Author: Jochebed Menon

Bahrain’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed its members are anticipating a USD2.9 billion surge in spending once the King Fahd Causeway re-opens on 17 May based on tourist spending habits from 2019. This comes after Saudi Arabia announced it will lift its suspension on citizens travelling abroad, and open land, sea, and air borders on 17 May. Bahrain welcomed more than 12 million visitors in 2019, predominantly from Saudi Arabia and the neighbouring GCC countries. Commenting on the announcement, Ali Al-Mudaifa, Executive Director at the Bahrain Economic Development Board said: “Deep economic, political and cultural connections between Bahrain and…

As India and its healthcare systems face a surge in COVID-19 infections across the country, FedEx Express is working with organisations around the world to deliver critical medical supplies and equipment during this crisis. FedEx is currently supporting the transportation of more than 25,000 oxygen concentrators and converters through an initiative with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum and other multinational companies. An initial shipment of 1,000 critical oxygen concentrators was delivered by FedEx to New Delhi on April 30 as part of this collective. On May 8, FedEx donated a FedEx Boeing 777F charter flight to move more than 3,400 oxygen concentrators, converters and nearly 265,000 KN95 masks for…

The charity arm of UPS, UPS Foundation, announced a USD1 million commitment to fight the COVID-19 surge in India. The pledge is a combination of emergency funding, in-kind transportation movements and technical expertise to provide urgent relief, as well as strategic support. “The UPS Foundation is committed to improving the well-being of communities impacted by COVID-19 and we want to help alleviate the suffering in India by leveraging our partnerships, our resources and our logistics expertise,” said Nikki Clifton, president of social impact and The UPS Foundation. UPS is coordinating with strategic partners, including UNICEF, CARE, The Salvation Army, The…

Abu Dhabi conglomerate Al Masaood’s Commercial Vehicles & Equipment division reveals how the business is evolving to accommodate customer needs and environmental requirements The heavy vehicle and equipment industry is undergoing a change. Customers, whether they be logistics companies or construction magnates, are no longer just looking to just purchase an asset they are demanding a whole suite of services. Competition is fierce in this market which means customer is king. Truck and equipment manufacturers as well as distributors have to offer a lot more to woo customers than just the vehicle and its features. Al Masaood Commercial Vehicles &…

In this issue of Logistics News ME, we discover how artificial intelligence is making its way through the supply chain and logistics sector. We also learn from APM Terminals the importance of gender balance – how and why more needs to be done to make the industry inclusive for both men and women. French firm Thales reveals its innovate solutions to better the experience for passengers and the operators. Daniel Caton, General Manager of Suhara Logistics, explains how good road infrastructure makes for seamless delivery of goods. Mammoet’s new Group Commercial Officer Darren Adams is making it his mission to…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released March 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that air cargo demand continued to outperform pre-COVID levels (March 2019) with demand up 4.4%. The demand in March reached the highest level recorded since the series began in 1990. Month-on-month demand also increased albeit at a slower pace than the previous month with volumes up 0.4% in March over February 2021 levels. Global demand, measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTKs), was up 4.4% compared to March 2019 and 0.4% compared to February 2021. This was a slower rate of growth than the previous month,…

Specialist consultancy, engineering, and advisory firm AESG announced the appointment of Siebrandus Wichers to the position of Global Director of Facades. Drawing from his established expertise and prominent position in the global facades industry, Wichers will look to grow AESG’s portfolio of high-end, complex facade design and engineering projects. He will also work to deepen the synergy between the Facades team and other AESG divisions to help clients realise the full value of the company’s unique multi-disciplinary approach, and to further the company’s leadership in emerging trends such as net zero developments. AESG CEO, Saeed Al Abbar, said, “Having successfully…

Etihad Cargo has strengthened its ability to transport COVID-19 vaccines around the world after receiving UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) approval to expand dry ice carrying capabilities across its Boeing Dreamliner and Boeing 777 fleet. The GCAA approval ensures the UAE national carrier’s main Boeing fleet can now carry up to five times more dry ice per flight, enabling it to provide enhanced frozen and deep-frozen conditions required for various vaccine types, including the Pfizer, Moderna and Sputnik vaccines which currently need to be stored between -70°C to -18°C. “Securing GCAA approval for our dry ice carrying capabilities is…

In a move designed to enhance the UAE’s COVID-19 vaccine supply chain, and in keeping with its strategic long-term objective to expand its overall capabilities, Abu Dhabi Ports has announced the purchase of 11 new specialised refrigerated vehicles by its subsidiary, MICCO Logistics. The acquisition, which is part of a broader strategy to expand and diversify MICCO’s growing vehicle fleet, boosts its local final-mile vaccine delivery capability to over 1.1 million vaccine doses per day. The addition supports the work of the Hope Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public-private partnership developed to respond to one of the greatest logistical challenges in…

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., has launched its web-based account registration platform in the UAE. The new platform offers a seamless experience for businesses and individual customers to open an account using their credit card, immediately start shipping, and earn discounts. SMEs are engines of global economic and employment growth, and easy access to cost-effective logistics support is an important part of their growth. The FedEx online account registration platform gives small businesses almost instant access to the global FedEx network, and the added benefit of cumulative savings the more they ship with its Ship More, Save More…