High crises at high altitude
Airfreight solutions defy unprecedented crises. The fact that falling airfreight rates and geopolitical risks leave room for opportunities became clear at the 7th Air Cargo Day Switzerland, put on by the IG Air Cargo interest group in Zurich recently. Sustainability and digitalisation were the main topics.
Under construction? A building site, or a work in progress, can also be beautiful. This was something of the leitmotif at the 7th ‘Air Cargo Day Switzerland’, not only for moderator Stephan Beerli. It also applies to many of the topics addressed in the course of the meeting.
IG Air Cargo’s president Gerry Zurmühle, who has been in the position since November 2021, thanked the many participants for finding their way to IG Air Cargo’s event in Zurich airport, despite September being full of events.
Matthias Hanke, a senior partner at the consultancy Roland Berger in charge of transport and aviation, believes the ‘new normal’ is still a long way off. The energy crisis is more dramatic than it has been at any time since the Second World War, especially for some countries such as Germany.
People and machines
Hanke stuck his neck out and forecast that air and sea freight rates could end up at 120% and 140% respectively of the levels attained in 2019 – subject to global political de-escalation. In addition, global airfreight volumes are expected to increase by 4 – 6% annually by 2025.
The boom in e-commerce will also continue, growing by around 9% per annum. Airfreight will carry 15 – 25% of its volumes. Hanke expects the trend for shippers to continue to move from just-in-time deliveries to warehousing and collection solutions, and from off-shoring more to near-shoring.
In addition to decarbonisation, digitalisation is one of today’s great challenges. Tobias Riege, managing director and co-owner of Riege Software, advocated the principle of digility – the interaction of people and systems. The core of all activities is the exchange of data, in which humans must also have their place. The large SME’s motto is ‘bureau without cracy’. On top of its headquarters in Düsseldorf (Germany), Riege Software also runs five international locations.
Philipp Good of Synhelion, which produces paraffin from sunlight, provided the participants with a glimpse of the future. Lydia Naef, Zurich airport’s manager in charge of real estate, explained how the operator’s energy situation might develop. Henriette Engbersen, Swiss television’s former London correspondent, had a critical look at Brexit.
In a discussion with Beerli, Swiss CEO Dieter Vranckx outlined a green future for his airline. After the 2020 – the ‘year of survival’ – Swiss is now positioning its triple strategy. In addition to renewing its fleet with low-emission units, it will use more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and also optimise its operational processes, deploying Google tools, amongst others. Vranckx said that his airline has the right ‘core size’ after its restructuring – as evidenced by its profits in H1/2022.
Airfreight as a mode of transport remains full of good ideas – as this event once again proved.