Looking forward to 2024 and what’s in store for the shipping industry, including air, ocean and surface, I see the challenges that emerged in the past two years remaining.
In the ocean space, one of the primary reasons for these challenges is the current lack of technology available to produce true in-transit supply chain visibility globally for all modes, along with a solution that can detect security issues, delivering proof of cargo integrity and the conveyance on the same platform.
No current device can provide global real-time visibility on cargo in transit and provide alarms for set cargo anomalies such as door openings and light and gas sensor triggers.
In 2024, the biggest challenge in the air cargo space will be the continued lack of belly space on passenger aircraft. Until the volume of flights between Asia and North America returns to pre-pandemic levels, expect to continue to experience higher rates and limited accessibility ($5.80 per kg today versus $2.55 prior to the pandemic).
As passenger flights are added and cargo space recovers, the number of ad hoc and supplemental cargo routes that emerged during COVID-19 will shift as the passenger volumes expand.
However, the cargo routes will be repositioned to serve the expanding Asian e-commerce giants of Alibaba, Temu, Shein and JD.com seeking to move cargo to their growing worldwide customer base.
The air cargo industry sector is looking at initiatives to assist in the area of decarbonization. Emerging technologies and fuel options for aircraft and ground cargo transportation are being tested, and the aircraft industry continues to push the envelope in developing planes that are more environmentally friendly.
Many airports are transitioning to electric vehicles for air cargo loading and transport. Facilities such as Tallahassee International Airport have taken environmental stewardship further by utilizing their extra acreage to house two solar farms.