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Speed concerns raised in final moments before Amazon Air crash

Investigators have revealed that the crew of the Amazon Air aircraft that crashed over the weekend, leaving five people dead, discussed excessive speed in the moments before the accident. The revelation comes as the widow of one of those who died filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amazon and its aviation partners. Cargo operations at Miami Airport were broadly back to normal within a few hours of the crash, but Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials have continued to warn that delays to passenger services could mean disruption for belly cargo movements. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has now released a description of what was picked up by the flight recorder, which noted less than two minutes before the crash that one of the two pilots "cautioned they were too fast". According to the NTSB, that pilot then "made additional comments regarding the aircraft's excessive speed throughout the remainder of the recording. There was not a consistent verbal response to the comments about speed". The aircraft touched down at 158 knots, while local reports also noted that it touched down around halfway along the runway. The aircraft subsequently overshot the runway by some 400m, left the airport perimeter and crossed a road, striking vehicles, including a van carrying a crew of aircraft cleaners, before coming to rest and catching fire. Rescue crews had to extricate the pilots from the cockpit, with NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy confirming that the five cleaners in the van struck by the 767 were killed, with a further five people injured, three critically. The widow of one of those killed has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amazon and its aviation partners, accusing them of negligence, including inadequate personnel training and the use of an unairworthy aircraft. The allegations have not been proven and the NTSB investigation into the cause of the accident continues. Meanwhile, CBS News has uncovered records showing that safety concerns had previously been raised by former 21 Air employees. According to CBS, veteran pilot Karl Seuring filed a complaint with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), alleging he had been fired after raising safety concerns at the carrier. OSHA rejected his complaint, but he appealed, leading to a Department of Labor tribunal before a federal administrative judge in 2023. CBS reported that a ruling in the case was still pending. Mr Seuring and other former pilots have alleged that 21 Air discouraged safety reporting and put pressure on crews over rest requirements, allegations the company has denied. There is no indication that the issues raised in the case were connected to Sunday's accident, which remains under investigation.

Empties handling dispute at Mundra heats up as the boxes pile up

The confrontation between Adani Ports (APSEZ) and landside logistics service providers at India's Mundra Port over empty container operations is beginning to trickle down to the cargo owners and freight forwarders. According to local industry sources, there are no signs of a breakthrough in the week-long stalemate, with both sides remaining intransigent. The angst followed APSEZ slamming the brakes on carriers using the option of nominating yards of their choice outside the port for equipment storage, prompting depot owners and truckers to push back strongly against the revised policy. "Freight movement by road is at a standstill," one industry sources in Mundra told The Loadstar. "There is already a large pile-up of empties across Mundra terminals." The disruption is expected to worsen, with the multiple trade groups representing empty depot owners and container trailers today issuing another directive to their members to halt all operations. "Vehicles, vehicle owners, and parties that provide work to such vehicles/owners despite these instructions will be blacklisted by the association," warned the notice. The hardened stand comes after Adani on Friday tightened the screws around empty container yards operating outside Mundra by announcing a new dedicated empty container yard within the port area, "developed to serve as the designated empty container yard for all customers transitioning their empty container operations in line with our earlier communication", the port told stakeholders. Container pick-ups and drop-offs would be charged at the equivalent of $53 for 20ft equipment and $95 for 40ft boxes, with a 30-day free storage window, said APSEZ. Container lines serving Mundra haven't yet heeded Adani's empty yard offer, as some of the bigger carriers have significant inland investment interests across Indian ports as part of their diversification efforts. All major lines have advised customers to reassess their shipment plans via Mundra because of the disruption. Singapore-based liner ONE told customers: "We are closely monitoring the situation and engaging with the relevant stakeholders to minimise the impact on customers." Indian exporters sending goods on the major trades to the US and Europe have been grappling with the double-whammy of severe vessel capacity shortages and soaring freight rates for the past couple of months. The disruption at Mundra is making that ordeal even more painful for shippers, industry sources say, "causing serious concerns among our exporting members, particularly regarding availability and timely positioning of empty containers and consequent movement of export cargo" said the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. And Supal Shah, CEO of Sarjak Container Lines, said: "The exporter needs the box at the factory when it is required, and the laden container needs to reach the terminal before the vessel is cut off."

Air Canada Cargo appoints Americas senior director of sales

Air Canada Cargo has appointed Nicolas Saignat as senior director of cargo sales for its Americas region. Saignat will be based at the cargo company's Montréal headquarters and will lead commercial activities across the region, with a focus on "deepening customer relationships, supporting freight forwarders and shippers, and advancing Air Canada Cargo's growth across key markets in the Americas". According to his LinkedIn profile, Saignat has more than 20 years of experience in the air cargo market, having worked for Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, WestJet Cargo and CEVA Logistics. Most recently, he was vice president, airfreight product manager, North America at CEVA. Air Canada Cargo said that throughout his career, Saigant has led regional commercial teams, supported airfreight product development, strengthened strategic partnerships, and delivered growth in complex and highly competitive markets. "His experience will support Air Canada Cargo's continued focus on providing customers with market expertise and with reliable and responsive service across the region," the airline said. Matthieu Casey, managing director, commercial, Air Canada Cargo, added: "Nicolas's strong commercial background and deep understanding of the air cargo market will be important as we continue to strengthen our customer relationships and grow across the Americas. "His leadership will help us stay close to our customers' evolving needs and deliver the cargo solutions they rely on."