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Issue 8 2019 - FBJNA


///AIR CARGO


A forkliſt operator at Hawaiian Air Cargo’s 3,200 sq. ſt. warehouse at HNL. (Hawaiian Air Cargo photo.)


Air Cargo Gives Assurance to Perishables Shippers


By Karen E. Thuermer


FACT: The longer perishables take to be delivered; the more likely quality will suffer. FACT: Perishables should be


delivered in a timely manner. FACT: Many perishables


importers/exporters utilize air transport but have not been 100% satisfied. Transporting


tarmac and arrive spoiled. Uncertainties associated


perishables


via air has complications. For one, airfreight space may be booked, but the produce is not ready for harvest. Restaurants may be promoting premium dishes, but deliveries may be delayed due to bad weather. Or a shipment may sit on a hot


with air transport are many and complicated by the cold chain requirements varying from product to product. Asparagus is especially delicate since its temperature must be maintained during cargo handling. In damp weather (rain, snow), the asparagus must be protected from moisture, or there’s a risk of premature spoilage where the


asparagus a spears may


become rubbery and mushy. It’s


delicate balancing act that, to be completely


successful, requires every party along the cold chain to act within accordance. Ocean freight has chipped


into the air cargo slice of this


business by utilizing


temperature-controlled units that can maintain a specific temperature during the long transit. But


as Andreas Pauker,


spokesman for Lufthansa Cargo says, “Transporting perishables by air is simply incomparably faster.


In the


first place, this makes it possible to obtain many fruits that have ripened on the plant and can give consumers a much more authentic and


intense taste experience.” Ocean transit may offer


value, but industry executives adds that transit in controlled- atmosphere containers also impacts taste. “A mango shipped by air has a different taste and quality than one shipped by sea,” says Uta Frank, product manager for Lufthansa Cargo’s Frankfurt-based


Fresh/td


perishables division. “The decision of whether to ship by air or sea comes down to what value a producer is willing to put over taste.” Exacerbated by growing


demand for perishables worldwide and the longer


distances many varieties must be shipped, air carriers and airports are making big inroads to ensure speed, quality, and customer satisfaction when it comes to this commodity group. One is IATA’s new CEIV “Fresh” certification program.


CEIV Fresh


Given the big success of the CEIV Pharma certification program, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) expanded this program this March to include CEIV “Fresh” for perishables products. IATA officials explain that


the CEIV Fresh program was “created to improve the processes for transporting perishables by air and, ultimately, to grow air cargo business for perishables.”


It was also designed to enhance standardization of handling and transportation of cargo (in this case perishables), reinforce trust through transparency and communication, and improve welfare and safety through appropriate quality and risk management. “Perishable goods are a


growing market for air cargo. Ensuring that these delicate and short shelf-life products reach the customer unspoiled with minimal waste and loss is essential. Shippers will have assurance that CEIV Fresh certified companies are operating to the highest quality and standards in the transport of perishable products,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. To date,


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