Headline News, News, ULD CARE News
Newsletter no 57 – February 2024
Feb
As we move into 2024, which is also the year of the dragon, ULD CARE is looking forward to a very exciting and productive 12 months. Many of the projects and initiatives that we have worked on in the last couple of years are starting to come to fruition. We will therefore use this newsletter to provide a preview, in no particular order, of what you can expect in the coming months.
This year’s conference will take place in the last week of October in Istanbul and will, once again, be part of the ACHL event as we are firm believers that being part of this bigger event creates opportunities for engagement with other stakeholders in the air cargo community. We are being currently working out details regarding the conference program and we fully expect to increase the degree of interaction with these stakeholders through common sessions. We are also delighted to see a powerful new initiative from ACHL under the new chairmanship of Henrik Ambak with the launch of an ACHL Advisory Board:
“Under the leadership of Chairman Henrik Ambak, the Air Cargo Handling Logistics (ACHL) has initiated an advisory board to elevate the global airfreight event (ACHL). The primary aim is to comprehend the supply chain requirements and establish a sustainable sector that benefits all stakeholders.
The advisory board, comprising representatives from the supply chain engaged in airfreight shipments from origin to destination, exists to offer guidance on priorities and ensure that the agenda aligns with industry needs. Their duties include tracking commitments made during discussions and encouraging stakeholders to act.
The primary goal is to assist an airfreight sector that emphasizes safety, security, sustainability, and punctuality in its operational procedures.”
We are already having discussions with Henrik about having at least some of ULD CARE’s ambitions adopted within the wider conference’s ambitions to actually deliver real change to the way things are done. As we believe it will also benefit our members.
Following the success of the last two conferences, we are now very optimistic that the 2024 event will be the best ever and we encourage all our followers to mark their diaries for the last week of October and start making plans to join us in Istanbul.
ULD CARE’s E-UCR project
Progress on this project continues at speed. The IT development process is approaching completion and we are on the verge of being able to deliver a fully comprehensive platform for tracking the interchange of any ULD between any two parties. Given that many ULD activities are carried out intermodally and that units are spending a great deal of time at airports, regaining control of the ULD assets when they are used in this significant and vital part of cargo operations will provide an enormous benefit for all stakeholders in the industry.
We are now in extensive conversations with various stakeholders, airlines, cargo terminals, freight forwarders and others as we progressively roll out this digital innovation. We therefore encourage you to stay tuned for ongoing news on this development, as this initiative will be a major component of the 2024 conference discussions.
Sustainability
ULD CARE continues to devote considerable time and energy to this ever-important subject. Recently we have reached an agreement with TIACA for our nonairline members to be able to join the Blue Sky program.
Participation in this program will enable our members to track and display their sustainability progress, which is becoming more and more essential these days.
Education and Training
As always, this is a key part of the ULD CARE mission. We are currently working with Airport College on a number of additions to our ULD Sixty Seconds series of microtraining sessions on different aspects of ULD operations.
Collaboration With Other Trade Associations
It has always been the ambition of ULD CARE to spread the word about safety and efficiency in operations across the broader industry. Since the 2023 conference, we have been pressing ahead with developing shared initiatives with both TIACA (as mentioned above with the Blue Sky project), and with ASA on a project which we hope will enable a productive and effective discussion on the common challenges faced by owners and handlers of ULD at the upcoming conference.
IATA World Cargo Symposium
March 2024 will see the long-awaited arrival of the IATA World Cargo Symposium in Hong Kong.
To those who have not been to Hong Kong over the past few years, prepare to be amazed by the incredible developments in this exciting and ever-changing city. You will probably hardly recognize the area around the airport where the event will take place.
