Our global freight forwarding network keeps our customers freight moving across the world.

Boeing 777 production halted by supplier dispute

Boeing was forced to pause production of its 777 and 767 freighters due to a dispute with a parts supplier, according to Reuters. Last week, the news agency reported that the airframe manufacturer had been in dispute with the supplier of the fixed trailing-edge rib kit used on its 777 and 767 aircraft. While the dispute was resolved at the end of September, aircraft production has yet to be resumed according to Reuters contacts. Air Cargo News has asked Boeing to comment on when it expects production to resume. The report said that the dispute was costing Boeing around $6.5m per day and work on two 777 aircraft had been affected, one of which is destined for FedEx. Boeing is reportedly bringing production of the component in-house to reduce its dependence on a single external supplier. According to its latest orders and deliveries report, Boeing has 38 outstanding orders for 777 freighter aircraft, although six of these were placed by Volga-Dnepr UK. Other customers waiting for delivery of the model include; China Airlines (2), China Southern Cargo (2), Emirates (3), Ethiopian Airlines (2), FedEx (7), Saudia (4), Silk Way West (2), unidentified (10). There are nine unfilled orders for the 767-300F: UPS (1) and unidentified (8). While the 767 freighter can no longer be ordered, Boeing was recently granted an emissions exemption for its 777 freighter that will enable the aircraft manufacturer to continue selling them beyond the end of 2027. The decision by the FAA means that Boeing, which filed its emissions exemption request in December and had requested that the exemption be approved by 1 May, can sell 35 more 777Fs that will be be eligible for a Certificate of Airworthiness. The delay in production comes as the air cargo market faces a shortage of widebody capacity as demand continues to soar and production of new cargo aircraft was already under pressure. Boeing's 777 freighter is now the most widely operated freighter in the world, according to data supplied by the US aircraft manufacturer.

Miami International adopts cargo community system

Miami International Airport (MIA) has launched a new airport cargo community system (ACCS) through its partnership with Kalé Logistics. The ACCS platform is available to freight forwarders, cargo handlers, truckers, carriers, and ground handlers and aims to reduce reliance on fragmented, manual information exchange. Kalé said that currently, cargo trucks arrive at MIA with limited information about their arrival times and cargo types, increasing congestion, carbon emissions, and inefficiencies. The ACCS systems will improve the situation. "The new platform will improve information sharing, advanced planning, and truck scheduling. The ACCS will also help reduce waiting times and increase productivity across MIA's cargo ecosystem," the software firm said in a press release. "This will also serve as the foundational digital infrastructure for MIA to connect with its international partner airports, further facilitating the flow of goods along specific international trade lanes." Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava said: "Most importantly, this is about making MIA more future-ready: simplifying and expediting the movement of goods through our global gateway, supporting the businesses and jobs that depend on international trade, and ensuring that our airport remains an industry leader not just in cargo volume, but also in efficiency and sustainability." The deployment comes as MIA has seen cargo volumes grow rapidly. Last year, Airports Council International figures show the hub registered a 13.6% year-on-year increase in cargo volumes to 3.1m tonnes. MIA's total cargo volume requires a daily average of 190 cargo-only flights and more than 1,600 truck trips, Kalé said. "If the ACCS were adopted across MIA's entire cargo operation, it would yield massive environmental and sustainability benefits," the company claimed. "Based on modest estimates of savings of 15% in paper handling and an average of two hours of truck turnaround time, implementing Kalé's ACCS across MIA's cargo community has the potential to save 5,900 U.S. tons of carbon dioxide emissions, 3,000 trees, and up to $250m in operational costs in the air cargo supply chain annually." "Our research shows that cargo community systems are already improving collaboration and visibility across the industry, and MIA gives us an opportunity to apply those benefits at one of the world's major cargo gateways," said Amar More, co-founder and chief executive of Kalé. "Small inefficiencies can quickly grow in scale, and a common digital platform has the potential to make a meaningful operational difference. This will also help MIA digitally link with the world." The launch was announced at the TIACA Air Cargo Forum in Miami on 27 October.

K+N claims market share gains as 'strong' air cargo peak gathers pace

Kuehne + Nagel attributed most of its third-quarter airfreight growth to market share gains, and expects to keep winning business into 2027 as a strong peak season gets under way. Airfreight volumes rose 10% year on year, with chief executive Stefan Paul estimating underlying market growth at 3-4% and attributing 60-70% of K+N's growth to market share gains. "[It's] pretty much coming from hard cargo. Hard cargo had a double-digit increase in terms of volume this quarter, and ecommerce went down significantly," he told analysts yesterday. Asked whether further market share gains would follow next year, he replied: "Similar to this year, it should continue." Separate analysis from Aevean illustrates the weakening backdrop for Chinese low-value ecommerce air exports. Tonnage fell 19% year on year in September, taking the decline over the first nine months to 4%. Low-value ecommerce volumes to Europe halved in September, while those to North America were down 4%. Technology has also replaced business lost from the automotive sector, revealing a longer-term shift in the forwarder's airfreight customer base. Mr Paul recalled that, five to seven years ago, K+N had a strong automotive business out of Europe, serving major manufacturers and their first- and second-tier suppliers. That business had been replaced by technology cargo, he said. "I wouldn't say we have an overdependency now on this, but it has replaced the shrinking auto sector on a one-to-one basis." Management declined to quantify its technology exposure or specify the contribution of hyperscaler customers to growth. However, chief financial officer Markus Blanka-Graff confirmed that "the hyperscaler is a good part of our growth in 2026". "I think our view currently is that growth in that space, with the customers we continuously gain, is also going to continue into 2027," he added. Mr Paul said half of K+N's airfreight capacity came from its own charter operations, with the remainder covered by block space agreements. Improving the cargo mix, with a focus on hard cargo, would remain a priority into next year, he added. Mr Blanka-Graff explained: "The stronger profitability, the stronger margins are on the hard cargo side and special products, healthcare side, hi-tech side." However, one analyst questioned why the changing mix was not producing a stronger airfreight yield performance. Management reiterated its expectation of stable yields, without quantifying the contribution from the shift in cargo. K+N's airfreight volumes increased 7% sequentially in the third quarter, while ebit rose 84% year on year, to CHF169m ($205m). Its air logistics conversion rate reached 32%, against 23% a year earlier. Mr Paul said the forwarder expected its third-quarter volume development to continue into Q4, with stable yields. "We have just started in the peak season, but I would say it's strong. Is it even stronger than the Q3? [That's] to be seen, but it's definitely strong." Meanwhile, airlines are adding winter capacity. Qatar Airways Cargo has announced weekly 777 freighter services through Copenhagen from 25 October, and Warsaw-Chicago from 26 October, followed by a weekly rotation serving New York and Atlanta from 1 November. It has also introduced twice-weekly Dallas freighters. IAG Cargo's winter schedule includes three weekly Gatwick-Colombo flights, scheduled to begin today, alongside a doubling of Gatwick-Bangkok frequencies to six a week, broadening forwarders' bellyhold options on Asian lanes.