Air Cargo Forwarder News

Express delivery in China resulted in 2.6 billion deliveries in the first quarter, up 51.9 percent year-on-year, Xinhua reported.

Air cargo’s positive start to the year has buoyed spirits in an industry anxious to find profitability amid weak yields and an excess of capacity.

As more shippers shift freight from express to deferred services or even to ocean vessels to better manage inventory and cut logistics costs, it’s natural to come to the conclusion that the air cargo industry is in a tailspin. Industry leaders, including FedEx founder and CEO Frederick W. Smith, describe a price-service flashpoint that favors slower means of transport and warn of growing protectionism. The rise of near-shoring and near-sourcing shortens supply chains, reducing the need for long-distance air transport.

The global air cargo business has been losing market share to ocean freight over the past 13 years as shippers seek less costly transport solutions in ocean freight.

With more shippers choosing to defer shipment to delayed air services, ground and even ocean transport, the air cargo industry needs to respond boldly...

On a recent day in mid-December, two 747 freighters flew into MidAmerica St. Louis Airport loaded with 250,000 pounds of Chilean blueberries. Just days later, another 160,000 pounds of the fruit landed at the airport.

Air freight operators have almost completed their shift of capacity back into China following the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Asia’s leading air freight hubs have gotten off to an encouraging start to the year, posting healthy growth rates across the board in January.

The pilots of the UPS cargo plane that crashed on Aug. 14, 2013, had complained about the company’s tiring work schedules at the start of the fatal flight before making landing errors...

The e-commerce division of India’s leading express distribution and supply chain solutions group grew at a rapid rate in the latter half of 2013...

Blue Dart Express, India’s leading air express and logistics services provider, reported a net income of Rs. 23 crore (approximately $3.7 million) in the third quarter of fiscal year 2013-14, tumbling 49 percent year-over-year.

Japan’s largest international freight forwarder Nippon Express said its profit jumped 13.8 percent year-over-year in the first three quarters of fiscal year 2013...

TNT Express today announced it will retain its domestic delivery operation in Brazil following the termination of talks with potential bidders for the business.

Forward Air has agreed to acquire Central States Trucking and Central States Logistics from Central States Inc. for $95.6 million.

Nippon Express Co., Japan’s largest international freight forwarder, has completed its acquisition of Panasonic Logistics...

UPS today proved there’s no such thing as free online shipping. The parcel giant lowered its earnings expectation for the full year to $4.57 a share from a previous prediction of $4.65 to $4.85 a share, citing the unexpected surge in last-minute online shopping orders in a compressed holiday peak season.

Expectations are growing that 2014 will finally see air freight volumes and yields pick up after more than two years of bottom feeding, giving airlines in Asia a much needed boost to profits.

The International Air Transport Association has forecast that international freight volumes will jump 17 percent over the next five years.

Nippon Express Co., Japan’s largest international freight forwarder, has acquired a 49 percent stake in NEC Logistics Ltd., the logistics arm of NEC Corp., the two companies announced on Dec. 2.

Nippon Express Co., Japan’s largest international freight forwarder, said that its group net profit plunged 34.2 percent in the first half of fiscal 2013, which started on April 1, from a year earlier to ¥7.443 billion ($75.9 million) despite revenue growth.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol handled 383,780 metric tons of cargo in the third quarter of 2013, increasing 2.6 percent compared with the same period in 2012.

TNT Express posted a 25 percent year-over-year decline in third quarter profit on 6.6 percent lower revenue...

TNT is determined to claw back ground lost in Asia during the protracted negotiations of its sale to UPS.

Blue Dart Express, India's leading air express and logistics services provider, reported a drop in net income but rise in revenue in its second fiscal quarter, which ended Sept. 30.

The United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization’s member states have agreed to develop a global market-based measure for international aviation on climate change...

DHL Express will increase its general average price throughout the Asia-Pacific region by about 5 percent, starting Jan. 1, 2014.

Gati has won its arbitration proceedings against Air India and will receive 268.2 million rupees towards claims, damages, interest and costs from the Indian airline.

Teamsters at Air Express International agreed to extend their contract with the company, keeping their current benefits in place until March 2014.

Dubai International reported a surprising decline in air freight volumes last month.

TNT Express is planning to sell its European fashion supply chain unit as part of a restructuring triggered by the collapse of a $6.9 billion takeover by UPS.

Cargo throughput at Hong Kong International Airport reached 341,000 metric tons in July, up 1.9 percent year-over-year.

A UPS cargo plane crashed near Birmingham, Ala., this morning.

In July, Fraport Group’s five majority-owned airports handled 179,500 metric tons of cargo, a drop of 0.6 percent from July 2012.

Deutsche Post DHL reported its profit in the second quarter of 2013 was €422 million (about US$562.2 million), improving from €196 million in the second quarter of 2012.

Domestic flights today resumed taking off and landing at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya, after the facility was damaged and temporarily shut down by a massive fire, CNN reports.

U.S. air cargo imports are facing “sporadic” and “relatively minimal” delays because of heightened national security over terror threats, requiring the double screening of shipments on commercial flights coming from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the head of the Airfowarders Association.

Shippers in Asia are shifting as much marginal cargo away from air freight as possible to further cut supply chain costs even though air freight rates ex Asia are now at historic lows, according to leading 3PL executives.

Drewry Maritime Research’s East-West Air Freight Price Index rates slipped by 2.7 points in June to 94.3 points, bringing the index down to its lowest level since it was launched it May 2012...