medical supplies

Russian airline completes massive airlift of medical supplies for France

The French government has ended a massive airlift of medical supplies from China to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus after stockpiles were deemed sufficient.

Over the past three months, Russian carrier Volga-Dnepr operated 48 Antonov-124 freighter flights to deliver 3,000 tons of medical supplies. French logistics firm Geodis coordinated the operation.

The Cold War-era AN-124s, which were built in Ukraine, are the largest commercial cargo aircraft in use and are normally associated...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/russian-airline-completes-massive-airlift-of-medical-supplies-for-france

FMCSA cancels HOS exemption for food, fuel, raw materials

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended its national emergency exemption for hours of service (HOS) to July 14 but has excluded grocery restocking, fuel, and precursor raw materials from the extension.

The HOS exemption, which had been extended twice before, was scheduled to expire on June 14. However, “FMCSA is continuing the exemption because the presidentially declared emergency remains in place, and because a continued exemption is needed to support direct...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/breaking-fmcsa-cancels-hos-exemption-for-food-fuel-raw-materials

Overboard container loss investigation underway

The APL England on Wednesday was escorted to the Port of Brisbane, where Australian officials will investigate an at-sea incident in which 40 containers were lost overboard and nearly 75 others were damaged.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) surveyors conducted an inspection of the container ship at anchorage on Tuesday and determined the vessel was structurally sound and could be safely brought into port. Two harbor tugs, one container salvage response vessel, two Queensland water...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/overboard-container-loss-investigation-underway

Canada turns to maritime to help move 1.6 billion pieces of PPE

A photo of a surgical mask and gloves

When the Canadian government started importing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies from China for COVID-19, it leaned on air cargo flights — 42 to be exact. But with 1.6 billion pieces still on order, the feds need ships.

“We now intend to resort to maritime considering the volume of PPE that could be shipped,”  Anita Anand, the federal minister of public services and procurement, said during a news conference Tuesday. 

The federal government’s outstanding orders...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/canada-turns-to-maritime-to-help-move-1-6-billion-pieces-of-ppe

Governments help correct COVID distortions in airfreight market

Cargo ets loaded via conveyor belt onto rear of a plane.

Taking a page from neighboring Australia, the government of New Zealand has launched an emergency program to reestablish airfreight supply chains interrupted by the suspension of passenger flights so important exports can get to global markets. 

The air cargo assistance programs guarantee export cargo on key routes under agreements with air carriers. Essential medical supplies ordered by the governments are loaded on return flights. 

Exporters in both nations were stranded without the regular...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/governments-help-correct-covid-distortions-in-airfreight-market

ICAO calls for sanitary sky corridors to expedite critical cargo flights

Pallets of cargo are unloaded from a big plane.

Governments should follow harmonized hygiene standards for crews, aircraft and airport facilities so authorities have the confidence to freely allow passage of air cargo flights with essential medical supplies and food, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said Wednesday. Currently such flights face severe delays because of inconsistent border restrictions.

The United Nations agency, with responsibility for managing the administration of international aviation law, is publishing...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/icao-calls-for-sanitary-sky-corridors-to-expedite-critical-cargo-flights

FMCSA extends COVID-19 HOS exemption to mid-June

Federal regulators have extended until June 14 broad exemptions from hours-of-service (HOS) rules for drivers hauling freight deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The extension, issued today (May 13), marks the second time the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) exemption has been extended since the original order was put in place immediately following the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on March 12. The first extension of the order, issued on...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-extends-covid-19-hos-exemption-to-mid-june

Delta Air Lines cranks up cargo-only flights from Asia to U.S.

A big white Delta plane lifts off from runway.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) said it will increase its passenger freighter flights from Seoul, South Korea, to Atlanta and Los Angeles to daily service beginning May 13 in response to continued growth in demand to transport medical supplies and other products from Asia to the U.S.

In March, passenger airlines began repurposing some of their aircraft for dedicated cargo operations after travel demand fell off a cliff due to coronavirus travel restrictions. Consequently, shippers were left with a ...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/delta-air-lines-cranks-up-cargo-only-flights-from-asia-to-us

Atlas Air gives pilots pay increase on heels of Q1 growth

White jumbo jet sits on ramp at airport.

Contract cargo airline and aircraft lessor Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings beat analyst expectations with adjusted net income of $29.9 million, or $1.15 per diluted share, and total revenue of $644 million in the first quarter due to strong demand for its charter service and higher airfreight rates due to transport scarcity caused by the coronavirus. 

Atlas’ stock (NASDAQ: AAWW) was up 5.37% to $37.42 prior to noon Thursday and is up more than a third since the start of the year.

The parent company...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/atlas-air-gives-pilots-pay-increase-on-heels-of-q1-growth

More airlines gut passenger interiors for cargo

A passenger plane with some seat rows removed for cargo.

LATAM Airlines and Austrian Airlines are the latest passenger carriers to make room for cargo by removing seats in the cabin as shippers frantically seek more airlift to move their goods.

Airlines opting to reconfigure passenger aircraft as full freighters in the seven weeks since cargo-only flights became a phenomenon have cleared all the seats, but Chile-based LATAM is taking the unusual step of dismantling only some rows to improve capacity. Austrian, too, is leaving some seats in place.

LATAM...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/more-airlines-gut-passenger-interiors-for-cargo

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