dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, continues to invest in cutting-edge technologies to maximise efficiency and deliver the highest value for its customers. The company has partnered with Gather AI, a US-based technology start-up, and launched autonomous drones in its warehouses at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the USA, to digitise acceptance and warehouse inventory processes by monitoring shipments with 99.8% accuracy.
Gather AI’s innovative software enables the drones to map the environment, collect inventory data, count cases, measure temperature, and read barcodes using only their cameras, without the need for any additional active infrastructure. The drones are paired to a tablet device providing live inventory data. The collected data can be viewed directly on the tablet or the web, via a user-friendly application.
The drones can operate at temperatures as low as -10 Celsius degrees, enabling dnata to take advantage of the technology in its state-of-the-art cool chain facilities, too. dnata plans to gradually roll out the drones across its global cargo network in the next years.
Guillaume Crozier, dnata’s Divisional Vice President for Operations and Product Development, said: “We are excited to introduce leading-edge drone technology in our operations to take cargo handling to the next level. Our partner’s autonomous drones and inventory management platform provides greater transparency across our entire operations. This new technology, combined with our strong cargo product expertise, enables us to significantly enhance efficiency and mitigate the risk of revenue leakage throughout the customer journey. We continue to adopt the latest technologies to deliver world-class value for our partners at every stage of the cargo handling process.”
Sankalp Arora, Gather AI’s Co-Founder and Chief Robotics Engineer, said: “Our drones gather label reads, inventory counts, temperature and volumetric data using AI, providing traceability across operations while providing exceptions against the facility inventory software. This transparency coupled with near-real-time visibility brings the power of analytics to physical spaces, minimizing revenue leakage while helping develop trust across operations. However, it is dnata’s dedication to bringing this transparency to their customers, combined with their insights in the air cargo industry that has been critical in applying our technology to the air cargo sector with a compelling ROI.”
Over the past year, dnata has significantly invested in new technology and digitalisation. The company’s investments include hi-tech cool dollies in Australia and Singapore, UV cabin cleaning service in Switzerland, a baggage disinfection station in Singapore, a just-in-time freight handling platform in UAE, thermal screening in the USA, as well as the network-wide rollout of a turnaround tool and IATA’s innovative Dangerous Goods AutoCheck solution.
A trusted partner of over 300 airline customers, dnata provides quality and safe ground handling, cargo, catering and travel services in 35 countries. In the financial year 2020-21 dnata’s customer-oriented teams handled 290,000 aircraft, moved 2.7 million tons of cargo, and uplifted some 17 million meals.
MSC acquires the majority stake of AlisCargo Airlines. Image: Unsplash
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MSC has acquired the majority stake of AlisCargo Airlines, a Milan-based air freight carrier; the parties confirmed that the transaction is a first step towards the acquisition of 100% of AlisCargo Airlines by MSC, expected to happen at the beginning of 2024, once AlisCargo Airlines will restart operations with the delivery of a Boeing 777F. This transaction is yet another step to further developing MSC Air Cargo operations and creates a European gateway and transit point for MSC’s air cargo solutions. Furthermore, the deal complements MSC Air Cargo’s aim to expand its existing trade lane network with better coverage and increased flexibility.
MSC Air Cargo Senior Vice President Jannie Davel stated: “The acquisition of a majority share in AlisCargo Airlines is a step towards expanding MSC’s Air Cargo solution capabilities, and ultimately providing our customers with a quality and consistent offering. I am equally proud that we have found a partner that shares a common vision with us and has built a strong foundation for which we hope to further develop.”
The majority selling party is represented by the Leali Group, led by Mr. Domenico Alcide Leali who, after the success with Air Dolomiti started AlisCargo Airlines in 2019.
Mr. Giacomo Manzon, General Manager of AlisCargo Airlines briefly commented: “I am proud to see a group like MSC entering as a major shareholder of AlisCargo Airlines and developing further the project that Leali Group has initiated. I am thankful for MSC’s trust in us, and we will work hard together to make it a success story.”
MSC Air Cargo has been building up its air cargo offering through numerous strategic partnerships with sales agents and software providers. MSC Air Cargo provides a complementary solution to MSC’s core shipping services and operates two aircraft managed by Atlas Air Worldwide between Europe, Central America and Asia and will add two more in the next 6 months. Following the completion of the operation, MSC Air Cargo will have a new operating license and a fleet of 5 wide-body aircraft within the next 12 months.
Banca Finint acted as financial advisor to Leali Group. Gianni & Origoni acted as legal advisor to MSC and Leali Group, with two separate teams of lawyers from its Milan and Padua offices, respectively.
cargo.one announced a landmark partnership with Eastern Air Logistics. Image: cargo.one
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Eastern Air Logistics and cargo.one announced a landmark partnership to bring extensive capacity from both China Eastern Airlines and China Cargo Airlines to the real-time digital booking platform. The air logistics group will utilize cargo.one’s award-winning seamless digital booking experience, and gain access to its global footprint of many thousands of freight forwarders. cargo.one is already collaborating intensively to help guide and maximize the airline’s sales digitalization journey. On the heels of cargo.one’s recent launch of cargo.one pro, the deal reflects a strategic focus by Eastern Air Logistics to utilize the most modern and globally relevant partners for its digital transformation.
Eastern Air Logistics harnesses the scale of China Cargo Airlines’ dedicated Boeing 777 and 747 freighter fleet as well as belly capacity in nearly 800 China Eastern Airlines passenger aircraft. The carrier offers 184 countries and regions and benefits from state-of-the-art air cargo depot facilities at major Chinese hub airports such as Shanghai, Beijing, Kunming, Xi’an and Wuhan, as well as a nationwide transportation network.
The addition of Eastern Air Logistics capacities into the cargo.one platform means freight forwarders in close to 5000 forwarding offices worldwide will gain the most user-centric instant access to its valuable capacity into China and across Asia Pacific. The connectivity cargo.one delivers as a 24/7 booking platform will help Eastern Air Logistics to grow its international bookings and remain front of mind with freight forwarders in all relevant markets. cargo.one guarantees an unbeatable digital buying journey to every booking customer.
Jonathan Xu, General Manager of Logistics Solutions Business Dept. at Eastern Air Logistics, comments, “Our close collaboration with the cargo.one team over the past months stands out and forcefully boosts our trajectory to become the most innovative integrated logistics service provider. A clear benefit of partnering with cargo.one is the strength of its insights, proactive partnership support and the valuable best practices for digital that we are gaining for our first steps into digital distribution.”
“It is vital that every freight forwarder globally has rapid and seamless access to the best capacity options for China. cargo.one and Eastern Air Logistics compliment each other perfectly in offering end to end agility and a great experience that forwarders can depend upon”, says Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one. “It is a real pleasure to work alongside Eastern Air Logistics as they leverage our substantial market force, and benefit from the only next generation multilateral marketplace, and one loved by forwarders”.
Both companies enjoy a proven track record of innovation-leading to drive growth in global freight forwarding markets. For example, cargo.one pro now empowers agents to conduct seamless digital agent-to-agent bookings globally in seconds. cargo.one will position Eastern Air Logistics to profit from the surge in digital forwarding in all markets.
Over the past year, cargo.one has rapidly expanded its participation in the Asia Pacific market. Partnering with national carriers and top three airlines in countries including China, Japan and Singapore, cargo.one is the clear partner of choice for airlines in the region to go digital. cargo.one comprises an essential component of an airline’s efficient multichannel sales setup, as well as supporting revenue and capacity management endeavors.
From Summer 2023, freight forwarders can soon book Eastern Air Logistics capacity using the cargo.one marketplace. Customers will enjoy access to important trade lanes between China and hubs including within Europe – Frankfurt, London, Budapest, Amsterdam, in North America – New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and in Asia Pacific – Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh.
Silk Way West Airlines joins forces with cargo.one. Image: cargo.one
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Silk Way West Airlines and cargo.one announced a global partnership to bring the airline’s freighter capacity to the air cargo booking marketplace. By joining customer experience advocate cargo.one, favored by forwarders in all important markets globally, Silk Way West Airlines will expand its digital footprint and align with the highest standards for digital air cargo booking. The airline also gains the market experience and actionable support of cargo.one teams to accelerate digital sales adoption for its capacities.
Headquartered in Baku, at the heart of the Silk Road, Silk Way West Airlines is the largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region. The airline carries over 420,000 tonnes of freighter capacity annually, utilizing a fleet of 12 Boeing 747F aircraft with front-loading capabilities. Silk Way West Airlines is progressing an impressive strategy of expansion, in which maximizing its digital distribution to every relevant market plays a vital role.
The strategic location of Baku as a hub helps Silk Way West Airlines to span over 40 key destinations across Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Asia, and the Americas. Silk Way West Airlines is unique in building an attractive digital offering for larger shipments, where the market is currently under-served. Freight forwarders have long been attracted to the airline’s connectivity, which cargo.one will now deliver to agents with digital speeds and greater convenience than ever before.
President of Silk Way West Airlines, Wolfgang Meier, comments, “Our partnership with cargo.one is an important milestone in our ambitious digitalization journey. By bringing our capacity to cargo.one’s expansive customer base, we will both broaden our reach and enable many more forwarders to benefit from our services. cargo.one and Silk Way teams are collaborating very closely, and we are relying on their proven expertise to enhance our buying journeys and drive up our share of digital air cargo sales.”
Moritz Claussen, Founder & Co-CEO of cargo.one, adds, “For the many thousands of agents who are thriving with digital bookings on cargo.one, the addition of Silk Way West Airlines’ capacity is fantastic news. Due to its keen awareness of the changing market, Silk Way West Airlines is now putting cargo.one, as the best-in-class digital enabler, at the center of its digital sales growth trajectory.”
cargo.one’s more than 40 airline partners profit from its targeted innovations that enable forwarders in dozens of countries to book more easily and often. Silk Way West partners with cargo.one shortly after the launch of its revolutionary cargo.one pro and cargo.one protect solutions for instant and seamless agent-to-agent bookings. A transformed digital booking experience for all import and export shipments now makes cargo.one the air cargo one-stop-shop for many agents worldwide.
From Autumn 2023, freight forwarders can book Silk Way West Airlines capacity using cargo.one.
