Air cargo has played a central role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and helping with the global economic recovery. Passenger airlines were mostly knocked out of business, but all-cargo carriers and passenger jets flying as temporary freighters have helped fill the void. In the early days, air cargo operators provided critical air bridges for personal protective equipment, ventilators and medicines to move from production centers to areas of need.
Since last summer, there has been a huge restocking boom and huge growth in e-commerce sales. Cargo planes are flying full on major East-West trade lanes and rates are very high.
Despite the turmoil, airlines continue to invest in digital sales and execution platforms as well as carbon-reduction initiatives and security measures to meet new standards.
Manufacturing also took a major hit when the pandemic forced businesses to lock down, except for those involved in food production. But the sector has experienced strong growth in recent months.
The first day of the FreightWaves Global Supply Chain Week will focus on how companies in the airfreight and manufacturing sectors have survived and how 2021 is shaping up.
Speakers include Emir Pineda, manager of aviation trade and logistics for Miami International Airport; Eric Hare, president and CEO of Global K9 Protection Group, who will talk about sniffer dogs and Transportation Security Administration rules for cargo security; Jamie Dixon, director of supply chain at XAct Solutions, who will provide an update on the Australian freight market; and Konstantine Vekchine, chief commercial officer of Russian all-cargo carrier Volga-Dnepr Group.
Buckle in for a fascinating day of insights about air logistics.