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Airlines strengthen winter freighter links, as forwarders face capacity shuffle

Airlines are strengthening freighter links between Asia, Europe, and the Americas for winter, adding transatlantic flights, connections to Latin American manufacturing and distribution hubs, and capacity serving Asia's technology exports. Air Canada Cargo's new 767-30F services to Amsterdam, Monterrey, and Panama City join selected US frequency increases from Lufthansa Cargo, a new Cairo link from Air France, and additional transpacific options from JAL and Cathay Cargo. The additions come as forwarders renegotiate allocations ahead of the winter passenger timetable, when fewer flights on some routes reduce available belly capacity. Air Canada is explicitly targeting that seasonal gap with its new Toronto-Amsterdam freighter service, which begins on 29 October with two weekly flights. Monterrey starts on 26 October with three weekly services, while Panama City begins on 25 October with up to two. "The introduction of our freighters in Amsterdam is an important step in strengthening our European network," said Matthieu Casey, MD, commercial - cargo. "This gives us dedicated main-deck capacity at a time of year when transatlantic capacity is more constrained, helping us better serve customers in the Netherlands and across Europe, while creating opportunities to connect their cargo through our global network." The additions also provide more routing options between Europe and Latin America through Toronto, including onward connections to Quito, Lima, Bogotá, and Mexico City. For forwarders, the timetable change can mean finding replacement space as airlines redistribute allocations. One airfreight forwarder explained to The Loadstar last month: "You get the winter schedules maybe six, eight, ten weeks in advance, and then obviously you can start renegotiating your capacities." However, those negotiations amid competing forwarders vying for space. "Sometimes they say, 'hey, you have three pallets on that flight, now you can only have two'. And then you need to find space somewhere else." The forwarder described securing replacement capacity from Europe to the US as "a little bit of a challenge". Asian procurement was less sensitive to the seasonal switch, he said, because of year-round block-space agreements. Air Canada's Mexican expansion comes as Washington eases restrictions on the airlines from its southern neighbour. Aeroméxico confirmed on 19 October that the US Department of Transportation had revoked its October 2025 order, restoring flexibility to consider new services and additional frequencies from Mexico City's two airports, subject to regulatory requirements. The dispute had involved passenger slots and the forced relocation of US freighter operations. Elsewhere, Lufthansa Cargo's winter schedule, effective 25 October, offers 88 freighter routes serving 40 destinations, including up to 46 weekly rotations to 17 Asia-Pacific destinations. Singapore joins its Frankfurt-Taipei rotation, creating another intra-Asian connection. Additional Taipei and Chengdu services, and its twice-weekly Frankfurt-Ho Chi Minh City-Shanghai-Los Angeles operation, carry over from summer. Selected US gateways receive additional frequencies, taking Dallas/Fort Worth to four weekly services, Houston to three, and New York JFK to five. Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo, meanwhile, is adding three weekly Paris-Cairo B777F flights. Its Amsterdam-Seoul freighter operation will run three times a week - one standalone service and two combined with Hong Kong - increasing dedicated capacity on the route. Both Air France and Lufthansa are shifting Mumbai freighter operations to Navi Mumbai, although they are gateway changes rather than additional capacity. Technology demand is another influence on deployment. JAL cited generative AI, semiconductors, and investment in digital infrastructure in its winter cargo announcement. Its offering includes a new twice-weekly Narita-Los Angeles 747 freighter codeshare with Atlas Air, launched on 2 October, alongside six weekly Narita-Chicago services with Kalitta Air, and two Narita-Luxembourg services with Cargolux. Its own 767 freighter timetable adds a weekly Narita-Dalian service. Cathay Cargo has also linked additional Americas freighter capacity for the peak to growth in semiconductor and data-centre equipment shipments from Asia. It expects a leased A330 converted freighter in the fourth quarter, operated on its behalf by Air Hong Kong, to support regional general cargo demand. Latin American perishables provide another source of demand. Emirates SkyCargo said this month it had introduced seven additional weekly South American freighter flights since March, including services to Buenos Aires, Bogotá, São Paulo, and Quito. The changes come against a backdrop of demand outpacing capacity. IATA reported global cargo demand up 4.4% year on year in August, while capacity fell 0.1%. Asia-North America cargo capacity demand increased 13.2%. There may be new connections - but there are also new charges. Air Canada Cargo will increase its airfreight carrier surcharge from 26 October, citing Middle East unrest and rising fuel prices, airport and enroute fees, and currency fluctuations. For UK-origin shipments to Canada and the US North-east/Midwest, the charge rises from 15p to 19p/kg, an increase of almost 27%. For other destinations covered by its long-haul category, the fee rises from 29p to 36p/kg. The surcharge is assessed on gross weight, rather than chargeable weight, and applies across rate products, unless otherwise specified. MSC Air Cargo raised its surcharge from $1.70 or €1.70 to $2.30 or €2.30 per chargeable kg from 16 October, an increase of approximately 35%, with currency determined by country of sale. JAL's Japan-origin long-haul fuel surcharge rose from ¥185 ($1.17) to ¥192/kg on the same date. Its latest calculation used Singapore jet fuel averaging $174.33 a barrel during the second half of last month. The forwarder's September assessment, nevertheless, anticipated a moderate seasonal increase rather than an exceptional peak. "For sure, we do not expect a peak season with rates doubling or anything," he said.

Australia's IFM snaps up 68% stake in ABP

Australian infrastructure fund IFM Investors is set to acquire a 68% stake in Associated British Ports (ABP), following months of rumours about possible bidders circling the UK's largest port owner and operator. ABP shareholders Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and OMERS today said they agreed to terms with IFM Investors to sell each of their respective 33.9% and 30.0% stakes in ABP, which were originally acquired in 2015 and 2006 respectively. The price tag was not disclosed, although The Financial Times estimated it to be over £10bn, with the deal seeing IFM shrug off competition from India's Adani Group, as well as financial investors including Apollo and KKR. However, it would appear the terms were sweet enough to convince CPP that its 10-year investment cycle in ABP had come to an end. "This transaction represents an attractive opportunity to realize the value of our long-term investment and recycle capital into new opportunities, helping us deliver strong long-term returns for CPP contributors and beneficiaries, said James Bryce, managing director, Head of Infrastructure, CPP Investments. According to the CapitalIQ platform, at the end of 2025 ABP boasted revenues of £792.5m and generated a net profit of £393.3m "As an investor owned by Australian and UK pension funds, this transaction reflects our longstanding commitment to mobilising pension capital into UK infrastructure," Kyle Mangini, Global Head of Infrastructure, IFM Investors, said. "We look forward to supporting continued development of ABP's infrastructure and operations, drawing on IFM's long-term investment approach and experience across ports and other essential infrastructure assets," he added. Meanwhile, it is understood that existing minority shareholders such as Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and Kuwait's Wren House will retain their holdings. "Attracting investment from a fund managed by IFM Investors is a powerful endorsement of our business, our people and our strategy," ABP chief executive Henrik Pedersen said. "We are excited to unlock further growth opportunities, together with IFM Investors and our other shareholders, continuing ABP's long-term investment benefitting our customers, our local communities, and the UK." The deal is expected to close in mid-2027.

US Customs wants more data and earlier filing for low-value imports

The US Customs & Border Protection Agency (CBP) wants more data and earlier filing of imports valued at $2,500 or less. The compliance deadline for such imports arriving by mail has been pushed back three months, however, which prompted speculation that Washington wants to avoid further consumer cost inflation before the mid-term elections next month. The new regime has two components. Low-value shipments that arrive as cargo will continue to be processed under entry type 11 requirements. For those reaching the US through the international postal network, CBP has created a new entry type category - 13. These changes are part of the regulatory framework modifications to accommodate Washington's 'Big Beautiful Bill' of last year that ushered in the end of de minimis exemption for imports valued below $800. It shifted customs processing to informal entry channels as a temporary solution until the hard de minimis sunset on 1 July next year. According to CBP, about 52.4m imports were registered as type 11 entries between 1 September last year and 31 May this year, while there were 24.4m entries for postal imports. Under the new regime, type 11 entries have to be filed electronically upon, or before, arrival in the US, replacing current CBP requirement for filings within 15 days of arrival. The new deadline gives cause for concern. A sampling of entries between September and November last year by CBP found more than half the type 11 imports would have missed the new deadline. In addition, CBP wants filings to include the final deliver-to-party as a required data element, if it differs from the consignee. Cargo owners, logistics providers, and customs brokers will have to scramble to ensure their traffic complies with the new type 11 requirements. Forwarder Sobel Network Shipping warned that, "for brands, 3PLs, cross-border carriers, and customs brokers, the era of lightweight clearance procedures for parcel freight has closed", and added that proactive operational alignment was necessary to prepare for the new regime. This will include system integration and EDI preparedness and upstream data integrity, as well as evaluating their volume exposure under planned informal bonding mandates, and building a partnership with an experienced licensed customs broker. The new type 13 regulations end the possibility of paper entries, mandating electronic filing at arrival of the shipment, or earlier. In addition to existing requirements entries must include the shipper or sender, as well as the package tracking number, which also has to be included by the carrier on the inbound manifest. As with type 11 entries, CBP has tightened the timeline for type 13 filings, which have to be made within 15 days before the agency considers a shipment 'voluntarily abandoned'. So far, it has held shipments for 30 days before deeming them abandoned. CBP acknowledged that the tighter timeline, combined with elevated requirements, carried the risk of some importers not receiving their shipments. On top of these requirements, CBP plans to introduce bond requirements for certain categories of informal entries. According to the agency, this is intended to prevent the entry of illicit substances and equipment, to curb counterfeit goods and intellectual property infringement, and for the benefit of trade law compliance. In an interesting twist, CBP pushed the compliance deadline for type 13 entries back to 20 January, from the planned implementation date of 22 October. This is meant to give customs brokers, importers, and the broader trade community time to adapt their systems and processes, and prevent clearance bottlenecks. However, several observers have suggested a different likely reason for the delay: they argue it pushes the impact of the new rules into next year, well past the mid-term elections in early November. The type 13 regime has caused alarm over likely higher prescription drug costs for US citizens who access cheaper medications from outside the US, primarily Canada. Patients' advocates and industry groups have criticised this, and warned of possible disruption of medications ordered from the northern neighbour. And the administration in Washington has cause to be nervous about consumer sentiment over higher prices. According to a recent report from the US Labor Department, prices continued to rise last month. Critics of the government have blamed the rise in inflation squarely on economic policies and the war on Iran; and the higher cost of living has been widely adopted as a pivotal theme in the upcoming elections.