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Issue 6 2020 - Freight Business Journal


well, although it is down 14.4% in


the year-to-date (January to June) in comparison to 2019. There has though been an upsurge in PPE imports, and now export traffic such as car parts is beginning to resume again, albeit at lower levels than before. Airfreight rates are still quite high on several lanes, which is helping to improve the finances of companies involved. Conrady and von Winning convinced that, one day,


the airline industry will recover as governments takes steps to boost economies and the normal pattern of global trade resumes. In the meantime, Fraport and


the airfreight community need to prepare for another rush – when an effective Covid vaccine is created and needs to be shipped rapidly all over the world. Germany is a major medical producer and Frankfurt airport is a major distribution centre; the local freight industry is determined to play its part and ensure that the operation is as trouble-free as possible. Frankfurt


already has very


extensive temperature-controlled pharma facilities with matching ground handling abilities capable of handling the contents of several fully loaded 747 freighters at the same time. Along with the existing 12,000sq m of temperature- controlled space, a further 2,500sq m is already under construction and indeed local cargo handling agents, carriers and also Fraport


have their plans ready to offer additional facilities if needed. All this capacity will be needed


though, as IATA estimates that when the vaccine is shipped – possibly in late autumn or winter this year – it could need the equivalent of 8,000 747 freighters, though a great deal depends on where it is shipped to and from, and what (complete vaccine or just the active ingredient). The pharma facilities


at Frankfurt


could be temporarily extended on airside and landside. Other investment at Frankfurt


airport is continuing meanwhile and, despite the pandemic, the new Terminal 3 and associated aprons and stands is currently expected to start operating in 2025. With the ongoing construction work for the new warehouse being on schedule, handling agent Swissport hopes to start major cargo schemes later this year. Indeed, Conrady and von


Winning suggest that the crisis could even boost future investment in air cargo facilities at Frankfurt. While the freight business has always taken a back seat in relations to passengers, recent events have made authorities and politicians realize its importance and has created a sense of urgency among the decision-makers. Investment in IT is as important


as bricks and mortar and Frankfurt will shortly gain a new customs control system that will make


High tech to speed Swissport operations


Swissport will use FAIR@Link technology to manage truck access at its new air freight hall at Frankfurt, due to open in November 2020. Swissport project


manager Mirjam


Sladkowski explains that, with freight volume expected to increase again in the medium term, and with it the number of pick-ups and deliveries, “efficient and automated traffic management is of prime importance to us; there should no longer be any trucks waiting either in front of or on the premises. For this reason, we will introduce slot booking via FAIR@Link for all deliveries and pick-ups starting when the system goes into operation.” FAIR@Link gives the handler


information about all planned pick-up and delivery trucks at an early stage, allowing it to plan resources accordingly


and avoid peaks, as well as to avoid the risk of congestion at check-in counters and ramps. Any checks can be carried out in advance, so that only a comparison of expected and actual data needs to be made when the drivers arrive with the goods. Sladkowski added: “It is


crucial that all partners involved book their slots via FAIR@Link and adhere to the ground rules. This is the only way we can guarantee fast and streamlined handling processes for all parties involved, since there won’t be many extra parking spaces for waiting trucks, either in front of or behind the barrier.” Before the trucks’ departure, reserve


companies slots, time


slots in FAIR@Link and are then processed during those designated waiting.


without


the process of handling customs clearances much faster and easier. It will allow any consignments in a consolidation that need to be checked to be separated from the other shipments rather than bring the whole job to a stop as at present. It will also allow Customs to carry out more precise and quicker checks. The airport has had a vehicle


booking system for two years and, aſter a rather uncertain start, it is now proving a valuable and indeed vital tool for the smooth operation of the cargo area, particularly during the recent PPE surge. It is due to be extended to two more handlers soon and,


once it becomes comprehensive, will be a huge help to hauliers in planning their schedules. It will help truckers reduce the time they spend on airport and help them get more pick-ups and deliveries into driver shiſts, while at the same time reducing congestion on the airport by eliminating queues of trucks around the cargo sheds. The ultimate aim is for


export customs clearance and handling processes to be already triggered when the truck arrives at the airport barrier and has its numberplate automatically recognized. A pilot scheme with one


trucking company and a dedicated warehouse is in


///GERMANY


operation now, and is ready to be rolled out across the airport. Luſthansa Cargo said Frankfurt


airport handled some 120,000 tonnes of vaccines, medications and other pharmaceutical products in 2019, making it the European leader in the sector. It was well prepared for handling a possible corona vaccine, the carrier said. It added that two thirds of


the 12,000sq m of temperature- controlled handling capacity with direct apron access were located in the its Cargo Pharma Hub and that an additional 2,000sq m of space in outlying areas are about to go into operation. Fraport has been meeting the


CEIV Pharma requirements since 2018, as have 11 other service companies operating in Frankfurt, while


freight forwarders and


airlines meet the EU GDP standard, said the airline, making 75% of transport routes at the airport certified. In addition, Fraport currently uses 20 ultra-modern thermal transporters maintain goods temperature across the apron. Fraport’s Max Conrady


commented: “Frankfurt Airport offers the ideal conditions for


handling pharmaceutical goods. We are closely monitoring the current research for a corona vaccine. When the time comes, we will provide the best possible support together with our partners in the distribution of vaccines and medicines. Already during the handling of urgently needed protective equipment and vital pharmaceutical goods at the beginning of the year, we showed that we, as a cargo community, make an essential contribution to supplying the population”. Luſthansa Cargo adds that all


its 31 pharmaceutical stations worldwide will be CEIV Pharma- certified by the end of 2021. Director of Handling Specials, Jörg Bodenröder, said: “The last few months have clearly shown us how important well-functioning supply chains are, especially in times of crisis. When it comes to transporting a vaccine against the corona virus, Luſthansa Cargo will also do everything it can to enable fast distribution by air. As one of the first airfreight carriers to focus on the transport of temperature- sensitive goods, Luſthansa Cargo can draw on many years of experience in the transport of pharmaceuticals.”


Munich is ready for the vaccine rush Luſthansa Cargo says its


worldwide storage capacity for temperature-sensitive freight is being massively expanded aſter opening its Pharma Hub Munich, aſter only five months’ construction. It offers space for up to 96


pallets and loose cargo in two different temperature ranges (+2 to +8 °C and +15 to +25 °C) and a freezer (down to -18 °C) on almost 1,000sq m. CEIV Pharma-certification by


the International Air Transport Association is planned for the autumn, the first at Munich Airport, demonstrating that the facility meets strict criteria for


provides space for up to 54


pallets and 102 cool containers in the same temperature ranges as Munich. Most of the pharmaceutical


the proper handling and storage of pharmaceutical shipments. Luſthansa Cargo board


member for operations, Harald Gloy, explained that the corona pandemic had made stable supply chains and fast transport


of medicines or vaccines more important than ever. Luſthansa Cargo is also


expanding its pharma capacity in the US, having opened its


Pharma Center Chicago at O’Hare Airport in June. It


shipments carried by Luſthansa Cargo are however handled at its main Frankfurt hub which was last extended by around two-thirds to 8,000sq m in 2018 and was one of the first Pharma Cool Centres in the world to be CEIV Pharma-certified. By the end of 2020, Luſthansa Cargo’s worldwide network is expected to comprise 31 CEIV Pharma- certified pharma stations. The CEIV network is also being continuously expanded.


Close co-operation is key to DSV growth


DSV in the UK has recovered well over the summer, particularly on its German trade lanes, aſter Covid-19 reduced cargo volumes earlier in the year. Even with some customers still downtrading, .the operator has been able to increase its volumes by gaining new customers in the German market; especially in the groupage segment. General manager Michael


Madsen explains: “One of the key reasons for the quick bounce- back is the strong partnership we have between my team in the UK and our German offices. We are working very closely with our German colleagues to ensure we are totally aligned on our future strategy and that our approach to new customers’ is consistent between the two countries. “We knew that the best way to


not only protect current volumes but also attract new customers was to put the customers’ requirements at the forefront of everything.


It was imperative


that our customer and their customers’


felt that there is a


strong bond and cooperation between DSV in the UK and Germany and that our priority is that their cargo is looked aſter from the moment of collection


through to the final mile delivery. To achieve this, great internal communication between DSV UK and Germany is key, as well as high-quality work”. “We are basically making it


easier for each other to grow the


UK/German market 23 >> by


ensuring high service levels in our domestic networks, strong internal communication,


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