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Global Aviation Link to expand freighter operation through ABX deal

Global Aviation Link has contracted ABX Air to operate a Boeing 767-300 freighter on its behalf as it looks to expand its presence in Central America. The company, which offers freight forwarding, warehouse and air transport services from its Miami base, said the additional aircraft will be used to enter several new markets. Juan Pablo Luchau of Global Aviation Link said: "We are pleased to partner with ATSG to expand our reach into new markets, including Caracas, Venezuela; Medellín, Colombia; and Quito, Ecuador. "This expanded service will strengthen our position as a leader in regional airfreight and cold-chain shipping." The company has been selling capacity on Boeing 767-300 aircraft throughout Central and South America for more than 25 years. According to its website, it currently offers scheduled flights between Miami and Bogota. The company provides regularly scheduled transportation for perishables, pharmaceuticals, aerospace equipment and other time-sensitive cargo. The agreement is described as a long-term aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) partnership. ABX parent company ATSG's president and chief executive Greg Mays said: "This agreement demonstrates how ATSG is delivering on its vision as an aviation solutions provider by matching customers with the right combination of airline and service capabilities. "Our Airlines & Services commercial strategy is centred on growing charter opportunities while also offering flexible ACMI and other operating solutions tailored to each customer's needs. ABX Air's extensive Boeing 767 experience makes it well positioned to support Global Aviation Link's continued expansion."

No post-peak relief for ocean freight as capacity tightens

The expected post-peak easing in ocean freight rates has failed to materialise, with resilient US import demand, weather disruption and carrier capacity cuts keeping the market under pressure. According to analysis presented during Cargo Trans' latest FreightTea webinar, September US imports are expected to reach some 2.3m teu - approximately 10% above the same month last year. The strength of demand has extended this year's peak season, despite expectations just weeks earlier that the market was beginning to soften. "When we last had this conversation on 30 July, we had every reason to believe that we were past the peak," said Barış Aytan, CargoTrans' director of client success and commercial operations. But the anticipated easing has not followed. Rates have remained elevated, after China-US west coast rates reached around $6,000 and east coast rates climbed above $9,000 during the peak. But the webinar highlighted capacity, rather than demand alone, as the key factor supporting rates. "The peak season has been extended; it hasn't ended," Mr Aytan said. "The demand is resilient." Three typhoons affecting Chinese ports in recent weeks have compounded the situation, with vessel delays around Shanghai reaching seven to 10 days. As of 12 September, 157 vessels were reportedly waiting to berth in Shanghai, with the resulting backlog potentially extending into October. At the same time, carriers are preparing for China's Golden Week holiday, with 78 blank sailings expected between weeks 38 and 43. The Pacific Southwest is expected to take the largest hit, with 29 blank sailings removing around 32% of capacity on the affected services. Geopolitical disruption is also influencing capacity decisions. Despite continued risks around the Red Sea, carriers are gradually returning to the route, encouraged by significantly higher freight rates. Mr Aytan noted that China-North Europe rates had risen from around $2,000 several months ago to almost $5,000 towards the end of July. "There is an appetite for risk right now," he said, adding that carriers can justify insurance premiums while seeking to capitalise on higher rates. However, the return of services should not be interpreted as evidence that Red Sea security risks have disappeared. "The situation there, the risk landscape there, is not any better than what it was two months ago," Mr Aytan said. Meanwhile, improving conditions at the Panama Canal could provide some additional capacity and help narrow the historical rate gap between US east and west coast services. The result is a market in which "effective capacity is actually the biggest story on the ocean trade" - with demand still strong, but available capacity determining where rates go next.

Container shipping health check - more room to manage the next supply wave

Container shipping is entering autumn with more underlying support than many expected in the bear camp. How so? Global teu-mile demand has grown 6.1% this year, ahead of roughly 5% vessel-supply growth, according to LinerLytica. CleanTech exports from China, containerised car shipments supported by car-carrier shortages, and US data-centre and AI-related construction demand have all added to cargo growth. At the same time, Asian weather disruptions and congestion have tightened effective capacity, helping keep rates and profitability well above break-even. var reg_x; jQuery(document).ready(function () { //reg_x = new RegBlockForm(); reg_x.initForm('de1b543664','174194a9c6','190668ff99'); });