Air Cargo

Air cargo is in catch up mode as it slowly drags itself into the digital world.

Aligning capacity with fluctuating demand and sticker-shock pricing is always a tough dance in the air cargo spot market, and it is getting more difficult.

The scheduled Hong Kong-LAX freighter service to be launched by Flexport is aimed at locking in space on the busy route.

Tight space in air cargo will keep rates up and keep shippers under pressure, especially during peak periods.

Because of its perishable status, long-distance seafood export has always been a challenging task — even when all operational factors are in one's favor. Add an air cargo space squeeze, uneven consumer demand, and foul weather and the task can approximate a varying obstacle course.

The emerging digital supply chain is offering shippers improved reefer container tracking, as well as better control / management of the cargo's condition. But a decade of reefer underinvestment and an accelerating global economy has led to a shortage of reefer containers.

Strong demand for fresh foods and other perishables that require refrigerated transportation is encouraging news for the global reefer market in 2018. However, logistics challenges threaten to drive up prices and, in some cases, prevent in-time delivery for these limited-shelf-life products.

Driven by rising e-commerce sales, last year saw a 9.5 percent surge in global air freight tonnage for the 12 months ended Nov. 2017 — the industry’s strongest performance since the global financial crisis of 2010; and the uptrend is expected to continue in 2018.

The new facility near the El Paso International Airport will serve shippers in what is called “the Borderplex” — a manufacturing region stretching out from the cities of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has received its first air cargo shipment from China under a World Customs Organization pilot program that uses data sharing to speed up customs clearance.

Three Dutch shipper and logistics organizations have called on the government to speed up the implementation of a local rule on aircraft landing slots at Amsterdam Schiphol and end a crisis that has cut full freighter numbers by 12 percent since the end of October.

Given limited domestic air cargo space, and increasing demand for quick-shipped goods, Bangladesh businesses are exploring air cargo options outside the country.

A late Lunar New Year may smooth out the traditional spike in volume ahead of the major holiday, officials said.

Freighters calling at Dutch airport gateway of Schiphol have managed to secure landing slots for the current winter season.

The recovering air cargo market is generating unprecedented growth at selected airports in Asia and Europe.

Shippers of air freight should get used to tight space and high prices because demand will continue to outstrip supply on the busy trade routes.

The space-choked China-US air freight routes may see rate levels reach incredible highs as demand overpowers supply ahead of Chinese New Year.

From air freight to ocean to trucking, e-commerce is exerting palpable influence on the various transport markets.

Airlines and forwarders are expecting online shopping to continue growing e-commerce volume into 2018.

In a series of conversations, JOC executive editor Mark Szakonyi surveyed three shippers on how 2017 fared for their supply chains and what 2018 holds.

Economic health is driving growth in cargo volumes.

The song will likely remain the same regarding the air cargo sector in 2018: increasing demand, which suggests that building a 'time safety cushion' into your supply chain is prudent.

There will be little respite for shippers struggling to reserve air cargo space on the major trades until mid-February, with strong demand expected to continue until the Lunar New Year.

Strong and sustained air cargo volume pouring through Europe is having positive and negative effects on the airport gateways.

Global air logistics leaders say their focus for 2018 continues to be on technology and processes.

Freight rates for air cargo are rising steadily and space is at a premium with no slowing of demand.

Shippers of air cargo are in for a rough decade if a grim outlook on airport capacity by the International Air Transport Association proves correct.

Peak season demand is using up all available capacity and pushing up rates to unheard of levels.

The strong performance of air cargo this year has continued into the fourth quarter and the positive sentiment is expected to reach well into 2018.

Holiday orders up 20 percent, strong demand reported from airlines and logistics providers — the good times continue to roll for the air cargo business.

These are the best of times for the global airline industry but look like the worst of times for UK carriers and airports as they sweat over Brexit.

Shippers are scrambling for space on aircraft and paying more for their cargo as robust volume in Asia-Europe and Asia-North America trades quickly mop up available capacity.

Securing air cargo space for customers in a tightening market has led to Flexport chartering freighters during the peak season with plans to set up a weekly freighter schedule in 2018.

The sales figures surrounding China's Single's Day are predictably large, but the online shopping promotion continues robust 2017 e-commerce demand that is driving up air cargo volume.

Netherlands airport hub Schiphol is considering a government proposal aimed at solving its landing rights crisis impacting all-cargo flights.

Atlas Air is the latest carrier to announce expectations of a solid peak season, but the rising demand for airlines will limit the space available to shippers and push up freight rates.

The shipment of outsized or heavyweight air freight has demanded agility, speed, and quick thinking from forwarders, charter brokers, and carriers.

Rising air cargo volume is coinciding with growing passenger travel, and slots for freighters flights are being squeezed at hub airports in Europe.

The cyclical air cargo peak may be moderating slightly, but carriers continued to enjoy strong volume and yields during September.

Continued slow growth in the global economy suppressed revenue at the world’s top 50 transportation service providers.