product portfolio encompassing guaranteed, standard, exclusive, same day, hot shot and pickup and delivery services across a network of more than 25 U.S.
terminals.
Tom Schmitt, Chairman, President and CEO of Forward, said: “Our core LTL business is the key growth area for Forward, and the purchase of Land Air Express is an important addition to our LTL
growth opportunities. This acquisition will accelerate the expansion of our national terminal footprint, particularly in the middle part of the United States, and we believe it will strategically
position us to better meet the current and future needs of customers. Land Air Express is a high-performing team that shares our precision execution DNA and a strong commitment to collaboration
with customers. We believe this acquisition will increase our capacity to provide customers with the industry leading on-time and damage-free service they demand. We are thrilled to welcome Land
Air Express into the Forward family.”
Silk Way West Airlines flies Yaks to their new home
Not your everyday shipment – and then not just the one, but one hundred of them… The press release does not stipulate what age the animals were, that were being transported on 28DEC22 as part of
a wildlife reintroduction project, but Yaks, which are a hairy type of cattle mainly found in the Himalayan region, the Tibetan Plateau and all the way to Mongolia/Siberia, generally weigh
anything between a quarter of a ton (female Yaks) to almost double that (males), are around 1.2-1.4 meters high and 2.5-3 meters long. Serious cargo requiring expert planning. The Ministry of
Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan turned to Silk Way West Airlines with its request to carry the animals from Bishkek Manas International Airport in Kyrgyzstan, to Baku Heydar Aliyev
International Airport in Azerbaijan: a herd of 100 Yaks over a distance of more than 2,000 kilometers. The airline’s crew and loadmasters are well-versed in animal transports and applicable IATA
regulations, having flown alpacas, kangaroos, dogs, horses, and European bison in the past, and therefore were up to the challenge. They ensured that the animals experienced “a perfectly
air-conditioned and ventilated environment” during flight. Special cages had been designed to prevent any risk of injury in flight, and veterinary staff supervised the animals throughout
their journey. While wild yaks are no longer on the Endangered list (since 1996), they remain listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Vugar Mammadov, Vice-President CIS and Central Asia of Silk Way West Airlines, commented: “We are proud to be involved in projects like this, contributing to the preservation of a sustainable
and biodiverse environment worldwide. Thanks to experienced crew and accompanying veterinarians, we were able to transport safely the yaks to their new home in Azerbaijan. We thank the Ministry
of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan for their trust in our work.”
Work starts on dnata cargo warehouse in Erbil
The project was announced back in MAY22 (CFG reported: https://www.cargoforwarder.eu/2022/05/22/short-shots/) and has now entered the construction phase. Talk is of dnata’s USD 14 million
cargo warehouse in Erbil, Iraq. Previously listed as a 16,000 m2 warehouse, the latest press release announcing that the foundation stone (pictured) has now been unveiled, reveals 20,000 m2 as
the size of its new, state-of-the-art cargo warehouse “which will add significant expansion to its operations at Erbil International Airport (EBL),” and says that it will bring around 50
additional, direct jobs with dnata, to the location. Once finalized – which should happen in SEP24 - the facility will be capable of processing 100,000 tons of general, perishable, and dangerous
cargo per year. This extensive expansion follows swift on the heels of dnata’s previous investment in the location: last year, it opened a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance
facility at EBL, where it already provides ground handling and cargo services to over 25 airlines with a team of over 400 aviation professionals.
dnata’s Senior Vice President for UAE and Iraq Airport Operations, Jaffar Dawood, said: “We are delighted to expand our operations in response to the growing demand for our reliable and safe
cargo services in Erbil. Our new facility will incorporate cutting-edge technologies and the latest carbon reduction initiatives in design and operation, ensuring the highest level of operational
and environmental efficiency for our customers. We stay committed to the Iraqi aviation industry and continue to invest in our operations to contribute to the development of Erbil as a regional
cargo hub.”
The latest technologies include the handler’s own advanced “OneCargo” system to enhance the efficiency of cargo operations both through. The release also reveals environmental initiatives:
“the facility will be equipped with the latest technologies, including thermal insulation to reduce the building’s environmental impact by maintaining low CO2 manufacturing emissions and
operating costs. Additional, environmentally sustainable features include a water harvesting system, which recycles condensed water, low energy skylighting, and an all-electric forklift
fleet.”
Two new all-cargo routes for JD Logistics Airlines
One month after launching its first all-cargo routes between Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province (scheduled six times/week) on 22NOV22, having received its Operation
Certification of Public Air Carriers of Large Aircraft from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on 31AUG22 (CFG reported: https://www.cargoforwarder.eu/2022/09/04/do-it-yourself-air-cargo-logistics/), JD Logistics Airlines has now
added two new, return, freighter connections: from Beijing to Wuhu, Anhui province to Nantong, Jiangsu province; and from Shenzhen, Guangdong province to Wuxi, Jiangsu province. The first
Beijing-Wuhu-Nantong flight operated by a Boeing 737-800 freighter, landed in Wuhu Xuanzhou Airport at 07:30 on 28DEC22. “The route is expected to improve the logistics transportation
efficiency in east and north China, enabling the collaboration of JD Logistics’ Asia No.1 logistics parks in Hefei and Wuhu, and satellite warehouses in their neighboring areas,” the release
explains. It also points out that the airline’s name has changed from JD Airlines to JD Logistics Airlines.
The inaugural flight of its second new route between Shenzhen and Wuxi, took off from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport at 02:15 on 30DEC22. “JD will operate the route six times a week
with daily transportation capacity of up to 15 tons,” the release promises, outlining that JD Logistics meanwhile “has access to over 1000 air transportation routes covering more than
100 airports, and has achieved a coverage rate of more than 95% for its air express delivery service across multiple cities in China.”
Röhlig Logistics opens subsidiary in Brazil
New year, new location. Air and sea freight logistics specialist, Röhlig Logistics, announced the inauguration of a new self-owned subsidiary in Brazil on 01JAN23. Located in São Paulo, the
launch signifies a shift in the company’s global network set-up. It now operates 13 own subsidiaries across Latin America. Regarding Brazil: until the end of last year, Röhlig had been
represented by agent, Figwal – a cooperation that lasted over 30 years. Ulrike Baum, Chief Human Resource Officer and member of the Global Executive Board at Röhlig Logistics, explained: “As
the largest Latin American economy, Brazil offers enormous growth potential. This is especially true for the metropolis of São Paulo, which is one of most populous cities in the world and has
emerged as the country’s major economic powerhouse. Up until now, our long-trusted agent Figwal represented us in Brazil. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the whole Figwal team for
the fruitful partnership over the past three decades.”
The team of the new subsidiary is led by Röhlig’s Managing Director for Brazil, Rodrigo Simoes. The 42-year-old joined Röhlig from Senator International, where he held the position of Managing
Director for Brazil and Colombia. He looks back on nigh on 20 years of industry experience. Simoes commented: “I am very much looking forward to this new challenge. The Brazilian market
offers many promising business opportunities, particularly regarding the automotive and industrial sectors. Our focus will be on providing a full scope of high-quality services including air
freight, sea freight, road transportation and customs clearance with an agile operation to ensure a fast response to our customers’ demands.”
BIFA announces new Director General
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) began the new year with the announcement of its new Director General. Stephen Parker succeeds Robert Keen, who has held the position since
2014 and will be retiring this year, having navigated BIFA through the recent “very turbulent period for its members, in light of the constant changes to trading conditions caused by Brexit
and the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Stephen Parker took up his new position at the start of this year, coming over from DHL Global Forwarding where he was Head of Customs UK until the end of 2022. He brings more than 40 years of
experience. His career began with Pandair in the 70s – a company that was acquired by AEI, which was then bought by Danzas, and Danzas in turn was acquired by DHL. From 2011 to 2013, Parker
already held the position of Chair of BIFA, serving on the UK trade association's Board of Directors and chairing its Customs Policy Group. He continues to hold the Chair of FIATA's Customs
Affairs Institute.
BIFA National Chair, Rachel Morley, stated: “We are delighted that Stephen has accepted our invitation to become Director General. Having served as a non-executive director for many years and
been heavily involved in some of our policy groups, he is well versed in the work that BIFA undertakes and hits the ground running from day one. We are also pleased that Robert will not be
leaving just yet, having agreed to manage BIFA's working relationships with other organizations and associations as international relations manager; and will be available to ensure that the
transition of director generals is seamless. Robert leaves behind a tremendous legacy of achievement in all four of BIFA's key objective areas, which are representation and lobbying; the
provision of advice and information; promotion; and training. Stephen's challenge will be to continue to develop those objectives.”
His responsibilities include supporting BIFA members “in their efforts to secure their development in the global economy against a background of ever-changing challenges, customer demands,
and new legislation.”
Stephen Parker commented: “I am really pleased to be offered the opportunity to lead the trade association and am looking forward to working with the talented staff and management team at
BIFA's secretariat, as well as the Board of Directors, Council, Policy Groups and Regional committees. Working together we will continue to drive forward BIFA's representative role and deliver
results for our membership.”
DoKaSch has a new CCO: Edwin Visser
New year, new CCO. DoKaSch announced on 04JAN23, that Edwin Visser was appointed as its new Chief Commercial Officer – a position that until now did not exist in the German specialist company for
temperature-controlled air cargo containers. Visser is tasked with further improving DoKaSch’s international network of airline and forwarder partners, and brings 35 years of experience in the
industry. Since 1998, the Dutch graduate in Applied Sciences from the University of Amsterdam, has held various positions mainly in the Netherlands, in air and sea freight, and pharma transport
solutions with well-known companies such as KLM Cargo, P&O Nedlloyd Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel, C-Safe, SkyCell, and GEODIS. DoKaSch now takes him to Frankfurt.
Edwin Visser, Chief Commercial Officer of DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, explained: “As one of the few suppliers of active air freight containers, DoKaSch Temperature Solutions offers with
the Opticooler a highly available and extremely reliable packaging solution. I see many opportunities for Opticoolers in the global market and I am looking forward to further expanding the
already strong network of DoKaSch TS with my extensive experience.”
Andreas Seitz, Managing Director of DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, stated: “I am excited to win such an experienced industry executive for the team of DoKaSch Temperature Solutions. With the
expertise of Edwin Visser along his professional network and entrepreneurial attitude, we are very well positioned to continue our global growth.”
Brigitte Gledhill
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