10


Issue 5 2020 - FBJNA


///AIR CARGO


Emirates SkyCargo offers more cargo capacity with aircraſt modification. (Emirates SkyCargo Photo.)


Air Cargo Stretches with COVID-19 Challenges By Karen E. Thuermer


Air cargo has long played a critical role in transporting pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, a point further emphasized by COVID-19. But with scores of passenger airlines canceling flights, capacity has become a critical issue. Data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in May does show a slight improvement in the global air cargo market. But capacity remains unable to meet demand because of parked aircraſt. “The extent of the increase


suggests, however, that there is still pent-up demand for air cargo that cannot be met due to the continued grounding of many passenger flights,” IATA says.


Passenger Plane Conversions


The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the use of overhead bins, storage closets and under- seat areas in the passenger area of US carrier aircraſt for lightweight pieces on flights carrying cargo only – no passengers. On May 21, it expanded the ruling to allow airlines


to place cargo—with


restrictions—in passenger seats when no passengers are being transported. The exemption, which is


valid for those carriers that submitted a letter of intent and


received specific FAA


authorization, was to expire on Dec. 31, 2020, but has now been extended to July 10, 2021. The extension, however, is regarded as being too late to benefit passenger airlines. The market for air transport has cooled considerably since March, when cargo customers were first offered the chance to charter empty airplanes to help counter a severe shortage


of transportation space. Meanwhile, in lieu of the


FAA ruling, carriers such as Delta have launched charter operations. “Offering new supply chain


solutions through Delta Cargo to our customers is one opportunity for us to provide the support our customers tell us they need during this unprecedented


business


environment,” says Shawn Cole, Vice President, Delta Cargo, in a press release. Nevertheless, during the


height of COVID-19 outbreaks this spring, some carriers like Luſthansa and Swiss converted passenger planes to cargo carriers. During that time, carriers such as Swiss parked some aircraſt as passenger demand declined. “We shiſted our focus from


being a belly-carrier, carrying cargo alongside passengers, to operating several cargo-only flights worldwide,” says Fabian Mettler, Swiss WorldCargo spokesperson. Seats were completely


removed on three Swiss Boeing 777-300ER aircraſt to add more space and capacity for the transportation of goods. “With this we were able to


offer space for our customers on many of our flights, and begin the process of shipping many of the most important necessary goods


to help


combat the pandemic to/from Switzerland and Europe,” Mettler says. Swiss WorldCargo launched


what it named its ‘Belly Charter’ concept.” “With this, we allowed individual customers to book either part or all of the space on our aircraſt for special shipments,” Mettler explains. Many of these shipments


were focused on humanitarian goods, such as medical goods. “This was particularly helpful as we were able to support the


important of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) into Switzerland,” he says. “Likewise, we were able to support the export of medical goods and supplies around the world.”


Worldwide Reach


Swiss WorldCargo, which has long focused on pharma, also launched a network of cargo- only flights


that


vaccines),” says Julian Sutch, Emirates Manager Global Sales, Pharma. Emirates SkyCargo’s hub


connected


Switzerland with destinations ranging from Asia to Africa to North and South America. “On these flights, we were able to carry a higher proportion of freight than usual,” Mettler says.


This network is still open


and continues to support existing supply chains. “In the last several months, we have shipped over 15,000 tons of cargo on these ‘cargo-only’ flights,” he says. Emirates SkyCargo has been


transporting large volumes of PPE and medical supplies across the world since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Emirates SkyCargo’s current


network is just over 100 destinations for scheduled flights. In some cases, the carrier has also operated special charter flights. Helping with the shipments is a fleet of around 50 specialized mobile containers called Cool Dollys that ensure that temperature sensitive cargo is maintained at the optimum temperature when being moved from aircraſt to aircraſt or from aircraſt to terminal or vice versa. Emirates SkyCargo invested in these prior to COVID-19. The fleet is dedicated to pharmaceutical cargo. “Apart from this, we work with specialized temperature container providers where the cargo needs to be maintained at precise temperatures without any deviations (for ex: temperature sensitive


-- Emirates SkyCentral in Dubai, also contains its Emirates SkyPharma, the world’s largest GDP-certified pharmaceutical cargo hub. Here over 8,000 square meters of space is dedicated for temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals. “We have also developed, in


collaboration with DuPont, a wide range of thermal covers that act as an excellent first level of thermal protection for pharmaceutical cargo,” reports Sutch. “And we continue to develop our capabilities specifically in developing more advanced container solutions for temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals as well as build on being able to intensify temperature tracking on pharma shipments using IoT technology.” In addition, Emirates


SkyCargo’s initiative, Pharma Corridors, aims to offer enhanced protection for temperature sensitive pharma shipments from origin to destination. “We have been working ground handlers


with and


local partners across stations where we volume of


transported to


see considerable pharma being ensure that


handling operations for pharmaceuticals at these stations are uniform and comply with our high standards and norms for pharma transport,” Sutch explains. “We currently have more than 30 stations in our pharma network from across the world.” In June 2019, Emirates


SkyCargo launched a purpose- built pharma facility at Chicago International Airport airside. The facility, spread over 1,000 square meters with room for further expansion,


has temperature-controlled acceptance, delivery, storage, build-up/break-down zones, and direct ramp access. “This means that pharma


cargo spends very little time in transit between the aircraſt and the terminal and vice versa,” he explains. In terms of volume of pharma cargo, Chicago is one


container from va-Q-tec can accommodate over 1,750 pounds of temperature- sensitive cargo. Every week, DSV


delivers containers, each 20 TWINx one filled


with human blood plasma, for loading onto a Boeing 787-9 for transport. Since March 19, United


Emirates SkyCargo offers Cool Dollys to ensure temperature sensitive cargo is maintained at optimum temperature when cargo is being moved from aircraft to aircraft or from aircraft to terminal or vice versa. (Emirates SkyCargo Photo.)


of the carrier’s biggest stations globally and there are large volumes of


pharma cargo


being imported into Chicago. Also, in 2019, Emirates


SkyCargo shiſted its pharma handling operations at Copenhagen to a new GDP certified dedicated facility.


Partnerships Partnerships are critical in


shipping pharma products, particularly during COVID-19. United Cargo recently


partnered with DSV Air and Sea


to transport pharma


materials globally. One of the products it handles is blood plasm, which must be kept at an exceptionally low, stable temperature of negative 20 degrees Celsius or less while being transported between trucks, warehouses, and airplanes, all while moving through the climates of different countries. A single TWINx shipping


Cargo has operated over 3,200 cargo-only flights between six U.S. hubs and over 20 cities in Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, India, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. In late April, Icelandair


Group and global logistics provider DB Schenker signed an agreement to use Icelandair aircraſt on Icelandair cargo routes for almost exclusively PPE movements between Shanghai and Munich. This has since stopped. Additional flights from Shanghai to Chicago were also run through Iceland, which stopped in late June. “We


were using three


aircraſt and, so far, have run 63 Icelandair


cargo routes,”


reports Asok Kumar, Executive Vice President Head of Airfreight, Region Americas at DB Schenker. “They have since converted back two passenger planes. One still remains in that configuration for possible


12 >>


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20