Aviation
WFS opens ecommerce, freight forwarder handling facility in Copenhagen
WFS opens ecommerce, freight forwarder handling facility in Copenhagen
Lufthansa Cargo plans VR training for aircraft loading supervisors
International shipping groups condemn Red Sea attacks
Frankfurt Airport cargo volume slips in June
DSV opens Singapore's first "positive energy" logistics facility
Amazon Air Cargo, Air Premia partner to boost cargo network
Ethiopian boosts cargo capacity with new service to Hanoi, Vietnam
4RCargo taps Roman Taborsky to lead Austrian air freight operations
NWSA launches incentive for zero emission drayage
US sets new tariff rates on 14 countries as it moved deadline to August 1
ECS Group subsidiary secures GSSA contract with Thai Airways
Asia Pacific airlines record double-digit cargo demand growth in 2024
Cathay opens a new IT office in Qianhai, Shenzhen
DHL names Markus Voss as new CEO DHL Freight
IMO calls for constructive dialogue as attacks on the Red Sea resumes
Malaysia Aviation Group acquires 20 more aircraft to support long-term growth
ACI World confirms 20 busiest air cargo hub in 2024 with Hong Kong on top
Davies Turner, Manitoulin partner on Canada ocean freight
Global Logistics Network, CargoAi partner to launch payment solution
DP World launches new container management system in Brisbane
U-Freight sees continued rise in Philippine shipments
Transport Logistic Southeast Asia, Air Cargo Southeast Asia accelerates the region’s logistics resilience, sustainability and digitalization
Munich Airport sees 7.6% uptick in first-half air cargo volume
Air cargo capacity overtook demand for the first time in 19 months
Emirates SkyCargo signs service quality deal with Kuehne+Nagel
Geodis completes transport, float-off of three wind foundations
Oman Air Cargo appoints Swissport as its new ground handler in Schiphol
Frankfurt Airport poised to become global pharma hub
Emirates boosts cargo capacity in China with new Shenzhen service
ONE opens office in Greece
Freightos: Transpacific rates slide on early end to peak surge
Hellmann opens new contract logistics center in the Melbourne
MOL completes the acquisition of LBC Tank Terminals
Ethiopian expands Asia cargo network with new Urumqi service in China
Cathay Cargo transports terracotta figures, other artifacts from Xi’an to Perth
S&P: Israel-Iran conflict could lead to sharp shock in global growth
Middle East, South Asia tonnages partially rebound
Ship recycling could double to 16,000 ships over the next 10 years
DHL Global Forwarding inaugurates new Frankfurt air freight hub
IATA: Air cargo demand up 2.2% despite trade disruptions
Saudia Cargo, China Cargo Airlines ink deal to boost Asia-Europe air freight
Oman Air joins oneworld alliance
Air Hong Kong now operating all-A330 Freighter fleet
Air One moves 12-meter cargo from Liège to Abu Dhabi
IATA launches SAF matchmaking platform
APAC Logistics occupiers focus on expansion amid global trade uncertainty
Hong Kong takes center stage at TIACA 2025 Summit
Hong Kong Convention enters into force marking new era in ship recycling
FedEx retires 12 aircraft amid choppy demand
Atlas Air expands cargo facility at Miami International Airport
Asia Pacific air cargo volumes rise again on continued frontloading
Emirates SkyCargo warns of fuel-linked payload concern amid Mideast tension
Qatar Airways reinstates flights as Qatar airspace reopens
Saudia Cargo, TAM Group launch ‘Saudia Cargo Global’ from new Hong Kong hub
Rhenus expands in Southeast Asia with new Singapore air freight gateway
Cathay Pacific maintains double-digit cargo growth in May
Air Charter Service makes top management changes
South Carolina Ports reports stable cargo volumes despite uncertainty
Saudia Cargo inks global partnerships to expand reach
Frankfurt Airport cargo volume bounces back in May
Qantas Freight expands freighter operation in China
JD Logistics debuts in Saudi Arabia
Hong Kong maintains 3% export growth forecast despite tariffs
First ITA Airways flights with Lufthansa Cargo shipments arrive in Rome
MNG Airlines to order two Airbus A350F Freighters
DHL: Early peak season driven by tariff and capacity fluidity
Port of Long Beach sees cargo decline for May
Freightos: Iran-Israel conflict not impacting freight yet
WFS earns Cargo iQ Quality Certification across EMEA, Asia
AviLease orders 10 Airbus A350F freighters
Kale Logistics launches Maritime Single Window in Brunei
WorldACD: Air cargo rides uncertainty as demand grows 6% in May
WFS extends cargo handling, trucking contract with Oman Air in France
FedEx spots freight opportunities for expanded cargo plane operations
Saudia Cargo eyes fleet, network, digital upgrades in bid for Top 10 status
Malaysia sets sights on becoming a key regional cargo hub
Hong Kong sees modest air cargo growth despite trade uncertainty
WorldACD: Worldwide tonnages rebounded 4% in May after April decline
Etihad Cargo, Ezhou Huahu Airport partner to expand Asia-Pacific connectivity
Lödige Industries in Asia expands presence with new South Korea branch office
FedEx boosts APAC healthcare capabilities with CEIV pharma certification
Kuehne+Nagel, SATS launch expedited aircraft parts delivery in Singapore
Qatar Airways Cargo, IAG Cargo, MASkargo to launch global cargo partnership
Etihad Cargo introduces SmartTrack, expanding real-time shipment monitoring
Airline profitability to strengthen slightly in 2025 despite headwinds – IATA
Air China Cargo to set-up its UK cargo hub at Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Emirates SkyCargo boosts East-West connectivity with new connections
cargo.one integrates digital air freight booking with Descartes' system
WorldACD: Global air cargo market stable, while China-US lane recovers
Mersin International Port completes first phase of East Med Hub 2 terminal
Cathay Pacific, Sinopec join forces in a SAF initiative
WR Logistics appoints Massimo Naldini as CEO for Italy
Chengdu-Shenzhen-Hong Kong rail-sea corridor launched
China Airlines joins digital booking platform Freightos
ONE advances green strategy with ship recycling policy, SRTI membership
IATA: Air cargo demand up 5.8% in April
Port of Houston records double-digit container growth
Hactl advances phase two of smart cargo thermal detection
Frontloading boosts cargo volume for airlines in the Asia Pacific
Kuehne+Nagel appoints new global head of sales
Frankfurt Cargo Services expands e-commerce handling facility by 300%
Port of NY/NJ reports continued cargo growth in April
CEVA Logistics links Far East, Latin America with car carrier fleet
Kuehne+Nagel, Natilus team up on blended-wing cargo planes
APAC, Middle East records double-digit growth in air connectivity — ACI World
Transpacific ocean volumes surge during tariff pause
Qatar Airways Cargo reports record year
Lufthansa Cargo uses AI to process booking requests faster
IATA appoints Sheldon Hee as regional vice president for Asia-Pacific
Pacific Carriers, Singapore Maritime Foundation boost maritime workforce
DHL Group partners with Shopify to accelerate global cross-border shipping
WestJet Cargo expands capacity to Japan with daily Dreamliner service
WorldACD: Asia Pacific and worldwide tonnages rebound
Hasenkamp announces first art storage facility of its kind in Saudi Arabia
Swissport, Aurrigo launch first global pilot of autonomous ground handling
FedEx Global Healthcare earns IATA CEIV Pharma Certification
Kuehne+Nagel acquires Spanish road logistics provider TDN
Sudden transpacific capacity shortage amid US-China tariff pause
Lufthansa Cargo expands temperature-controlled logistics with new features
San Pedro Bay Ports open bidding for short line rail services
Neste starts to supply SAF to FedEx at LAX
Cargolux, AIT Worldwide Logistics sign landmark SAF deal
Cathay Cargo sees year-on-year growth, but monthly slowdown amid tariff uncertainty
Qatar Airways Cargo records strongest financial results since pandemic
Port of Antwerp-Bruges launches Europe’s first electric tugboat
Lufthansa Cargo to market ITA Airways capacity, adds Rome as fifth hub
HSBC: China-US tariffs pause would drive an early peak season
Lufthansa Cargo announces executive board reshuffle
China Southern Airlines’ first scheduled freighter lands at Glasgow Prestwick
Hong Kong air cargo volume rises year over year in April, slips from March
Mobull unveils new art warehouse in Brussels
Air Charter Service: Current market the most uncertain since Covid-19
SATS to invest over US$192M to enhance Changi Airport operations
Vienna Airport records cargo increase in Q1
Kuehne+Nagel unveils air freight sustainability initiative
APEC lowers 2025 growth forecast to 2.6%, urges trade policy stability
U.S. slashes ‘de minimis’ tariff on small China parcels to 30%
TIACA names Roos Bakker as first woman chair
Airforwarders Association calls for freeze on tariffs, not trade
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport partners with Somon Air to boost freight traffic
Fednav’s Paul Pathy elected BIMCO president
Awery poll: Security, compliance are top priorities for GSSAs
Frankfurt Airport cargo volume declines in April
Emirates Group confident in growth amid market volatility
China-US deescalation may spur early peak season
Etihad Cargo reshapes regional structure to drive network expansion
Cargo iQ adds SAL, Saudi Arabia's largest logistics provider
allivate digitalizes import shipment pick-up at Frankfurt Airport
U-Freight earns HKAEO accreditation for high security standards
AAPA: Supply chain disruptions hinder aviation’s role in global growth
Maastricht Aachen Airport makes new cargo appointment
US-China tariff pause offers temporary relief, could fuel another frontloading rush
Turkish Cargo signs long-term Partnership with Atlas Air for 747F flights
Qatar Airways Cargo expands Australian export capacity through Virgin Australia
WorldACD: Labor Day contributes to Asia-Pacific air cargo decline
Finnair Cargo joins Smart Freight Centre
Global schedule reliability records two consecutive month-on-month increases
CEVA Logistics announces new strategic warehouse in Singapore
China Airlines orders four Boeing 777-8 Freighters to expand cargo fleet
Qatar Airways Cargo launches campaign highlighting global trade role
Global air freight rates continue to tumble on tariff uncertainty
DHL acquires US e-commerce logistics company IDS Fulfillment
Tariff shifts reshape freighter operations, fuel market volatility
Turkish Cargo, Hong Kong Air Cargo, sign strategic MoU
Pharma.Aero, TIACA partner to boost air cargo's role in healthcare, trade
SATS appoints chief digital officer to lead global digitalisation efforts
AAL transports 60-metre port cranes from Europe to the US
dnata expands airside fleet with 800 new units in US$110M rollout
Trans Global Projects names new director as it launches Malaysian office
ICAO Council condemns radio frequency interference affecting civil aviation
Qatar Airways Cargo becomes launch customer of Mammoth Freighters 777-200LRMF
Air cargo market awaits impact of tariffs and 'de minimis' changes
DP World, Asian Terminals invest US$100M to expand Manila South Harbor
IMO enforces stricter air pollution limits for ships in the Mediterranean
WorldACD: Global cargo tonnages rise 6% in April year-on-year
Kuehne+Nagel, cargo.one partner to expand digital airline connections
ANA cargo volume rises in fiscal year 2024
UK freight group forms advisory body for Heathrow cargo overhaul
Korean Air to build urban air mobility hub in Bucheon
CMA CGM completes Air Belgium acquisition
India shuts airspace to Pakistan airlines amid rising tensions
Air cargo demand rises 4.4% in March amid frontloading ahead of tariffs
Saudia Cargo, China Henan Aviation launch Asia-Middle East air logistics bridge
Geodis, Dolfines team up on XXL lifting device for offshore wind
Emirates, Philippine Airlines to explore enhanced partnership in cargo
time:matters strengthens presence in Southeast Asia
APAC airlines report cargo growth, warn of tariff impact on demand
U-Freight sees continued global ecommerce growth despite current risks
WestJet Cargo expands service to South Korea with increased frequencies
ANA first airline to adopt fuel-saving riblet technology on Boeing 777
CEVA Logistics signs deal to acquire Borusan Tedarik, expand in Turkey
Cargolux posts strong 2024 results, cautions on global market impact
Airports in APAC, Middle East to see US$240B investment in infrastructure expansion
Swissport expands to 13 Saudi airports
WFS, Cathay Cargo ink new cargo handling contracts for Portland, Dallas Fort Worth airports
Air cargo rates from Asia Pacific fall further amid market uncertainty
CMA CGM becomes majority shareholder with 51% stake in Santos Brasil
KLN opens new Netherlands logistics facility to meet e-commerce demand
Cathay expects softening China-US cargo demand amid trade tensions
Qatar Airways Cargo, IAG Cargo, MASkargo eye launch of global cargo joint venture
ANA Cargo boosts online booking with CargoWise
IATA: Brazil's adoption of electronic air waybill a milestone for modernization
Hong Kong air cargo grows 4.8% in March driven by Middle East, Europe
SHIPPERS BAND TOGETHER FOR LOGISTICS NETWORKS
October 21, 2022
Retailers including Gap Inc. and American Eagle Outfitters are branching out into third-party logistics.

In mid-August, fashion brand retailer Gap Inc. branched out into third-party logistics. The company launched a fulfilment service called GPS Platform Services, which targets other retailers.

 

The range of services offered includes next-day and two-day shipping, short-term storage and cross-docking and reverse logistics. Users access it through a self-service portal with API integrations to major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Shopify.

 

Gap is using its own logistics infrastructure to offer other retailers an omnichannel network that spans the United States. It operates a network of 13 distribution centres in North America with a capacity to process 1 billion units in a year, according to the company.

 

“For the first time, we are making Gap Inc.’s fast, flexible, and highly automated logistics and fulfilment network available to brands of all sizes through GPS Platform Services,” declared Gap’s supply chain head Kevin Kuntz in a LinkedIn post.

 

He stressed that the GPS Platform was only selling its excess capacity “with a high buffer built in.”

 

The retailer has beefed up its network this year. In January it owned five warehouses and was leasing another three.

 

Further investment in the logistics arena is on the cards. During an earnings call with financial analysts in March CFO Katrina O’Connell said that management was planning to use US$700 million for capital expenditure this year that would focus on supply chain and technology projects to improve speed and efficiency in the company’s fulfilment network.

 

Gap is not the only large American retail brand that seeks to leverage its logistics infrastructure and capabilities with other shippers. A few days before the unveiling of GPS Platform Services, American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) officially launched its Quiet Platforms, a collaborative platform for brands and retailers to ship their products.

 

Unlike GPS Platform Services, this is not designed chiefly to boost the utilization of AEO’s warehouses and trucks. Quiet Platforms pools the carrier contacts of the brands and retailers that are participating in the venture and send out parcels using a universal delivery label.

 

At its official launch, Quiet Platforms could leverage some 40 carriers, ranging from small local and regional operators to international behemoths DHL eCommerce Solutions and international parcel shipping and mailing company Pitney Bowes.

 

The latter two were not brought into the fold by participating shippers. They were strategic signings made by Quiet Platforms management.

 

On the user side, the venture kicked off in August with about 60 participants, ranging from small retailers to brands like Peloton, Steve Madden and Li & Fung.

 

Shekar Natarajan, executive vice-president and chief supply chain officer of AEO and head of Quiet Platforms, stated that the concept was borne out of the disruptions since the Covid-19 outbreak in order to find a more reliable, flexible and sustainable solution. At the same time, this should be more efficient than the established channels and deliver cost savings.

 

“We’re levelling the playing field by offering high-quality delivery experiences without prohibitively high investments in management and technology infrastructure. Our ecosystem also gives carriers the opportunity to reach a wide range of new customers without lengthy lead times or complexity,” he said.

 

At the heart of Quiet Platforms is Quiet Logistics, a 3PL that AEO acquired last November for $350 million. The company was providing same- and next-day service utilizing a network of fulfilment centres in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis and Jacksonville. In early August new fulfilment facility opened in Atlanta.

 

Quiet Logistics has also been quite active in the use of technology, using advanced robotics and smart sortation technology in its fulfilment centres as well as advanced network management tools. The network dynamically manages performance at the shipment level to find the best possible routing decision for every parcel in the system, based on delivery commitment, quality of service and cost.

 

Quiet Platforms claims that this means it can deliver parcels 1-2 days faster and attain cost reductions of up to US$1 per parcel. In part, this is attributable to the use of technology, in part due to the absence of investment in delivery fleets.

 

Eytan Buchman, the Jerusalem-based chief marketing officer of Freightos, sees the collaborative ventures of AEO and Gap Inc. as part of a broader trend among shippers to get a better grip on supply chains and leverage assets.

 

“Taking advantage of costly infrastructure or manpower to improve revenue and profitability makes sense, especially in today’s market. This isn’t limited to last-mile fulfilment. For example, CastleGate is a full end-to-end logistics solution built under the Wayfair umbrella. And an increasing number of global companies are building up an internal freight forwarding business, both internally focused (like Inditex’s Fashion Logistics Forwarders) and those oriented towards bringing in new business as well,” he said.

 

The concept also tallies the growing call for supply chain collaboration that can extend to competitors to work together in non-competitive arenas.

Forwarders eye such developments warily.

 

“This is potentially hard for forwarders,” said Buchman. “The reality is that while retailers can build or acquire a forwarder arm and even sell their services to other shippers, few forwarders will ever branch out into either retail or buying ocean liners.”

 

Gap’s GPS Platform is one project alongside others that aim to leverage the company’s supply chain as well as technical and digital capabilities and customer insights. These include media networks, uniform and promotional apparel and supply chain services.

 

It remains to be seen how many shippers will be interested in multiple engagements with Gap, so forwarders probably shouldn’t be too concerned about the firm’s non-logistical ventures. Still, the sight of shippers taking active roles in supply chain management that cater to other shippers, while carriers are digitizing booking and selling channels to shippers, must be a concern for them.

 

By Ian Putzger

Air Freight Correspondent | Toronto