QUARTERLY MAGAZINE AF-KL CARGO VOLUME 23 ˆ NO.

34 ˆ SEPTEMBER 2008

cargovision
The importance of being connected
Window seats
Fuel surcharge

HIGHER
EVOLUTION
 cargovision editorial

PORTRAIT VIEW
■ October marks the third year since the integration of Air France Cargo and KLM Cargo began. We want
to invite you to learn of the changes and improvements to AF-KL Cargo during this time. Inside this special
anniversary issue of Cargovision, you will find management’s discussion of the company’s recent achieve-
ments and current expectations.
During the past 24 months, 24 airlines filed for bankruptcy in the US and experts say it’s not over. Kerosene
prices are rising even faster than oil prices. Expensive fuel and the recession are slowing global manufacturing
with a harsh and disproportionate effect on air cargo.
Much of today’s production material moves through the global supply chains as airfreight. High fuel prices
handicap air shipments because fuel is a larger part of the operating cost for an aircraft than it is for an ocean
vessel. With increasing logistics costs and ongoing pressures to reduce them, many companies are
rethinking their global supply networks and relocating production to lower cost neighbors.
Yet, as markets diminish and their challenges grow, we must acknowledge a coincidence of timing. Three
years of constructing AF-KL Cargo has transformed us into a company that will thrive in the current environ-
ment. In our main feature, Michael Wisbrun and Jean Charles Foucault recall the strategy and the initiatives
that the Joint Cargo Management Committee introduced in order to position AF-KL Cargo for the future. In
other areas of interest, we asked our experts to report on the progress in their specialized fields.
Process reform is central to the company’s efforts to improve the quality of its services. Mattijs ten Brink and
Francis Isidoro explain how alignment has added to the quality at Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol.
E-commerce is more efficient than paper for exchanging information and documents. Edwin Borst and Eelco
van Asch describe how integrating the various electronic programs will help AF-KL Cargo reduce costs and
improve the service for the customer.
Fleet planning is a complicated part of running a profitable airline. Bringing in new aircraft and coping with
expensive fuel add even more spice, as Arend de Jong reports. In another twist, the amount of air cargo
carried in passenger bellies compared to freighters has grown during the last two years. Dick van den Berg,
our in-house analyst, looks at the trends and their causes.
AF-KL operates in 45 unique markets. In our feature entitled ‘Sweet Paradise’, Michael Westlake looks at
three of the lesser known though fascinating places off the beaten track – hugely popular as tourist spots
with great natural beauty and each with its own colorful history.

We hope you will find interesting reading in this issue of Cargovision.

Sincerely,
The JCMC
Joint Cargo Management Committee

Michael Wisbrun
Arend de Jong
Jean Charles Foucault
Claude Sereno
Pascal Morvan

2 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
 cargovision contents

© /Holllandse Hoogte
Window seats, page 15

4 HIGHER EVOLUTION
The Air France Cargo and KLM Cargo integration, now celebrating its third anniversary, formed a new,
efficient organization that is now preparing to withstand economic headwinds. Cargovision spoke to
Michael Wisbrun and Jean-Charles Foucault.

14 WINDOW SEATS
To find out how customers are experiencing the AF-KL Cargo merger, Cargovision spoke with two forwarders:
Luc Desreveaux, branch manager for the Sogetra office at Lille airport, and Lionel Rittner, deputy airfreight
manager, France, for Gondrand Group.

16 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONNECTED

Individual e-commerce tools may produce benefits, but when they are linked up, the advantages become
really clear. Integration is the key to the AF–KL Cargo implementation of this technology.

The importance of being

connected, page 16 19 HEAD CALCULATOR
Reducing an organization’s carbon dioxide emissions, the so-called carbon footprint, is moving swiftly up
the strategic agenda of companies around the world. AF-KL Cargo has its own experts in this field. Dr. Thomas
Lesobre’s goal is to have AF-KL Cargo take up the lead in sustainabe air transport.

20 QUALITY BREEDS
A key driver behind the merger of Air France and KLM was the desire to improve efficiency, flexibility and
customer service in both organizations. Achieving such a goal is never easy, but it is possible.

26 ASSET SHUFFLE
Quality breeds, page 20 Fleet planning is always tricky, even without the additional complication of introducing a new aircraft,
like the Boeing 777 freighter. Add high fuel prices to the equation and you have constantly changing
imperatives for network planners.

8 NEWS & DATELINES

22 COUNTRY FILES: ST. MARTIN, TAHITI & NEW CALEDONIA
25 FUEL SURCHARGE OVERHAUL
28 MARKET MONITOR
30 POSTSCRIPT
31 INFORMATION AND COLOPHON

COVER IMAGE
Aerial view above clouds
© Photodisc/Image Select

cargovision 3
 HIGHER
EVOLUTION

© Hemis/Image Select

4 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
The Air France Cargo and KLM Cargo integration, now celebrating
its third anniversary, formed a new, efficient organization that is
now preparing to withstand economic headwinds.
BY TONY CARDING
RUGGED LANDSCAPE
Michael Wisbrun recalls how the Joint Cargo Management Committee oversaw
AF-KL Cargo’s successful merger and how the company intends to remain profitable
while it tackles new partnerships, new technologies and the environment.
“ Clearly, we have a difficult environment before us.
As Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s CEO, stated: the oil
price shock is bigger now than it was during the
1970s. This and the US financial crisis are causing
people to alter their purchasing behavior and our
industry to anticipate lower revenue. Under these
conditions, no company in transportation can afford
to continue as before. Shippers will make new trade-
offs and reorganize their logistics. Carriers will change
their networks and fleets to accommodate them.
Fortunately, our three-year integration has consoli-
dated our strength and ability to weather a down-
turn. The future holds risks but I am not concerned
for the outcome. We will work hard and we will
manage. We do have advantages: AF-KL has a
global network and a relatively new fleet that can
serve our customers and still operate economically.
The company is financially sound and we keep the
fleet young with continuous investment.
Even though the merger produced synergies that
have lowered costs by over US$100 million, greater
savings are still to come. We will introduce even
more unit cost reductions this coming year.
Our strong hub system allows greater fleet utilization
and operates more economically than a point-to-
point network. We have the flexibility with our
freighters to allocate capacity to the most profitable
routes. We have a diverse product portfolio that
serves a wide range of customers.
We have hedged fuel and that gives us a window of
two to three years to refocus the network, reallocate
capacity and lower costs.
THREE YEARS ON
Our three-year evolution to this robust state can be
summarized with three Ps. The first one is for people:
those in the Joint Cargo Management Committee
(JCMC), the team we created to lead our two organi-
zations step-by-step into one integrated team, and
those within the organizations, who continually
showed us new ways to work together effectively.
The second P is for the processes we designed for
the merger, for its preparation, decision-making and
cooperation. We found a steady rhythm for
managing our business and our customers. It was
something completely new for a French-Dutch
combination. We can maintain the pace, in part,
because the JCMC developed a schedule for various
management groups to review the practical issues
they supervise. I meet weekly with the top team,
monthly with the top 10 and quarterly with the top
40. During these gatherings, we strive for clarity in
reaching decisions, in where we make tradeoffs and
in how we organize ourselves.
cargovision 5
 cargovision higher evolution
Michael Wisbrun:
“Our innovations are
really investments with
customs and industry
to make the airfreight
process easier for
our clients”
6 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
The third P stands for purpose in life – our business
life. What is our goal? In 2005, we introduced the
concept of one team, one process and one face
towards the customer. This helped define our
purpose. It helped us unite and recognize our role as
a leading cargo airline. Leading in for example
reducing CO2 emissions and innovating e-
commerce, e-freight and other technologies.
PRIORITY WITH A “P”
Remaining profitable means that we put our daily
effort in satisfying our customers and in creating
synergies. If we find that we are not profitable, we will
stop and change the scale or the scope of our busi-
ness. Profits are the basis for our investment and
therefore our future.
Going forward, our second priority is to strengthen
the AF-KL Cargo presence at our home bases.
Our aircraft and equipment may be like our competi-
tors’ but we have created noticeable differences in
service by the clever management of our business
processes and consideration for our customers.
At Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol, our innovations
are really investments with customs and industry to
make the airfreight process easier for our clients; for
example, introducing e-freight at both hubs and an
express lane for cargo at Schiphol, where simulta-
neous checks for customs and security will enable
shipments to proceed directly to the aircraft.
The third priority is to position us in key markets.
In the largest market of the future, China, we are
creating a Sino-European cargo joint venture with
China Southern Airlines. It will have shareholding
from the AF-KL Group and management from
AF-KL Cargo too. It begins flying early in 2009 with
the Boeing 777 freighter too. It is a welcome step
towards increasing our involvement in China.
PARTNER WITH PURPOSE
We signed a framework agreement for the joint
venture in June and expect formal approval from the
Civil Aviation Authority of China by the year-end.
In the meantime, we are assigning people for the
new management team. This investment is for cargo
today but perhaps for passengers tomorrow.
Our current work with China Southern in catering
and other activities is building trust and moving the
two companies closer together.
Now the USA Anti Trust Immunity has been granted,
we will be able to coordinate service and capacity
between Europe and America with our SkyTeam
partners. Now, the consolidation of the Air France
Cargo and KLM Cargo businesses in North America
has become a priority. We will soon discuss with
Delta the best solutions for integrating the combined
airfreight business of Delta and Northwest. Our
organization will gain efficiency and our customers
will gain options.
Similarly, the Martinair Scenario, as I like to call it,
is intended to strengthen the AF-KL Group. We have
filed for the full takeover of the remaining 50% of the
shares. Currently the European Union is studying
the case and we are awaiting approval.
ADVOCATE AND INNOVATE
In my role as chairman of the IATA Cargo Committee,
I challenged the organization to put e-freight at the
top of the priority list and translate it into action. They
have done this through a number of pilot projects,
including one through Schiphol.
The pilots showed that we could eliminate paper
from cargo. However, it is a bit tougher than paper-
less travel for passengers. There, they removed the
ticket but kept the passport. In cargo, we want to
remove both the ticket and the passport at the same
time. That means additional steps for customs and
involves additional stakeholders. Nevertheless, after
the success of paperless transport in the pilot
programs, we are seeing greater variety among the
shipments booked and are now working to increase
volume before adding more routes. We expect elec-
tronic bookings for half of the cargo on the existing
routes within five years.
AF-KL Cargo now receives 23% of its bookings elec-
tronically. We intend to add other electronic services
for our customers and we will replace the two Air
France Cargo and KLM Cargo legacy systems with
a single new web-based platform. Besides lowering
costs and consolidating our two back offices, it will
help us use customer databases to develop new
services.
Air France – KLM is pursuing CO2 neutral operations
by reducing aircraft weight and increasing overall effi-
ciency. In cargo, we will offer CO2 neutral transport for
customers’ shipments. By the end of the year, they
will be able to buy CO2 rights to offset the impact of
their shipment.Along with IATA, we are supporting a
consultant who is mapping CO2 footprints for various
methods of production and transportation.
Our industry still does not know which mode has the
least CO2 impact: asparagus brought to the corner
market by air from Africa or by truck from a local
greenhouse. Once we have the facts, we can offer
customers tradeoffs to lower their emission profile.”

RESOLVED TO ONE VOICE
Jean-Charles Foucault recalls how AF-KL Cargo changed its commercial organization
in order to move closer to customers with a revised product portfolio.
“ At the beginning of the merger, we encountered a
paradox: change the organization but maintain a sta-
ble environment. It told us to proceed with very small
steps. We aligned the operating networks between
Schiphol and Charles de Gaulle, putting considerable
effort at both hubs into improving basic skills and
increasing the quality of service on the ground. We
introduced Cargo 2000 with full support. It gives us a
measure for high-quality service and a definite
advantage when customers are buying capacity in
an oversaturated market.
Jean-Charles Foucault:
“We encountered a At the same time, we combined the best features of
paradox: change the the two sales and marketing organizations. In
organization but maintain creating AF-KL Cargo, we merged offices and reor-
a stable environment” ganized the responsibilities of people in Sales,
Customer Service and Operations. Introducing these
‘Model Offices’ was a big change but it clarified the
division of labor for our staff around the world. Now,
they perform more consistently with customers.
Everyone has a clear job description and knows
which responsibilities belong to presales, to order
taking and to the back office.
Highly efficient people improve our quality of service.
Sales people can now focus on their portfolios of
© Hideo Kurihara/Image Select
clients while Customer Service people can attend to
the immediate business. Between reorganizing and
adding new computer tools, we have significantly
lowered the amount of time spent per booking. New
automation, such as the Unique Voice Portal for the
customer services organization, and new e-business
tools that link with our customers have improved
productivity. The number of bookings per person has
grown continually since the merger. We have been
able to reassign people to Sales and watch the
number of bookings grow for Equation, Cohesion
and Variation.
Our business from tripartite agreements, those with
shippers and forwarders together, is now the fastest
growing part of our business. We do not target ship-
pers; our policy is based strictly on relationships with
forwarders. However, shippers and forwarders want
joint discussions with airlines when contracts get
very large. Then, we are included.
Looking ahead, into a hostile shipping climate, we
feel prepared. But conditions force us to be ever-
more efficient and clever in identifying airfreight
buyers in key markets so we can offer them the
appropriate service from our broad portfolio.”
cargovision 7
 cargovision news around the world

Our quarterly review of

industry news keeps you
abreast of developments
in key sectors around
the world.

and the relatively cooler bypass air flowing around the

core. This cooled gas stream then joins the cold air
flowing past the engine with less disturbance and less
of the hissing sound associated with jets.
Dr. Papamoschou’s solution reduces the noise by
placing vanes in the bypass duct near the rear of the
engine. An alternative implementation places vanes on
© Jinny Goodman/Image Select

the pylon that supports the engine. The vanes deflect

the slower moving bypass air downward, concen-
trating it into a long plume below the region where the
faster moving core gasses generate most of their
intense noise. In this position, the unmixed bypass
plume acts like a sound buffer to reduce the noise
reaching the ground.

Dr. Papamoschou’s experiments suggest that deflec-

tors could reduce the noise of a low-bypass engine,
like the JT8D, by 4 dB to 5 dB. Experiments at higher
Environment – North America bypass ratios have shown the potential for reductions
from 1.5 dB to 3 dB. His methods could be applied to
IRVINE existing engines and included in future subsonic and
Dimitri Papamoschou devised a new method for lowering jet noise in both supersonic engines.
current and future engines by redirecting their exhaust gases. He was
awarded a US patent last November and has attracted an industry partner Introducing deflector or mixer devices in the jet
that could offer his technology to the airline industry within three to five exhausts reduces their thrust. The chevrons on the
years at a still-to-be-determined price. Dr. Papamoschou is a professor of Boeing 787 are fixed and therefore reduce thrust for
mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, the entire flight, even though the noise-sensitive
Irvine, who says he found the inspiration for his invention while experi- segment lasts only a few minutes. Experiments are
menting with ways to hide the hot exhaust plume of a military jet from underway to make chevrons with a heat sensitive alloy
infrared sensors on the ground. He adds that his technique for lowering the that bends them inward slightly during takeoff, mixing
noise of a hot jet exhaust shearing against the cold ambient air represents the gas flows, and straightens them during cruise,
a new approach, and possibly an improvement, over the chevrons used for leaving the flows unchanged.
this purpose on the engines for the Boeing 787. The deflector vanes in Dr. Papamoschou’s solution
can be adjusted also to redirect airflow during takeoff,
Research by Boeing, NASA and Goodrich during the last decade showed but remain inactive during cruise. NASA researchers
that serrations, or chevrons, cut into the rear edges of an engine’s core are testing another method for reducing noise by
shroud and its cowling will blend the very hot air exiting the engine core placing small nozzles around the circumference of the

8 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08

bypass duct to blow air into the stream and enhance
its mixing. Shutting off these nozzles during cruise
would leave the exhaust flows undisturbed. “We are all
trying to find alternatives,” says Dr. Papamoschou.
“The successful solution, ultimately, will be the one
that reduces noise with least aerodynamic penalty.”
Carriers - World
BANGKOK
The Thai Government told Thai Airways International in
June to begin setting up a cargo airline to increase the
flow of Thailand’s exports to international markets.
High fuel prices and internal politics have distracted
the airline’s management lately and could delay
startup of the cargo carrier. However, this is only one
course that Thai government officials are pursuing in
their quest to improve the nation’s transport infrastruc-
ture. They also want to see greater utilization of both
Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports for moving
cargo. And they are considering the possibility of liber-
alizing the logistics industry under the World Trade
Organization. Foreign ownership is currently capped at
a maximum of 49% for logistics service operators in
Thailand.
BRUSSELS
Brussels Cargo launched daylight courier services in
June to major cities across Europe. The cargo division
of Brussels Airlines will carry shipments of up to 32 kg
between Brussels and Athens, Barcelona, Lisbon,
Nice, Madrid and Warsaw.
BOGOTÁ
Colombian authorities endorsed the creation of a new
cargo affiliate airline of LAN Cargo in their country. The
operational and technical certification process should
take six months, enabling the Colombian carrier to
begin operations during the first quarter of 2009.
Colombia exports about 200,000 tons of airfreight to
the US, making it one of the largest markets in Latin
America. LAN Cargo also owns and operates cargo
affiliates in Brazil and Mexico.
cargovision news around the world
© Eddie Gerald/Image Select
Online - World
SINGAPORE
Cargo Community Network received Cargo 2000 accreditation in March.
The network has been providing online connectivity to the cargo commu-
nity in the Asia-Pacific region since 1991. CCN has actively promoted
Cargo 2000 in addition to IATA’s e-freight and MIP programs.
Jet8 Airlines Cargo, Singapore’s first privately owned cargo carrier, said in
July that it would automate its airline and revenue accounting with Champ
Cargo systems. Jet8 operates Boeing 747-200s and 400s in an alliance
with Nippon Cargo Airlines. Previously, in June, Royal Jordanian signed a
contract to use Champ, as did Skyport for its operations at Prague cargo
terminal.
ABU DHABI
Etihad said in July it would begin using OAG Cargo’s Air Freight Rates
application and its Inforwarding Announcements service. Approximately
9,700 forwarders now access information on the enhanced OAG Cargo
website, which describes the cargo carrying flights operated by 900
airlines to and from nearly 3,500 cities.
GENEVA
IATA has posted an interactive e-freight map on its website:
http://www.iata.org/stbsupportportal/maps/e-freight.htm. It enables you
to track the progress of various e-freight initiatives around the world.
Clicking on a destination shows the protocols it has signed and whether it
is e-freight capable, when it plans to implement the service and whether or
not it has passed either of IATA’s e-freight assessments.
cargovision 9
 cargovision news around the world

Weddings and Funerals - World has been carrying half of the weight of DHL Express
US traffic and had signed a new contract with DHL
ATLANTA just three months earlier. In June, ALPA filed a griev-
Delta and Northwest agreed to merge in April. The combined company ance against the merger, saying that DHL had
and its regional partners will provide access to more than 390 destinations endorsed the commitments and at no time mentioned
in 67 countries. They will have revenue of US$35 billion, a staff of 75,000, any ongoing negotiations with UPS. DHL is a 49%
and a fleet of 800 aircraft. The deal with Northwest could improve Delta’s owner of ASTAR and is represented on ASTAR’s
position in the cargo business, adding Northwest’s strength in Asia to Board of Directors.
Delta’s in Europe. By July, the prospect of losing 9,000 jobs at the
However, fuel is the highest single expense for both carriers and the ASTAR sorting facility near Dayton, Ohio, got the
biggest headache. Its record prices threaten to cancel the financial benefits attention of the area’s congressman, Mike Turner,
of restructuring as well as the combined airline’s long-term strength and who, along with Ohio’s two senators, sent a letter to
stability. Some analysts wanted to see Delta propose greater reductions in the US Attorney General asking the Justice Depart-
short-term costs and capacity because the revenue benefits of the merger ment to look at the potential anti-competitive impact of
will not accrue for another two to four years. DHL’s planned agreement with UPS.

BONN ISTANBUL
Deutsche Post World Net said in May that it would restructure its DHL Air France-KLM and China Southern met near the
Express US business. Under the plan, DHL will develop a contract with Bosporus in June. The two airlines agreed to establish
UPS during the next few months that enables UPS to provide airfreight a Sino-European cargo joint venture. The new busi-
capacity for the domestic and international services of DHL Express in ness will provide airlift for cargo and mail, ground
North America. DHL will also consolidate and close sorting facilities and handling services, operation of warehouses and other
rationalize its ground networks. DPWN said that this would affect less than storage services, customs clearance activities, and
4% of its shipments and produce no changes in its product range or import and export services. The agreement is for
service commitment in North America. The contract with UPS is expected China Southern to hold a 75% stake in the venture
to last 10 years and could save DHL US$1 billion annually. It was described and the Air France-KLM Group to hold 25%. It still
as a straightforward airlift agreement and would enable UPS and DHL to needs government approval, which is expected by
compete for customers. year-end.

The announcement did not sit well with ASTAR Air Cargo or its crew
members, who are represented by the Airline Pilots Association. ASTAR Financial – United Kingdom

LONDON
A market in purchasing future contracts for airfreight
capacity may be moving closer to reality given the
constantly rising fuel prices and the vigorous activity in
the market for contracts based on ocean shipping.
Brokers say that the shipping futures market reached
US$125 billon last February, up from US$50 billion at
the same time in 2007. Several large companies have
set up freight derivatives desks in the past year,
including Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, Macquarie Bank,
© Avatra images/Image Select

Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Lehman Brothers,

Morgan Stanley, and hedge funds GMI and Akuila
Okeanos.
Since 1991, agents have managed risk in ocean ship-
ping with contracts known as Forward Freight Agree-
ments that enable ship owners and operators to
establish prices in advance. The number of these

10 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08

agreements grew 150% during the past year. Rising
demand for commodities has driven up the cost of
chartering ships to transport them and increased the
appetite for instruments that help shippers manage
future rates. For example, rates for a Capesize ship,
used to transport iron ore and coal, rose to
US$233,988 a day in June, 180% higher than the
January rate of US$80,000. A volatile airfreight market
with carriers and forwarders concluding similar agree-
ments could inspire brokerage firms to develop finan-
cial instruments for them.
Gateways - World
DELHI
India’s air cargo industry wants the government to
build airfreight stations, known as agent-bonded
terminals, near seven major international airports. The
Air Cargo Agents Association of India has suggested
that a single company or authority run these terminals,
which would be modeled along the lines of the ocean
container stations. This action could enable industry,
especially exporters and importers, to cut transaction
costs and save time on freight movement. The air
cargo industry has sought land near the international
airports at Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore to
set up airfreight stations. The request was supported
cargovision news around the world
© Look/Image Select
by a study released last year by the Associated Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of India that said surging demand had pushed the growth of
air cargo ahead of that moved by rail and sea.
HAMBURG
Airport officials from Germany’s northern port city are talking with Shanghai
Airlines and Air China to develop a sea-air business. With 400 local China-
based companies reputedly located in Hamburg, it is the largest container
port for import traffic from China.
Aircraft - Asia
ZHUKOVSKY
Russia’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has started developing a cargo version of its
Superjet 100 that will carry 15 tons. The medium-range aircraft developed
by the Sukhoi Design Bureau in cooperation with Boeing, Snecma, Thales,
Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace and Honeywell made its first flight in
May. The first delivery to Aeroflot is now scheduled for the second half of
2009, a delay of one year from the original schedule.
SINGAPORE
All Nippon Airways took delivery of the first Boeing 767-300BCF converted
freighter in June. The conversion work for the 50-ton freighter involved
removing the passenger interior, installing a main deck surround structure
and side cargo door, replacing the main deck floor structures, and installing
cargo-handling systems. ST Aviation Services, a subsidiary of Singapore
Technologies Aerospace performed the work.
cargovision 11
 cargovision news around the world

Infrastructure - Asia MOVING ON - World

BEIJING
China formed a new Ministry of Transport in March from parts of its Ministry
of Communications and its General Administration of Civil Aviation China.
The new ministry, which oversees the state’s road, sea and air traffic, didn’t
waste any time in making its presence felt. It announced plans in June to
build 97 feeder airports, upgrade the country’s main air hubs, and create
clusters of airports in six geographical regions. The groupings will be organ-
ized to support international, domestic or feeder traffic. The US$64 billion
plan intends to balance airport development by coordinating trunk and
feeder traffic and increasing the capacity of medium-sized and large airports.
Rail - Europe
Sue Presti began the task of representing the inter-
ests of the International Air Cargo Association before
the regulatory authorities and legislators in Wash-
ington, DC, in August. Previously, Ms. Presti spent 13
years as executive director of the Express Delivery &
Logistics Association’s Government Affairs
Committee.
Mike Staeck was elected by the members of
EGSAC as a vice president in June. He helped found
the network of independent cargo GSSA companies in
2002.

BERLIN David Reid assumed the role of acting chairman of

In May, German lawmakers approved the privatization of 24.9% of
Deutsche Bahn. Europe’s largest rail and logistics group will become a
holding company, controlling 75.1% of passenger and freight transport and
all of the stations and rail network. Sale of the transport arm is expected to
bring US$7 to US$112 billion. The company’s 80 subsidiaries include sea,
truck and airfreight operations, which account for 50% of its sales, up from
20% in 2000. In June, Deutsche Bahn said that cargo rail service between
China and Germany could begin in October. China United International
Railway Container Transport will operate the route, which is expected to
achieve annual sales of up to €20 million. The 15-day rail journey will cut
20 days from an ocean transport.
the Transport Asset Protection Association’s region for
Europe, Middle East and Africa following the departure
of Thorsten Neumann in May. Mr. Reid had been the
organization’s vice chairman. Mr. Neumann relin-
quished the chairman’s job to concentrate on other
work commitments. During 2007, TAPA’s EMEA
members experienced a drop in the value of cargo
crimes reported, to €53.1 million compared to €67.6
million in 2006.

BRUSSELS
The European Commission agreed to a common standard for rail signaling
in April. The standard will remove one technical barrier in the commission’s
goal of integrating rail freight services across Europe.

PARIS
Alstom SA, the French manufacturer of transport and energy equipment,
said in June that it would develop a cargo version of its TGV train that
would enable operators to carry express parcels over Europe’s growing
high speed rail network. Meanwhile, France’s state railway company,
SNCF, said it would increase its 42% holding in the French forwarding
group, Geodis, by acquiring the remaining shares at €135 per share. The
move is seen as a way for SNCF to lower its labor costs for freight handling
and return it to profitability. Also, Air France-KLM said in July they would
join forces with French freight operator Veolia Transport and launch high-
speed rail services from Charles de Gaulle to destinations throughout
Europe. Although the announcement concerned passengers, there is a
strong possibility the services could include freight. Rail transportation uses
half as much fuel as trucks and a quarter as much as aircraft.
© Mediacolor’s/Image Select

12 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
 cargovision datelines

Aleksey Chertenkov was elected president of SEPTEMBER 15-17

the Airport Association of Civil Aviation of the Russian CargoFacts 2008 OCTOBER 15-17
Commonwealth of Independent States in May. The Loews Miami Beach Resort Sustainable Supply Chain Summit
association of 231 members from 22 countries helps Miami Stanford Court Hotel
airports discover and adapt new practices. T: +1 206-587-6537 San Francisco
Mr. Chertenkov is also the director general of the F: +1 206-587-6540 T: +44 0207 375 7207
Tolmachevo Airport. E: mfortner@cargofacts.com www.eft.com/Green
www.cargofacts.com/symposium/
Ludwig Hamburger became AirBridge Cargo’s index.htm
regional director in Europe, the Middle East and Africa OCTOBER 15-18
in June. Previously, Mr. Hamburger was Air New India Aviation 2008
Zealand’s regional manager in Europe. SEPTEMBER 23-26 Hyderabad Airport
FIATA World Congress Hyderabad
Ken Allen was named CEO of DHL Express US in Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Contact: Des Gregory
May, at the same time that Deutsche Poste World Net, Centre T: + 44 1252 532 800
announced it would restructure its US operation. Mr. Vancouver E: des.gregory@farnborough.com
Allen moved from his previous role as CEO of DHL E: info@fiata.com www.india-aviation.in
Express in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. www.fiata2008.com/

Michael Coffman became CEO of Aloha Air NOVEMBER 4-6

Cargo, the new company formed when Saltchuk SEPTEMBER 30 – ACF 2008
Resources of Seattle bought Aloha Airlines’ cargo OCTOBER 1 Kuala Lumpur Convention Center
operation in May. Aloha had declared bankruptcy in IDTechEx RFID Europe 2008 Kuala Lumpur
March. Saltchuk bought Hawaiian Tug & Barges in Churchill College T: +49 89 949-20 245
1999 and also owns Northern Air Cargo, the largest Cambridge www.tiaca.org/2008
cargo carrier in Alaska. T: + 44 (0) 1223 813 703
E: c.jennings@idtechex.com NOVEMBER 23-25
Holger van den Heuvel was appointed International Freight Week
chairman and managing director of Cargoitalia in May. Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
He was a member of the company’s board of directors OCTOBER 1-5 UAE
previously. CSCMP Annual Global Conference 2008 Contact: Sarah Woodbridge
Colorado Convention Center T: +971 4 336 5161
Philippe Gilbert and Peter Nevhagen Denver E: ifw@iirme.com
became joint head the global freight management divi- F: +1 630 574 0989 www.internationalfreightweek.com
sion of Geodis Wilson in May. The two men will www.cscmp.org
continue their existing roles as chief operations officer
and chief marketing officer, respectively.
OCTOBER 2
Walther Nahr was re-elected as chairman of the Nordic Air Cargo Symposium 2008
Hong Kong Association of Freight Forwarding and Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel
Logistics Limited. Mr. Nahr was the organization’s Gothenburg
chairman twice before from 1988 to 1990 and from Contact: Lars-Gunnar Comen
1992 to 1996. He is currently the corporate vice presi- T: +46-33-129841
dent of AGI Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited. E: conf@euroavia.com

cargovision 13
 WINDOW
SEATS
To find out how customers are experiencing the merger of AF-KL Cargo we spoke with
two forwarders: Luc Desreveaux, branch manager for the Sogetra office at Lille airport,
and Lionel Rittner, deputy airfreight manager, France, for Gondrand Group.

BY MARK SOLOMON

increasing complexity of our system, this is a very

important factor.
We were impressed at how quickly and seamlessly
the two companies were brought together. We have
felt very comfortable about the combination from the
start. That is something you cannot say about every
merger that has taken place in our industry.
© Lourence Smak/Image Select

Lionel Rittner: Air France Cargo and KLM

Cargo have streamlined and consolidated their
teams with a single point of contact for us. This is
very important to a midsized company like Gondrand
because we obtain direct, efficient and personalized
service from the combined company. This has made
our customer relationships and us more productive
Dunkirk town hall and more successful.

Q: How does working with the combined

AF-KL Cargo organization today differ from
working with the individual carriers before
the merger?
Luc Desreveaux: The most important advan-
tage has been the consolidation of Air France Cargo
and KLM Cargo professionals under one roof. Obvi-
ously, before the merger we would have to reach out
for Air France employees at one location and KLM
employees at another. Today, we have the conven-
ience and flexibility of having all employees, prod-
ucts and services at consolidated locations system-
wide. Given our expanded footprint and the
Q: How has AF-KL Cargo’s service to you
improved since the merger?
LD: We have seen more freight capacity available
across the combined network. We cannot overstate
the importance of main-deck capacity when we are
expanding deeper into China, the Indian sub-conti-
nent and other regions of the world where air cargo
operations have not been commonplace. We have
traditionally used KLM to Beijing, and Air France to
Shanghai. Now we can consolidate our flying opera-
tions in and out of China, which is today our most
important import-export market.

14 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
 BIOS:

Lionel Rittner is deputy

airfreight manager, France, for
Gondrand Group, and is in

© /Holllandse Hoogte
charge of airfreight and sea
freight purchases. He joined
the company in 2004 with
nearly 20 years experience in
the air and ocean freight.
Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport
Gondrand provides interna-
The availability of lift has become even more impor- LR: We have one contact buying and selling both tional air and ocean freight
tant now that rising fuel costs are forcing airlines to Air France and KLM destinations. This helps us be services with a staff of 1,250
rationalize freighter and belly space. We have not more productive in purchasing airfreight. We have people. It was founded in Italy
experienced problems with lift from AF-KL Cargo. also experienced faster responses to our rate in 1866 and is now headquar-
requests, bookings and special requests. tered in Paris. Gondrand’s
LR: The global network is larger and more efficient, turnover was €377 million
which enables us to offer more attractive and innova- in 2007.
tive solutions. We are also pleased with the Q: Why did the merger of AF-KL Cargo
company’s patient and deliberate approach to succeed after so many previous unions Luc Desreveaux has been
assembling a combined network. It was well thought between airfreight companies failed? branch manager for the
out and left nothing to chance. Sogetra office at Lille airport
LD: In our view, the key was a total acceptance and since 1993. He joined the
Access to a geographically dense network with two understanding of the combination at all levels from company in 1987 and worked
entrance points in Europe has increased our flexibility top management down the ladder. Communication previously as sales representa-
in the services we offer. Overall, their service is better at all levels was superb, and everyone was strongly tive for a regional French freight
today with the single company than it was a few encouraged to work together towards a common forwarding company.
years ago with two separate organizations. goal. There was no “clash of cultures” that you often He graduated with degrees in
see with combinations in the airline business. The marketing, sales, and English
emerging AF-KL Cargo organization embraced and & German languages.
Q: How have the expanded services created accepted everyone’s viewpoints, including ours, and
by the merger helped you? there was very strong and positive cooperation Sogetra provides international
among all participants. air, ocean and highway services
LD: We have seen improved access to complimen- with a staff of 160 people.
tary products and effective balancing of the two LR: Sometimes we make things more complicated Founded in 1952, company
airlines’ strengths. For example, Air France is very than they need to be. Air France and KLM took a headquarters are in Dunkirk
skilled in general cargo while KLM has extensive expe- combined entity and built simple solutions that corre- and the Lille airport office,
rience and knowledge in perishables, especially cut sponded to our needs and those of our customers. under Mr. Desreveaux, special-
flowers. Besides increasing their geographic The message to the industry from the combination izes in textiles, garments and
coverage, the two companies have now combined is to act simply and efficiently and your customers pharmaceuticals. Sogetra’s
their complimentary product strengths under one roof. will follow. ■ turnover was €100 million
That is a great benefit to our customers and to us. in 2007.

cargovision 15
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING
CONNECTED
Individual e-commerce tools may produce benefits,
but when they are linked up, the advantages become
really clear. Integration is the key to the AF–KL Cargo
implementation of this technology.
BY PETER CONWAY
■ The commercial aviation industry passed a new
milestone at the end of May when IATA announced
completion of its e-ticketing project – that is, the
complete phasing out of paper tickets for all airline
passengers.
This achievement underlined just how pervasive the
airlines’ use of the internet and other electronic tools
has become over the past seven years. Few travelers
now think twice about booking an airplane ticket
online or checking in via the web.
However, AF-KL Cargo’s goal of eliminating paper
from its air cargo business lags well behind its
achievements for passengers. Yet the use of e-tools
is quietly growing. “Air cargo is still a very traditional
business, but e-commerce is becoming more and
more important,” says Eelco van Asch, AF-KL Cargo
Vice President of Marketing, Communications & E-
Commerce. “At AF-KL Cargo we are determined to
close the gap with the passenger business.”
Mr. van Asch sees several drivers accelerating the
adoption of e-commerce. One is the high fuel price,
which is driving companies to look at ways to improve
efficiency and reduce costs. Another is competition
16 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
from other modes of transport, particularly sea-
freight, where the adoption of e-tools is often more
advanced than it is in airfreight. But he also thinks
there is a demographic factor. “A new generation of
young people is coming into the business for whom
doing things electronically comes naturally. They are
the customers of tomorrow and they are going to
expect to be able to interact with carriers in this way.”
INTEGRATE OR DISINTEGRATE
The strategy of AF-KL Cargo is to treat e-commerce
as an integrated function, Mr. van Asch says. “E-
commerce used to be seen as a series of separate
projects, a matter for the IT department. But when
you bring them all together and see them as a single
entity, that’s when you can really understand the
benefits.”
For example, IATA’s e-freight initiative to remove
paper documents from air cargo transport could be
© AF-KL Cargo
linked to e-booking, so that data provided at the time
of booking could be used to create an electronic air
waybill. A track and trace function could give the
customer a snapshot of the documents he has
cargovision 17
 cargovision the importance of being connected
received electronically and those that are still needed.
This approach has yet to be adopted, but it is defi-
nitely in the making, says Mr. van Asch. Better inte-
gration may also increase its popularity among those
who are reluctant to abandon the phone and fax. The
more they can do online, the more willing they will be
to switch.
Edwin Borst, Vice President of Customer Service for
AF-KL Cargo, and another member of the e-
commerce team, says that the carrier now tries to
bring a complete package of e-services into conver-
sations with its customers. “We try to point out that it
is not just about booking, but about other services
Edwin Borst: such as online schedules, claims processing, or track
“As with so many and trace.”
other services,
the forwarder can
do this one 24/7, TOOLS FOR SPEED
at a time that The e-commerce team has recently made great
suits him” strides in bringing more services to the airline’s cargo
customers. It made a claims status tool available on
the AF-KL Cargo website in June says Mr. Borst.
“Previously, claims processing could be held up by
minor misunderstandings. For example, if we ask a
forwarder for more information and the letter goes
astray, he wonders why he has not heard from us and
we wonder why we have not heard from him.”
Now, in an e-commerce environment, a forwarder
would solve this problem by entering the air waybill
number and getting a current history of the claim.
“As with so many other services, the forwarder can
do this one 24/7, at a time that suits him,” Mr. Borst
says. “And we don’t need staff waiting to take
queries on the phone.”
Another new tool, a pre-claims notification, now elimi-
nates an irritating administrative task for forwarders
and carriers. Under the Montreal Convention, if a
forwarder intends to file a claim for a shipment, he has
to send the carrier a pre-claim notification within
24 hours of the shipment’s arrival.
Eelco van Asch: Forwarders may now know whether a claim will arise
“Air cargo is still a or not and may send a pre-claim just in case. “These
very traditional were traditionally submitted by fax,” Mr. Borst says.
business, but “The forwarder then rings up asking whether we
e-commerce is received it. This is a big administrative headache for
becoming more and something that goes no further 99% of the time. With
more important” the new tool, forwarders can now file a pre-claim
online and receive a confirmation number immedi-
ately, saving everyone’s time.”
Another example of how the internet is simplifying
routine administrative tasks is the publishing of rates
and schedules online. When they were printed on
18 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
paper and stored in a forwarder’s office, workers
could not always find them quickly. Today, both are
available online. Rates are published through the AF-
KL Cargo website and the Inforwarding Air Freight
Rates service of OAG.
IN- OR INTER-DEPENDENCE
Mr. van Asch says that AF-KL Cargo currently
receives 23% of its bookings online, a 10% increase
in just the last year. These include bookings via EDI
message as well as by CPS or GF-X.
Working patiently with individual customers is one
way AF-KL Cargo intends to increase the number of
e-bookings. However, Mr. Borst says, air cargo is a
business-to-business environment and very different
from the business-to-consumer channels of the
passenger business. “In air cargo, there is the whole
chain to think about and a solution will only work
effectively if it addresses all of the participants. After a
passenger books online, he is finished. But a
forwarder may need to update his own system,
which quickly reduces the benefit of the electronic
approach. That is why we have adopted the
integrated approach for e-commerce.”
IATA’s e-freight initiative to eliminate paper documents
from air cargo shows the interdependence of parties
in the supply chain. AF-KL Cargo participated in the
recently completed first phase, which involved five
countries including the Netherlands. The technology
was not challenging: e-freight uses EDI messages
and the Netherlands has a venerable cargo commu-
nity system that could accommodate them.
However, three of the 13 paper documents used in
the trial have no EDI equivalent: the packing list, the
certificate of origin, and the invoice. Forwarders had
to scan each one, burdening their staff and their
communications bandwidth.
IATA is working with forwarders and others to create
EDI versions for these messages and get shippers to
provide the data electronically. Mr. van Asch reckons
that the simplicity of this new process will greatly
increase the use of e-freight. The need to pass data
along from one function to another is vital if the
industry is to wean itself from its old habits and
realize the benefits of e-commerce.
Mr. Borst agrees. “Once all the elements work
together, companies will realize how wasteful it is to
use expensive manpower for tasks that can be done
electronically. People should be freed for the complex
work that actually needs human intervention.” ■
cargovision people make a difference: Thomas Lesobre
HEAD CALCULATOR
Reducing an organization’s carbon dioxide emissions, the so-called
carbon footprint, is moving swiftly up the strategic agenda of
companies around the world. AF-KL Cargo has its own experts in
this field. Dr. Thomas Lesobre’s goal is to have AF-KL Cargo take up
the lead in sustainabe air transport.
BY PHILLIP HASTINGS
© Bas Beentjes
■ The starting point towards lowering emissions is to
identify the current emission levels. In the case of AF-KL
Cargo and its customers, that’s where Dr. Thomas
Lesobre and his colleague Ms. Monelle Sourdot come in.
His role as the organization’s controlling director in charge
of network issues includes calculating the CO2 emission
levels of air cargo traffic so that management and
customers have access to reliable figures.
On the external front, Dr. Lesobre says some customers,
particularly from the pharmaceutical and luxury goods
sectors, are already telling AF-KL Cargo that they want to
be CO2 neutral. “To do that, they need to know the fuel
burn of the cargo they are moving on AF-KL flights.
We must be able to provide that information. Our goal is
to give them figures for fuel burn and CO2 emission for
every kilo of their cargo moving between any origin and
destination.”
To achieve that objective, Dr. Lesobre has had to adapt
a methodology used by his passenger colleagues.
However, calculating the CO2 emissions for an individual
cargo shipment is much trickier than for a passenger,
because there are many more multi-leg flights and
combinations available to move cargo.
“For example, if a passenger travels from Abidjan to
Shanghai, his complete routing will be Abidjan-Paris or
Amsterdam-Shanghai. It’s nice and simple,” explains
Dr. Lesobre. “But if you want to send cargo between the
same two points, you can choose from 21 different
routes, probably with intermediate stops, on different
aircraft types, either passenger or freighter or a combina-
tion of both. Although fuel consumption figures are now
only available for each flight and each leg, we need it for
cargo according to route and business flow. So, we must
be very creative to get the data in the format we need.”
Now based in Amsterdam, Dr. Lesobre graduated with
a PhD degree in airline management from Dauphine
University in Paris before joining Air France in 1995.
He spent the first two years of his career working to
prepare the merger of Air France and Air Inter.
He moved to Air France Cargo in 2002 and took up
his present role with AF-KL Cargo in late 2005. ■
cargovision 19

■ One of our main goals is to achieve comparable service
levels at Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol, says Mattijs
ten Brink, AF-KL Cargo’s Vice President of Worldwide
Operations. “But the infrastructure at the two hubs is
completely different. Charles de Gaulle is more mechanized
and with less opportunity in handling mixed pallets. More
shipper-built pallets are moved at CDG than at Schiphol,
and more freighters land in Paris, also.”
Nevertheless, Mr. ten Brink and his team have created one
quality management system, one safety and security
system and one audit system for both hubs. In addition,
they have aligned front and back office processes.
“This allows our outstations, suppliers and customers to
benefit from consistency in our cargo products throughout
the AF-KL Cargo organization.”
AF-KL Cargo published its first integrated handling manual in
July, detailing the operational procedures for its staff and
sub-contractors when handling freight in both the Air France
and KLM networks. “The manual also sets out the processes
20 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
© AF-KL Cargo
for handling special products,” explains Francis
Isidoro, who is responsible for quality, safety, environ-
ment and regulations at AF-KL Cargo. “It will tell the
staff and sub-contractors how to build and handle a
pallet. For example, Air France and KLM used to
palletize luxury cars differently. However, KLM had
developed special tools and procedures for this
process and now the Air France stations have
adopted them as well.”
REAL ALIGNMENT
“Customers gain confidence in the AF-KL Cargo
product, because they know their cargo will be
handled in the same way wherever it is loaded or
cleared,” Mr. Isidoro continues. “For example, phar-
maceutical and perishable shipping customers can
see how we develop and operate our temperature-
controlled services to ensure their requirements for
maintaining the cool chain are met.”
 QUALITY OPEN WIDE
Cargo handling at Schiphol
will enter a new phase with
the addition of another
warehouse, scheduled to
open after 2012. The

BREEDS
13,000-m2 site will have
an unusual design for
handling cargo more
efficiently.
“We want to remove the
mechanization from cargo
handling,” says Mattijs ten
Brink. “We prefer to have
A key driver behind the merger of Air France Cargo and KLM Cargo was the
people build pallets, rather
desire to improve efficiency, flexibility and customer service in both organizations.
than machines, because
Achieving such a goal is never easy, but it is possible. While the operations
they can optimize them
at the two main hubs (Charles de Gaulle and Schiphol) are not integrated,
better and increase our
of course the best practices are shared and processes are being aligned.
payload. We will have good
BY MARCIA MACLEOD IT systems to guide the
process, but people will
make the final decision.
For that, they need to see
all of the cargo in the ware-
house and that means we
need a lot more room.”

In addition to more space,

the warehouse will have
more docking doors,
Internal process alignments have helped AF-KL Cargo Common training methods are also improving so that trucks can deliver
improve the quality of its services, and now an external service. At the two network hubs, staff are beginning cargo loose, eliminating
incentive is also at work: Cargo 2000, the industry-wide to train with the same manuals and methods and the double-handling
standard and certification system for creating quality in the will soon learn to handle cargo in the same way. penalty of breaking down
airfreight industry. In addition, the company is developing a common and re-building pallets.
“Teams at work with operational staff at both Air France e-training program for all of the outstations. It will also include new
Cargo and KLM Cargo come up with standards for meas- cool storage, an animal
uring quality under Cargo 2000,” explains Kester Meijer, “By investing in the standardized training and hotel, and separate areas
Director of Shipment & Payload Logistics at AF-KL Cargo. processes of Cargo 2000, the AF-KL Cargo staff for valuable cargo and
“Among other things, these standards may cover exception at both hubs can now actually discuss effective express mail. Meanwhile,
handling codes that identify mishandled or undelivered methods of improving quality and differentiating a new 6,000- m2 warehouse
freight. In the past, we analyzed those failures based on ourselves from competitors,” explains Mr. Meijer. will open in October at
anecdotal evidence. Now we are able to identify the specific The benefits of aligning the two networks go beyond Orly, the site of the first Air
issues we need to resolve in order to improve our service handling procedures, adds Mr. Ten Brink. “We now France Cargo warehouse
quality.” join forces to lobby governments, using our collective built in Paris. It is being
Cargo 2000 is adapting some of AF-KL Cargo’s coding work experience to influence rulings in the EU and US.” constructed along with
for other members to use, Mr. Meijer adds. “Cargo 2000 has Where Air France and KLM are concerned, two Aeroports de Paris, mainly
44 codes, but they were not organized sensibly. We grouped heads are definitely better than one. ■ to handle the French West
them into categories such as ground handling issues and Indies traffic that flies on
governmental issues, like security.” the Boeing 777s.

cargovision 21
 cargovision country files

SWEET PARADISE BY MICHAEL WESTLAKE

Air France-KLM operates in 45 unique markets. Here we look at three of the lesser known though
fascinating places somewhat off the beaten track – hugely popular as tourist spots with great natural
beauty and each with its own colorful history.

Tahiti

NEED TO KNOW
■ Government: Tahiti is the largest
island in French Polynesia.
■ Population: 260,000 people
on 120 islands.
■ Capital city and major finan-
cial center: Papeete.
■ Language: French (the official
language), Polynesian, some
Asian languages.
■ Economy: About 25%
comprises tourism, plus pearl
farming and deep-sea fishing.
■ Trade: Exporting mainly to
France (46%) and Japan (20%),
© Eric Nathan/Image Select
importing from France (53%)
and Singapore (15%).
■ Exports: Cultured pearls,
coconut products, mother-of- ■ TAHITI
pearl, vanilla and shark meat.
■ Imports: Fuels, foodstuffs, “I have come to an unalterable decision – to go and
machinery and equipment. live forever in Polynesia. Then I can end my days in
■ Currency: Comptoirs Francais peace and freedom, without thoughts of tomorrow
du Pacifique francs (XPF). US$1 and this eternal struggle against idiots.” So said
© Anton Dijkgraaf/Hollandse Hoogte
is 75.42 XPF. renowned French artist Paul Gauguin, probably
Tahiti’s most famous import. The largest of the South
TRAVELER TIPS Pacific’s Society Islands at the eastern end of the Iles
■ Take light, casual clothing for du Vent (Windward Islands) group, Tahiti is controlled facilities and offices are controlled by one private
the balmy temperature. by France. It is a major tourism center, though it also company, SETIL, a French acronym meaning Tahiti
■ Shopping hours are Monday has substantial coconut and related products export Society for Equipment and the Islands.
to Friday 7.30 a.m.-11.30 a.m. industries. All flights carry passengers and cargo, as Major local industries include tuna fishing, pearls and
and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m./6 p.m., there is not enough traffic to justify using freighters. pearl shells, vanilla beans and local handicrafts,
and on. Saturdays 7.30 a.m.- though few local products are produced in sufficient
11.30 a.m. Competition is very tough, with government-owned quantities to be exported.
■ Power: voltage is 220 (60 local company Air Tahiti Nui – for which the main
cycles), and most hotels have Faa’a airport near the capital, Papeete, is the major Export items for air cargo largely comprise general
110-volt outlets as well. hub – setting prices. Last year’s total throughput cargo, personal effects, live animals (pets), items such
■ Tipping is not customary; it is (imports and exports) was 13,750 tons of freight and as aircraft engines for overhaul and repair, valuables
contrary to the Tahitian spirit of 870 tons of mail, of which Air Tahiti Nui carried 10,736 such as pearls, fresh tuna fish, aquarium fish, house-
hospitality. There are no sales tons and 4,444 tons respectively. AF-KL Cargo took hold goods, military materiel, mail and a few local
taxes or hidden service charges. 964 tons and 335 tons respectively. products such as vanilla beans and some handicrafts.
■ Public transport is cheap and One private ground handling company, Air Tahiti Inter-
reliable bus services known as national, looks after all passengers and cargo, with Imports by air include perishable foodstuffs, pharma-
“Le Truck.” Taxis are expensive. software linked to French Customs authorities. Local ceuticals, consolidated packages and spare parts.

22 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08

© Hemis/Image Select
■ SAINT MARTIN
A small Caribbean island split between Dutch and
French administrations, Sint Maarten/Saint Martin
(depending on which part you’re visiting) is one of the
fascinating leftovers from historical exploration,
discovery and conquest that speckle the world’s
oceans. Christopher Columbus saw it and claimed it
for Spain, but never landed there. Spain took little
interest in it, and the Dutch occupied it from 1631 as
a way station between South and North America.
Spain booted the Dutch out in 1633, and was in turn
evicted by the Dutch in 1647 after a series of
assaults and sieges. The remaining Dutch and
French who had hidden on the island divided the
territory with official agreement, and their distinctive
cultural influences are apparent even today.
Fast forward to present times: the Dutch/French
cooperation continues and the tiny – 37 square miles
– spot in the Leeward Islands is an immensely
popular holiday destination. It is also a well-known
centre for yachts and luxury mega-yachts either
passing through to the rest of the Caribbean or
seeking a comfortable base.
There is virtually no manufacturing industry of any
kind, so just about everything has to be imported,
meaning opportunities for air cargo operators to
bring in foodstuffs and high value items to feed the
demands of the luxury hotel and shopping trades.
© Richard Cummins/Image Select
Beaches, dining, nightlife and shopping are the major
activities.
With a short runway at the international airport, loads
are limited on Boeing 747s, though for outbound
flights it doesn’t matter too much as there’s precious
little cargo to shift – personal belongings and the like,
of which AF-KL Cargo moved about 200 tons last
year. For arrivals, the beach by the airport is a
magnet for aircraft spotters because of spectacular
low approaches.
Two private ground-handling companies deal with all
freight via a cargo area at the airport, and there are
no customs formalities or duty payable.
Sint Maarten/Saint Martin
NEED TO KNOW
■ Government: the southern half
of the island is part of the
Netherlands Antilles, with repre-
sentatives in the main Antillean
government in Curacao.
The northern half is an overseas
French Collectivity.
■ Population: 77,000 (41,000 in
St Maarten, 36,000 in St Martin)
■ Capital city: Philipsburg for the
Dutch, Marigot for the French.
■ Language: French and Dutch
(both official languages), English,
French Patois, Spanish, Papia-
mento
■ Economy: Centers on tourism.
■ Imports: Food, luxury goods.
■ Currency: the Netherlands
Antilles Florin (N.A.F.). US$1
equals approximately 1.80 N.A.F.
On the French side, the euro is
used – US$1 is 0.631 euro.
TRAVELER TIPS
■ Princess Juliana is the main
airport and is on the Dutch
(south) side of the island, while
the French side’s Grand Case
Airport is for flights to and from
other Caribbean islands.
■ Dress code is mostly casual, in
line with tropical temperatures.
■ Banks in Sint Maarten are
generally open from 8:30 a.m. to
1 p.m. and then 4 p.m.-5 p.m.
from Monday to Thursday. In
Saint Martin they are open every
weekday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
■ Electrical power varies. The
Dutch side runs on 120 volts (60
cycles) and the French side runs
on 220 volts (50 cycles).
■ In Sint Maarten, hotels add a
15% service charge and 5%
government tax to the final bill.
In Saint Martin, the service
charge is 10%-15%, plus a
visitor’s tax on rooms that varies
up to 5%.
■ Local public transport is by
unscheduled minibuses. Most
visitors rent cars.
cargovision 23
cargovision country files
Jean Marie Tjibaon Cultural Centre, Noumea
■ NEW CALEDONIA
Outstanding natural beauty characterizes New
Caledonia, situated east of Australia in the Melane-
sian region of the southwestern Pacific. Tourism is
a major industry, though the mainstays of the
economy are nickel mining and refining plus major
financial support from France. The AF-KL Cargo
connection is via Osaka, Tokyo and Seoul to or
from flights operated by Air Calédonie International
(Aircalin), which runs two Airbus 330s, an 320 and
a Twin Otter. The Airbus fleet operates the major
international routes between Tontouta
International Airport, about 30 miles outside the
capital city, Nouméa, and Japan, Australia and
New Zealand. Domestic flights run from Magenta
Airport in Nouméa.
The airline moves about 5,000 tons of cargo a year,
about 70% of all New Caledonia’s airfreight. All
handling is done at the airport, about 35 minutes
from Noumea, the capital city. There is only one
handling company, Tontouta Air. Aircalin is the only
carrier to accept cargo downtown.
For customs clearance, everyone uses Sydonia
software, which does not allow pre-clearing. The
24 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
New Caledonia
NEED TO KNOW
■ Government: is an overseas
territory of France.
■ Population: 224,824 (July
2008 est.).
■ Capital city and major
financial centre: Noumea.
■ Languages: French (the
official language), 33 Polynesian
dialects
■ Economy: 25% of the world’s
nickel deposits. Tourism plus
financial support from France
make up the rest.
■ Exports: Nickel ore and
products, fish.
■ Imports: Food (about 20%
of total imports)
■ Currency: Comptoirs Francais
du Pacifique francs (XPF). US$1
is 75.42 XPF.
© Arcaid/Image Select TRAVELER TIPS
■ The warm season is from
September to March, with
average temperatures of 77-80
degrees F (25-27 degrees C),
with most rainfall in Jan-Mar.
■ Public bus services run on
various routes within Noumea
from morning to early evening.
There are also buses running
between towns. Car hire is
reasonably priced.
■ There is no tipping, though if
you round up a bill or leave
some change, it probably will
© Oxford Scientific/Hollandse Hoogte not be refused.
■ Electric power is 220 volts
(50 cycles).
dwell time for cargo is said to be acceptable, ■ If you go for a swim at a
though the airport Customs office closes at 3 p.m. beach, beware of yellow-
There is no clearance during weekends, except for banded sea snakes
agents that have received special dispensation. (Tricots Rayes).
■ Shops are open Monday-
Though New Caledonia is French territory, duties Friday 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. and
and taxes are applied for imports from Europe. 2 p.m.-6 p.m., and on Saturdays
This does not seem to be an obstacle to the devel- from 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m.
opment of the air cargo industry, which as might be Sources: CIA – The World Fact-
expected moves mostly exports of general cargo, book, local government Web
personal effects and seafood, while imports consist sites, Official and commercial
mostly of foodstuffs, electronics and luxury goods. Web sites.
Forwarders and shippers have been asking AF-KL Cargo to come up with a more stable and
predictable method of determining fuel surcharges.

BY MARK LYON

FUEL SURCHARGE
OVERHAUL
■ AF-KL Cargo introduced a new fuel surcharge mecha-
nism on September 1. Beginning on that date, the fuel
surcharge is based on the US-dollar price of jet fuel and the
duration of the flight. On September 1, the day we switched
to the new mechanism, everyone paid exactly the same
invoice amount as he paid under the old system.
We calculated all subsequent changes in the fuel surcharge
with the new mechanism, which corrects some basic
flaws found in previous methods.
Existing formulas calculate fuel surcharges based on the
price of oil in 1996. They do not include provisions for
moving exchange rates or distances flown. By definition,
a surcharge is an extraordinary item that should be propor-
tional to an extraordinary cost while an airfreight rate should
reflect market demand. Yet, we see surcharge calculations
that price oil at US$17/bbl when crude sells today for
US$120/bbl. Combined with escalating euro-dollar
exchange rates, this causes customers in Europe, for
example, to receive airfreight invoices containing 90% fuel
surcharges and 10% rates.
Forwarders and shippers have been asking us for some
time to come up with a more up-to-date method of deter-
mining surcharges, one that is more stable, predictable and
includes adjustments for flight distances and exchange
rates. After consulting fuel experts and customers, AF-KL
Cargo has created a new mechanism that incorporates
those requests.
hours flown. The mechanism has three zones that use a multiplication
factor of 1.0 for flights over 9h, 0.8 for flights of 4h to 9h and 0.5 for
flights under 4h.
The goal of balancing fuel surcharges for all markets, currencies and
flight distances, so that everyone paid the same invoice amount on
September 1 as paid on August 31, required a one-time adjustment to
some airfreight rates. In those instances, the correction left the total
invoice price unchanged but increased the airfreight rate and reduced
the fuel surcharge by the same amount. All subsequent changes in
the surcharge will proceed from the new adjusted value.
The new surcharge calculation is straightforward. If jet fuel increases
US$60 per ton, the surcharge goes up US$0.10. Multiply that
US$0.10 increase by the distance factor for the shipment to find the
surcharge adjustment per kilogram. If necessary, multiply that result by
the currency exchange rate to find the surcharge adjustment in local
currency. Add the adjustment to the existing surcharge to find the new
surcharge.
Introducing any new methodology asks for changes to current prac-
tices. We would like to thank our customers for their cooperation and
effort in making this work. AF-KL Cargo trusts that you will understand
and value the transparency of this new mechanism. We hope that it
may even bring a beneficial change to the airfreight industry. ■

Our new mechanism makes three changes that are

intended to stabilize the surcharge: it increases the baseline
price of jet fuel to US$550/t from US$177/t, providing an
ample cushion for future change. It introduces a new fuel
surcharge whenever the price of jet fuel changes by
US$0.10, rather than by US$0.05 as in the past. And it uses
an index that is now based on a moving average of the jet
fuel price during the previous month. These last two innova-
tions will minimize the effect of short-term price fluctuations.
The new mechanism also establishes a surcharge in US
dollars, the currency used to buy fuel, and converts it into
local currencies at prevailing exchange rates. Since aircraft
fuel consumption increases with distance and the duration
of a flight, we prorate the surcharge according to the block
© Bert Stephani/Image Select

cargovision 25
 Fleet planning is tricky, even without the additional complication of introducing a new aircraft,
like the Boeing 777 freighter. Add high fuel prices to the equation and you have constantly changing
imperatives for network planners.
BY TONY CARDING
ASSET
SHUFFLE
■ In October, the first Boeing 777 freighter is to
come off the line at Boeing’s plant in Everett to join
the AF-KL Cargo network. Although it will join
passenger versions of the Triple-Seven already in the
Air France fleet, smooth integration requires much
forethought.With a maximum takeoff weight of
766,000 lb (347,450 kg), the Boeing 777 freighter
offers a revenue payload capacity of 226,000 lb
(103 tons). According to Boeing, the aircraft will also
be capable of flying 4,885 nmi with a full payload
and general cargo market densities.
Arend de Jong:
“The 777 has an Arend de Jong, AF-KL Cargo Senior Vice President
enormous payload for Marketing & Network, says that while Air France
range and is also already operates 51 Boeing 777 passenger aircraft,
a very efficient planners must accommodate specifics unique to the
aircraft in terms freighter version, including weight and balance
of fuel” concerns. “Commercially, the aircraft is replacing the
747s. The 777 has an enormous payload range and
is also a very efficient aircraft in terms of fuel.
However, it has a bit less maximum payload than a
747, so we must involve network, marketing, sales
and almost every other discipline in our company to
see where it fits best.”
26 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
BALANCED EQUATION
One of the operational issues that network planners
must keep in mind is the different payload range and
fuel consumption for each type of aircraft, Mr. de
Jong adds. Different aircraft types are more suited
for certain ranges and flying times: “There are new
optimal ranges to be defined for different aircraft
types and that is an extremely interesting issue we
currently have on the table.”
Henjo Grisnigt, the AF-KL Cargo Director of Network
Planning for the AMS network, agrees that there
are some complexities with the new Boeing 777
freighter, but its greater fuel efficiency creates many
opportunities. “We can serve a portfolio of destina-
tions that will make a profitable route, whereas we
could not do that with our Boeing 747-200 freighter.
On the other hand, the new aircraft has a different
payload and shape, which adds complexity. We
need special pallets and building them is not the
same as building ones for the 747. It is simply
another issue we must consider as the launch
customer, and it will be one of the challenges.”
And nobody is overlooking the high price of fuel.
It may reduce belly capacity in some markets or
The Boeing company unveils the new 777 freighter
tempt planners to cancel freighter flights with small
or negative margins if the route is also covered by
passenger flights. They will certainly try to avoid filling
up at stations where fuel is expensive, for example
in West Africa and Central Asia.
As the Boeing 777 freighters replace Boeing 747-
200 freighters at Charles de Gaulle, they bring
greater efficiency. “Planners really begin to focus on
defendable markets, where they see competitors
already falling by the wayside,” Mr. Grisnigt says.
“We expect the high fuel prices to shake up the
industry. As we are No. 1 in terms of network and
service possibilities for the forwarder, we expect to
survive, even though the margins are under tremen-
dous pressure.”
UPSIDE POTENTIAL
Still, no freighter is universally suited to all routes,
says Bruno Duval, Vice President of the CDG
network for AF-KL Cargo and Vice President of Fleet
Planning & Scheduling for Air France. “Each type of
aircraft performs best according to three factors:
payload, range and fuel burn. Capacity costs
© Boeing
depend on the aircraft type, but also on the way it
is operated. A freighter fleet within a global carrier
can benefit from the commonality in maintenance,
engineering and crews when the airline operates
the same type of aircraft in a passenger version.”
“Managing a freighter fleet composed of several
sub-types limits an airline’s ability to perform well,”
Mr. Duval continues. “It represents additional costs
and increased risks for our customers’ service
quality. Therefore, we focus on one aircraft type
that best fits the network design.”
However, life is not perfect, Mr. Duval says. Phasing
in the Boeining 777 freighter will require a temporary
period of managing three sub-fleets, along with two
separate crews and two different pallet shapes.
“This is a necessary intermediate step, a bridge to
move to a new fleet, and it is really an interesting
challenge. We believe that the fuel savings and the
crew and maintenance synergies with the passenger
fleet will eventually mean that our fleet composition
gives us the best reactivity and flexibility to meet
our customers’ needs for the immediate and long-
range future.” ■
cargovision 27
 cargovision market monitor

WILL 2008 BE A YEAR OF NO

Major Scheduled Airlines - Global Freight Traffic Growth Fig.1.
Growth - Quarter vs Quarter previous Year ■ Although growth looked positive during the first quarter of 2008,
8% Average Growth of Last 3 Years = 3,5%
Growth - Month vs Month Previous Year
it worsened as summer neared. A slowdown in the US and Europe,
caused by the credit crisis and record fuel prices, also had an
6%
impact on the transportation market. Shipping lines decided to
reduce the speed of their ships and airlines saw demand growth
4% slacken. The profitability of the whole airline industry is under attack
by this unprecedented cost increase. Several airlines already
suspended operations and passenger airlines especially are
2%
reducing capacity.
Annual Growth

0%

-2%
Apr ‘05 Jul ‘05 Oct ‘05 Jan ‘06 Apr ‘06 Jul ‘06 Oct ‘06 Jan ‘07 Apr ‘07 Jul ‘07 Oct ‘07 Jan ‘08 Apr ‘08

IATA International: RPK, Total FTK and Freighter FTK growth

Fig.2.
20%
Total FTK growth ■ IATA published its new World Airline Statistics (WATS) with lots
Freighter FTK growth
RPK growth of useful information. Growth of FTK and RPK is plotted based on
15% the WATS information along with the growth of FTK by IATA
freighters. After a deep trough in 2001, all figures peaked in 2004,
10% but declined again sharply after 2004. The outlook for 2008 and
2009 is rather grim. It is remarkable that the growth rates of
5% passenger and freight traffic are so similar.

0%

-5%

-10%
9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
198 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200

IATA International - Index of RPK and FTK

1990 = 100
300 RPK
Fig.3.
FTK ■ Many forecasters claim that airfreight growth always exceeds
passenger growth. However, the IATA figures for international traffic
250
point to a different conclusion. The graph shows an indexed chart
of RPK and FTK traffic since 1990. Until 2006, there was no
200 difference in growth for both segments, but the past two years
show passenger traffic growing faster than freight traffic.
If the chart included non-IATA carriers, the difference would be
150
even greater. The largest growth in passenger traffic comes from
low-cost carriers whose figures would have increased the RPK
100 totals considerably.

50
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200

28 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
GROWTH? The amount of air cargo carried in passenger bellies compared to
freighters has grown over the past two years. Dick van den Berg,
our in-house analyst, looks at the trends and their causes.

BY DICK VAN DEN BERG

IATA - International FTK per Aircraft type Fig.4.

■ The growth of FTK carried in freighters has been somewhat
100% higher than in passenger carriers for most of the last 20 years.
90% This increased the share of cargo traffic carried by freighters.
80% Freighters In the past two years, however, the percentage for freighter traffic
70% has not increased. Two factors are responsible for this change:
60%
firstly, a large increase in the number of Airbus 330/340 and Boeing
777 deliveries has added considerable belly capacity. The cost of
50%
belly capacity is relatively low and more of it on the market gener-
40%
ates more traffic. And secondly, the rising cost of fuel is hindering
30%
Belly & Combi the growth of freighter fleets.
20%

10%

0%
9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
198 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200

IATA Wide-Body Fleet Fig.5.

Number of aircraft (including freighters) in operation ■ The mix of aircraft types is also evolving. The Boeing 747 always
4000 Others constituted the largest proportion of the world wide-body fleet.
A330/340
3500 A300/310
Then, last year, there were more Airbus 330/340s in operation than
B777 Boeing 747s. The number of Boeing 777s is also rising fast.
MD-11
3000
B767 Both of these aircraft types have more belly capacity than the
DC-10
2500 B747
Boeing 747, thus increasing the volume of capacity in the market.
The DC-10 is facing the end of a long life and, with fuel prices at
2000
record highs, airlines are retiring these old aircraft rapidly.
1500

1000

500

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 199 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200

IATA - Increase in Wide Body Jets 1997 - 2007

Top 15 airlines of increase Fig.6.
FedEx
■ The growth of wide-body aircraft is concentrated in a small
UPS number of IATA airlines. Over the past decade, 15 airlines were
Emirates Airlines responsible for adding 75% of the wide-body aircraft to the world
Cathay Pacific
fleet. The US integrators FedEx and UPS have added the most
Air France - KLM
aircraft. Many of them were passenger jets converted into
Lufthansa
freighters. The large European carriers, Air France-KLM and
Qatar Airways

Etihad Airways
Lufthansa, have expanded their fleets, as have six of the major
Saudi Arabian Asian carriers. The presence of four Gulf carriers in this group of 15
© Olé ontwerpers

Air China airlines is striking: the accounted for 40% of the wide-body aircraft
Singapore Airlines added by this group.
China Airlines

EVA Airways

American Airlines

Thai Airways

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Increase in number of WB Jets cargovision 29

 cargovision postscript

A NEW WRINKLE
■ Researchers have known for a decade that
dolphins go faster by wrinkling their skin to stop
water molecules from clinging to it, creating
turbulence that slows them down. More
recently, engineers at Texas A&M University
applied this knowledge to reduce skin friction
drag in a laboratory experiment by half. Using
electric fields to corrugate a skin’s surface at a
specific wavelength and amplitude, they were
able to calm the chaotic flow of the fluid moving
over it. Because the amount of deformation
required to calm the waves varies with the
velocity of the fluid, they have now set to work
creating a smart skin that uses active materials
to change shape and reduce drag during real-
istic flight conditions. Lower drag can reduce
aircraft fuel consumption along with its associ-
ated economic and environmental conse-
quences, increase flight range and endurance,
and achieve higher speeds.

YOU COULDA BEEN © A&J Visages/Image Select

A CONTENDA
■ The 46-year-old whistleblower Mark Oehm
received US$3.3 million for telling the US
government that his former employer, National
Air Cargo, a freight forwarder located in
Orchard Park, NY, did, among other misrepre-
sentations, routinely ship US Department of
Defense goods by truck, but billed them for
more expensive airfreight. Mr. Oehm, who
worked for National from 1996 to 2001, was
the key government witness in the over-billing
case, which resulted in a US$28 million
settlement in Buffalo’s federal court.
WORLD’S SMALLEST SHIPMENT
■ Other researchers in Spain, Austria and Switzerland have built a
nanoscale monorail that recently moved its first load: a gold nugget 250
nanometers wide that was carried for a distance of 500 nanometers.
Observers recorded the event through an atomic force microscope.
The so-called nano-freighter was heralded as a good first step towards
making nanotransport a reality. We wonder how long before someone
develops nanoscale logistics and bills customers for breaking down items
into their molecular parts, transporting them to another site, and reassem-
bling them into a whole. Beam me up, Scottie, but what’s the fare?

30 cargovision | SEPTEMBER 08
 cargovision information

cargovision
PARTNERS IN SINE
Cargovision is the management magazine of AF-KL Cargo.
■ Using X-rays to show objects inside a container
Its function is to disseminate information on transport,
is simple. Using them to identify the composition of distribution, logistics, information services, and general
materials inside is hard. Designers at Nuctech Co business developments. The editorial opinions expressed
Ltd., a company that was spun off from Beijing's in the magazine are not necessarily those of Air France KLM.
Tsinghua University to research and develop X-ray Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission
scanning technology, built the prototype of an is prohibited.
advanced scanner in December 2005. The
machine sent X-ray pulses of interlaced high and
low energy beams into a container.
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
Afterward, it combined the two scans with a
sophisticated fusing algorithm and showed images Cargovision is published quarterly by AF-KL Cargo
with excellent discrimination between organic and and mailed to subscribers in almost every country.
inorganic materials. Other algorithms enabled it to
show objects hidden behind heavy metals. Mean- Please visit www.cargovision.org
while, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and and click on the subscribe icon.
Industrial Research Organization began testing its You will be able to:
own scanner prototype at Brisbane Airport in 2006.
The CSIRO machine did not use X-rays. Instead, ■ Sign up for a free subscription
it collected scans of a gamma ray and neutron ■ Change your address
cargovision
beams to build its composite images. Not long after ■ Cancel your subscription
CSIRO completed the Brisbane trials in 2007, the ■ Review recent editions
company agreed with Nuctech to collaborate in
developing a new scanner that would incorporate
CSIRO's neutron technology and Nuctech's X-ray
systems. The two firms are now building the proto- HIGHER
type in Beijing. They expect the production designs EVOLUTIN
to integrate easily with existing airport systems and
keep freight moving rapidly. Scanning an airfreight
container should take less than a minute.
In August 2008, the scanner won the CSIRO
Medal for Research Achievement.

Published by AF-KL Cargo Communication, P.O. Box 7700, 1117 ZL Schiphol,

The Netherlands. Maaike Arwert, arwert@cargovision.org

Concept & Realization: vdBJ Communicatie Groep, Bloemendaal-NL

www.vdbj.nl, vdbj@cargovision.org
Editor in Chief: Mark W. Lyon, lyon@cargovision.org
Editorial Manager: Jurgen van Gessel, j.vangessel@vdbj.nl
Project Manager: Urtha Ririhatuela, u.ririhatuela@vdbj.nl
Art Direction: Sok Visueel Management, sok@euronet.nl
Editorial Office: Vijverweg 18, 2016 GX Bloemendaal-NL, T +31(0) 23 541 1701
Circulation: Pondres Direct Mail B.V., T +32 13 595 35 00
Printed on 90 grs. Galerie Silk, M-real. Promoting sustainable forest management -
for more info: www.pefc.org

AF-KL Cargo © September 2008 Volume 23 Number 34

MARK W. LYON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

cargovision 31