Cargo

• Situated in Kolkata, the new facility spans across about 3 lakh sq. ft. on 10.5 acres of land. • It is positioned as a hub for Eastern and North-eastern India, and supports cross-border trade with neighbouring Bhutan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. • It is equipped to serve a diverse range of industries including automotive, e-commerce, FMCG, retail, textiles and others. It also offers cold-chain solutions. Gurugram, 25th September 2025: Transport Corporation of India Limited (TCI), one of India’s leading warehousing, multimodal logistics and supply chain solutions provider, has announced the opening of one of its largest warehouses in Kolkata. The new facility,situated in CGTA Nagar,spans across about 3 lakh sq. ft. on 10.5 acres of land. It is positioned as a hub for Eastern and North-eastern India, and supports cross-border trade with neighbouring Bhutan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. It is equipped to serve a diverse range of industries including automotive, e-commerce, FMCG, retail, textiles and others. It also offers cold-chain solutions. “Our new warehouse in Kolkata reflects the growing economic activity in the region fuelled by positive policies by the respective state governments, as well as by the increased connectivity with Northeast India at the back of various strategic investments in infrastructure by the Government of India. This state-of-the-art facility will have modern features that prioritise sustainability and will help serve a diverse range of industries, supporting their operations across Eastern and Northeastern India as well as the country’s neighbourhood. It has a futuristic design and is one of the most eco-conscious facilities of its kind, thus also making it an optimum choice for the industry to make their supply chains relatively greener,” said Manoj Kumar Tripathi, CEO, TCI Supply Chain Solutions. “TCI shares a very special bond with Kolkata as the company was established in the city by our founder Shri Prabhu Dayal Agarwal Ji in 1958 and it has since grown to become one of the largest multimodal logistics players in the country,” he added. The warehouse has a fly ash brick construction, rainwater harvesting, natural lighting, low-VOC paints and other eco-conscious features. It also incorporates ultra-flat laser screed flooring, robotics-compatible infrastructure and energy-efficient designs for high-volume and future-ready operations. (This news is published unedited on as shared basis)

Raipur, September 23, 2025: Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS), has commenced domestic cargo handling operations at Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur, as the airport’s official Operator & Management (O&M) service provider. AISATS facility will feature cutting-edge workforce planning, real-time cargo tracking, and digitised documentation processes to accelerate freight movement, reduce dwell times, and improve operational predictability. As the certified Regulated Agent (RA) at Raipur Airport, AISATS will ensure rigorous security screening, precise labelling, and secure dispatch in compliance with global safety, security, and quality benchmarks. Equipped to handle a diverse cargo portfolio including pharmaceuticals, perishables, high-value goods, and industrial machinery, AISATS operations will enable Chhattisgarh’s industries a quicker access and seamless connectivity to national and international trade hubs. The expansion is expected to deliver significant regional economic benefits by strengthening supply chains for industrial sectors such as steel, mining, agro-processing, and manufacturing. It will further create new skilled employment opportunities in cargo handling, security, and operations. Ramanathan Rajamani, CEO of AISATS, said, “Raipur’s central location offers immense potential to become a key cargo gateway for regional industries. In FY 2024–25, the airport handled approximately 5,079 tonnes of cargo — registering a 2.3% growth — a clear indication of rising demand and the region’s untapped potential. We aim to bring AISATS’s hallmark service excellence, operational efficiency, and sustainability practices to Raipur, ensuring faster, more reliable cargo movement. This expansion represents our commitment to advancing India’s logistics transformation, strengthening trade corridors, and creating meaningful employment opportunities in the region.”

Dubai,September 16, 2025: SolitAir, UAE based B2B, airport-to-airport cargo airline has signed an agreement with World Star Aviation (WSA) for the acquisition of two Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft.The first of these aircraft was delivered earlier this month and the second will join the fleet in October.The addition of both these aircraftwill significantly boost the cargo airline’s fleet and operational capabilities. SolitAir airport operates daily scheduled and charter services and offer bespoke solutions between Dubai and key trade routes across the Global South. “Partnering with World Star Aviation marks an important milestone in SolitAir’s growth journey,” said Hamdi Osman, Founder & CEO of SolitAir. “These additionalaircraft will significantly strengthen our operational capacity and enable us to expand our reach across critical trade routes. As we scale, our focus remains firmly on providing fast, efficient and reliable cargo solutions that meet the evolving needs of the Global South and beyond.” Yoram Allalouf, a Partner at World Star Aviation, said: “We are proud to support Solitair in this exciting growth phase. This agreement underscores the confidence placed in SolitAir’s vision and we at WSA are thrilled to continue to develop this partnership.” By the end of October, SolitAir’s operational fleet will include seven Boeing 737-800 BCF freighters which operate out of the air cargo carrier’s 220,000-square-foot cutting-edge logistics facility at DWC. SolitAir aims to have a fleet of 20 aircraft by 2027, facilitating its goal of connecting over 50 cities within a six-hour flight radius from Dubai. The airline’s versatile fleet is optimised for reliability, efficiency and the safe transport of specialised cargo, including temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, e-commerce shipments and hazardous materials.

Delhi, 3rd Sept. 2025: The Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) formally launched its Andhra Pradesh Chapter in Visakhapatnam, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Nara Chandrababu Naidu. The event had also presence of B.C. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Infrastructure & Investment, and i T.G. Bharat, Honourable Minister for Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The launch witnessed an overwhelming response, bringing together over 350 delegates, including senior leaders from the air cargo, logistics, trade, and industry bodies. The formation of the Andhra Pradesh Chapter marks a significant milestone in strengthening the State’s position as a growing hub for air cargo and logistics in India. As part of the proceedings, the ACFI Board actively participated in the CEO Roundtable, where critical industry issues such as the Open Sky Policy and Double Dipping were raised. On behalf of ACFI, Mr. Sanjiv Edward, President of ACFI, and Mr. Satish Lakkaraju, Chairman – Outreach Pillar & Partnerships, made strong representations on these matters. The discussions were well received by the Honourable Chief Minister, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting the industry. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sanjiv Edward, President of ACFI, said: “The launch of the Andhra Pradesh Chapter is a major step towards enhancing the State’s role in India’s air cargo growth story. With ACFI’s vision of acting as a catalyst for air cargo growth and the Govt’s focus on developing integrated logistics hubs, we are confident that Andhra Pradesh will emerge as a leader in logistics on the Eastern side “ Adding to this, Mr. Satish Lakkaraju, Chairman – Outreach Pillar & Partnerships, ACFI, said:“Our discussions with the Hon’ble Chief Minister on critical issues like the Open Sky Policy and Double Dipping reflect ACFI’s commitment to addressing industry challenges and enabling sustainable growth.The support shown today is highly encouraging.” ACFI – Committed to leading the Indian Air Cargo Logistics Industry to Greater Heights the Andhra Pradesh Chapter of ACFI will serve as a collaborative platform to promote air cargo growth, strengthen multimodal logistics connectivity, and support trade facilitation in the region.

Mumbai, 02nd September 2025: Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd. (AISATS) has become the first ground handling company in India to be awarded the newly mandated Safety Clearance by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The DGCA introduced this mandate in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations, requiring ground handlers to demonstrate robust Safety Management Systems (SMS), risk controls, staff training programs, and infrastructure readiness. This mandate was in response to increasing air traffic and the need for standardized safety protocols, DGCA introduced mandatory safety clearance requirements for Ground Handling Service Providers (GHSPs). Under the new Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), GHSPs must appoint accountable managers, station managers, and safety and quality managers, while ensuring recurrent training for ground personnel. With this regulation, India becomes the second country globally to formally regulate ground handling services. AISATS has become the first and only Ground Handler in India to receive the Safety Clearance Certificate No. GHSP/001, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under these newly established safety regulations. This milestone follows months of rigorous documentation review and operational inspections conducted by DGCA across all AISATS-managed airports. The Quality Management, Risk & Compliance, and Safety teams at AISATS developed a comprehensive suite of Operations and Training Manuals, which were highly commended by DGCA officials for setting a new industry benchmark. Speaking on the achievement, RamanathanRajamani, CEO, AISATS, said,“We are honoured to be the first ground handler in India to secure DGCA’s Safety Clearance. Safety and quality have always been the cornerstone of AISATS’ operations. This recognition reflects our strong culture of accountability, continuous training, and operational excellence. As India’s aviation sector expands at record pace, AISATS remains committed to building a safety-first environment that inspires trust among our airline partners, passengers, and the global aviation community.” AISATS currently operates at six major airports Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Ranchi, and Trivandrum providing comprehensive ground and cargo handling services. Its cargo arm manages the BLR Logistics Park in Bengaluru, one of South India’s largest on-airport logistics hubs, and is also developing the 87-acre Multi-Modal Cargo Hub at Noida International Airport, poised to become India’s largest integrated cargo facility.

White Plains, N.Y., August 28, 2025: Atlas Air, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide, the global provider of outsourced aviation logistics,announced a new long-term partnership with Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways. Under the agreement, Atlas Air will provide Etihad Cargo with dedicated freighter capacity through the operation of a newly delivered Boeing 777 freighter. Beginning in August, the aircraft will initially serve routes connecting Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and Madrid. The partnership comes at a time of growing demand for general air cargo, e-commerce, automotive, pharmaceuticals and perishable products across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The 777F offers state-of-the-art, efficient capacity to support Etihad Cargo’s growth and customer product offering. The agreement reflects the strength of the longstanding relationship between Atlas Air and Etihad Cargo, dating back to 2012 when Atlas Air first began providing flight services over a multi-year period. “We are pleased to again partner with Etihad Cargo, one of the industry’s most respected carriers,” said Michael Steen, Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “This partnership reflects our strong value proposition and the trust we’ve built with customers over time. We are pleased to tailor this long-term dedicated capacity solution to help Etihad capture growth opportunities. With our global scale and flexible, agile network, Atlas Air is enabling Etihad to expand their operations and serve their customers with confidence. With our industry-leading fleet of widebody freighters and deep operating expertise, Atlas Air is proud to be a trusted partner of choice, and we look forward to supporting Etihad’s continued success.” “Etihad Cargo’s expanded collaboration with Atlas Air represents a strategic step in scaling capacity and extending our global reach,” said Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer, Etihad Airways. “With Etihad Airways’ passenger fleet continuing to grow, it is essential that our freighter fleet expands in parallel to sustain this momentum and deliver end-to-end network connectivity. By aligning growth across both passenger and freighter operations, Etihad Cargo reinforces its ability to meet evolving customer demand, strengthen high-volume trade lanes and introduce greater flexibility across key markets. This additional capacity further enhances the reliability and agility of our services, ensuring the delivery of seamless and efficient cargo solutions worldwide.” The 777 freighter is the world’s largest, longest-range twin-engine freighter, with a payload of more than 100 tons. With its fuel efficiency and reliability, this aircraft supports Etihad Cargo’s commitment to delivering sustainable, high-quality cargo solutions across its global network.

Paris, August 18th 2025: ECS Group has been selected by Asiana Airlines as its exclusive global partner to manage the airline’s international belly cargo business. This strategic GSSA agreement reinforces ECS Group’s reputation for delivering seamless, world-class cargo solutions and supports Asiana’s logistics evolution following the divestment of its freighter division. Effective August 1, ECS Group provides end-to-end services—including sales, reservations, customer service, and ground handling coordination—across 33 major locations in 9 countries throughout Europe, the Americas, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. With a presence in over 60 countries and partnerships with more than 100 airlines worldwide, ECS Group brings the scale, local expertise, and operational excellence needed to support Asiana’s global belly cargo operations at every touchpoint. “We are honoured to partner with Asiana Airlines and proud of the expertise our teams bring to this collaboration. Leveraging ECS Group’s global network, we are committed to supporting Asiana Airlines with reliable, efficient, and tailored cargo solutions worldwide,” said Jean Ceccaldi, CEO of ECS Group. Asiana Airlines has transitioned to a fully belly cargo-based model, utilizing the lower holds of its passenger aircraft—including the A350-900, which offers up to 18 tons of cargo capacity. The airline is strategically focused on transporting high-demand, time-critical shipments such as semiconductor components, fresh food, and small express cargo. According to an Asiana Airlines official, “By combining ECS Group’s global network with Asiana’s expertise, we will respond proactively to the global air cargo market. We will continue to provide systematic and specialized services going forward.” This exclusive partnership enables Asiana Airlines to maintain a competitive edge in international air logistics, even after the sale of its freighter operations—implemented in response to regulatory directives from European and Japanese authorities. In 2024, Asiana Airlines carried approximately 158,000 tons of belly cargo on international passenger flights. With ECS Group now powering its cargo strategy, the airline is well-positioned to expand its global footprint while ensuring operational excellence and customer satisfaction.