INDUSTRY NEWS
Consultancy launches suite <strong>of</strong> protocols to guide air cargo development SASI World has unveiled a comprehensive set <strong>of</strong> protocols for airports, airlines and on-airport operators to process air cargo in the post-Covid environment. Smart Cargo Airports, it claims, ties together the latest technological, environmental, regulatory and operational elements on-airport that are required for the introduction <strong>of</strong> new and competitive airline products https://theloadstar.com/consultancy-launches-suite-<strong>of</strong>-protocols-to-guide-air-cargo-develop- ment/ Shipping-aviation split widens as EMC sells more EVA Air shares The split between Evergreen Group’s shipping and aviation businesses gained momentum as Evergreen Marine Corp (EMC) announced it would sell 50 million <strong>of</strong> its shares in affiliate EVA Airways for $53m. EMC, the listed part <strong>of</strong> the group’s shipping operations, has 726,541,111 shares in EVA, a 13.46% stake; selling 50m shares would reduce its stake to 12.53%. Taiwanese media has identified the buyer as Chang Kuo-cheng, third son <strong>of</strong> Evergreen founder Chang Yung-fa, who died in 2016. https://theloadstar.com/shipping-aviation-splitwidens-as-emc-sells-more-eva-air-shares/ Amazon doubles up on delivery speed, but is not looking for air support Amazon has unveiled plans to double its same-day delivery facilities over the coming years, but the air transport sector will not play a significant role. The e-commerce behemoth has been in the vanguard <strong>of</strong> the push to nextday deliveries, standard for Prime subscribers pre-pandemic and signaled ambitions to accelerate to same-day, but lockdowns and subsequent surge in volume forced it to step on the brakes. https://theloadstar.com/amazon-doubles-upon-delivery-speed-but-is-not-looking-for-air-support/ Germany and Italy splash out in a bid to shift more cargo from road to rail European governments are on a rail spending spree – both Germany and Italy have announced significant investment and subsidies in a bid to move freight from road to rail. Germany’s Ministry <strong>of</strong> Transport has approved additional cash to make up for what the rail union EVG described as “decades <strong>of</strong> neglect” <strong>of</strong> the rail network; some €27bn ($29.5bn) being funneled into grid maintenance and digitization. https://theloadstar.com/germany-and-italysplash-out-in-a-bid-to-shift-more-cargo-from- road-to-rail/ UPS: ‘all hands on deck’ to retrieve million parcels a day lost to rivals After weaker results in the second quarter, UPS has lowered its revenue projection for the year by a whopping $4bn, citing lost business and higher costs. But management attributed much <strong>of</strong> the decline in results to the contract negotiations with the Teamsters union, which represents about 340,000 UPS employees, the majority <strong>of</strong> its workforce. This cost the integrator about a million parcels a day as customers shifted traffic to other operators, worried a strike might hit their deliveries. https://theloadstar.com/ups-all-hands-on-deckto-retrieve-million-parcels-a-day-lost-to-rivals/ OOCL reports a ‘robust’ H1 performance as demand see-saws The container market is “very far from being in disaster territory”, according to OOCL parent Orient Overseas (International) (OOIL). The Cosco subsidiary posted what it called a “robust” $1.13bn net pr<strong>of</strong>it for the half-year, which compares with a $5.7bn pr<strong>of</strong>it for the same period last year. OOIL said the ships operated by its container arm were currently “sailing full” on the main tradelanes – although it was “cautious” on the outlook, “given the challenges and uncertainties that abound”. Group turnover for the first six months came in at $4.5bn, <strong>of</strong> which $386,000 was contributed by its logistics and supply chain management services. https://theloadstar.com/oocl-reports-a-robusth1-performance-as-demand-see-saws/ US container imports still on the decline, but the slope is easing Containerized imports into the US are expected to break through the 2m TEU mark in August, for the first time since last <strong>October</strong>. But according to the monthly Port Tracker, published by the National Retail Federation (NRF) in collaboration with maritime consultancy Hackett Associates, monthly volumes should slip back below that threshold for the remainder <strong>of</strong> the year. But at least the rate <strong>of</strong> yearon-year decline is expected to shrink, it says. Based on traffic projections at major US container gateways, Port Tracker forecasts 2.03m teu <strong>of</strong> import cargo this month, 10.2% down on August last year. But it is an improvement over July, when an estimated 1.91m teu entered the US, 12.7% lower than 12 months prior. https://theloadstar.com/us-container-importsstill-on-the-decline-but-the-slope-is-easing/ Global disruption can open doors for improved African supply chains Supply chain diversification – kick-started by rumblings in China-US relations and exacerbated by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion <strong>of</strong> Ukraine – has presented an opportunity for Africa. The UN’s annual Economic Development in Africa report this year highlights the potential for the continent to capture a wave <strong>of</strong> demand, as companies look to diversify the way they move goods around the world. Rebeca Grynspan, secretary general <strong>of</strong> the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCT- AD), said: “Many companies across the world are rethinking their supply chain strategies in order to address gaps and mitigate risks.” https://theloadstar.com/global-disruption-canopen-doors-for-improved-african-supply-chains/ Industry Article <strong>Wings</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Change</strong> -7-