Airports

US airports need subsidies for cargo modernization, groups say

Logistics businesses involved in air transport are urging states and the federal government not to shortchange cargo when dispersing funds for airport infrastructure upgrades. 

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) and a group representing customs brokers released a position paper last week calling for the establishment of a dedicated investment fund for cargo facilities because air cargo is a critical driver of economic growth, especially e-commerce, and modernization is needed to keep airports...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-airports-need-subsidies-for-cargo-modernization-groups-say

Warehouse rents near cargo airports skyrocket, report says

A forklift operator picks up pallets in a warehouse.

Rising expectations for fast delivery of high-value products has fueled demand for near-airport warehouses and forced tenants to pay substantial rent premiums compared to other industrial spaces in large metropolitan areas, according to a new report from CBRE. 

The Dallas-based commercial real estate services and investment firm found that average rents for warehouses within a 5-mile radius of major airports are 18.8% higher than the average for the region. The analysis covered the 20 busiest...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/warehouse-rents-near-cargo-airports-skyrocket-report-says

LAX solicits proposals for massive cargo redevelopment

Aerial view of a FedEx plane and cargo and fuel facilities at an airport.

A long-stalled redevelopment of crowded and obsolete cargo warehouses at Los Angeles International Airport is finally underway after city officials recently requested proposals for the wholesale redevelopment of 27 cargo buildings.

The solicitation in September only covers the first phase of modernization but implies that most of the existing cargo real estate at the airport will be replaced.

The cargo improvement project is the most ambitious of its kind ever attempted in the U.S., considering...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lax-solicits-proposals-for-massive-cargo-redevelopment

Selection nears for DHL Express’ US West Coast air hub

A mustard-yellow DHL plane loading cargo at an airport. View from behind the plane.

WASHINGTON — DHL Express expects to open a new aircraft ramp and package sortation center in Atlanta by mid-October and announce its first major West Coast air hub in January to keep up with growing cargo volumes, said Mike Parra, CEO of the Americas.

Construction of the regional hub at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has been slowed by COVID impacts on laborers, permitting challenges and steel shortages, management previously said. The updated start date slipped an extra...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/selection-nears-for-dhl-express-us-west-coast-air-hub

Crisis or hiccup? Assessing the logistics impact of China lockdowns

A tractor pulls a container through a container shipping yard in Shanghai, where COVID restrictions are slowing trade.

A mixed bag of circumstances and time horizons are creating diverging narratives about whether shipping delays stemming from the shutdown of Shanghai and other Chinese cities are getting better or presage massive supply chain gridlock.

There is no sign that Shanghai’s lockdown is easing anytime soon. Footage on social media shows steel fences being installed on public roads and inside residential compounds to keep people from traveling to other districts and moving in neighborhoods. On Monday,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/crisis-or-hiccup-assessing-the-logistics-impact-of-china-lockdowns

What is a TaxiBot?

A light blue KLM jet with front wheel attached to a tow vehicle.

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdamplans to purchase two TaxiBots to move aircraft from the gate to the runway instead of using their own jet power, according to operator Royal Schiphol Group. It’s part of the airport’s effort to reduce pollution and make operations more sustainable.

Airports in Delhi and Bangalore, India, have conducted trials with a special aircraft tow vehicle. And Lufthansa tested a TaxiBot seven years ago. But Schiphol is the first airport in the world that wants to introduce...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/what-is-a-taxibot

Hot Shots: Wicked week of winter weather

Every Friday, FreightWaves takes a look at the past week or so in social media, highlighting images in trucking, transportation and weather. This week features two major winter storms impacting several regions of the country.

Nasty nor’easter

Last weekend, a powerful winter storm slammed parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. For many places, it was the first major snowfall of the season. The nor’easter produced record snowfall in several cities for the date of Jan. 29, including Islip, New...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/hot-shots-wicked-week-of-winter-weather

Do airports clean runways?

A large jet about to touch down on runway, coming straight at camera with golden sky in background.

When the local street sweeper comes through your neighborhood, it’s mostly for aesthetic reasons. 

Cleaning the runway surface at an airport is for safety.

You probably didn’t know, but airplanes litter every time they land. When the tires touch down, they skid on the surface and leave rubber deposits that need to be cleaned to prevent aircraft from losing traction, which is especially troublesome for aircraft taking off or landing in rain or strong winds.

The tarmac used to pave runways is much...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/do-airports-clean-runways

Air, ocean shipments delayed as Tianjin responds to COVID cases

Containers and cranes at a Chinese port.

Import and export operations in Tianjin are slowing after a small cluster of COVID cases was discovered over the weekend, according to third-party logistics provider C.H. Robinson. Meanwhile, in Shenzhen, authorities are blaming a contaminated import shipment infecting a cargo worker, who then spread the virus to three other people.

The news comes as China reinforces its zero-tolerance policy toward COVID in the weeks leading up to the Beijing Olympics that begin Feb. 4.

Authorities in the port...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-ocean-shipments-delayed-as-tianjin-responds-to-covid-cases

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