Launch of space vehicle with parts delivered by Volga-Dnepr 
Early yesterday (15 December 2014), the Russian telecommunications satellite Yamal-401, launched from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan, separated from the Breeze-M booster and reached its designated orbit. The upper stage Breeze-M unit of the Proton-M space vehicle had... more
China Southern serving Auckland earlier
China Southern has commenced its Boeing B777-300ER (photo) operations between its hub Guanghzou and Auckland (New Zealand) earlier than foreseen. Previously scheduled to start on 1 January 2015, the airline began B777 flights today (16 December 2014), until 29 March... more
Swiss gives up Basel, Finnair its MD-11 freighters
Finnair Cargo is terminating its freighter flights from Helsinki to New York, Hanoi and Hong Kong before the end of this month. Commenting on the last flights to Hong Kong on 21 December 2014, vice-president global sales Mikko Turtiainen said, "this has been one of the... more
Road link upgrade in India gets green light
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 350 million loan to upgrade district roads in Madhya Pradesh state (India) in a project which will tackle an important link in road improvements. The scheme foresees upgrading about 1,600 km of the state's major district roads... more
Bigger bellies between Guangzhou and Osaka
Starting today (15 December 2014), China Southern is switching its operational aircraft on the route between Guangzhou and Osaka Kansai (Japan). The Skyteam Cargo member, which so far operated an A321 on this daily service, plans to use a B787-8, thereby providing a notable... more
Shipping confidence drops to two-year low
Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry fell during the three months to November 2014 to their lowest level for two years, according to the latest shipping confidence survey from international accountant and shipping adviser Moore Stephens. In November 2014, the... more
ABC delivers B737 components
Airbridge Cargo Airlines, Russia's largest scheduled cargo airline and member of the Volga-Dnepr group, recently flew a horizontal stabilizer for a Boeing B737 from Shanghai (China) to Chicago IL (USA), from where it was trucked to the Boeing aircraft factory in Seattle WA... more
Packaging producer acquires overseas partner
Storopack, a German specialist for protective packaging, took over the Japanese firm EJ Co Ltd (Ebina/Kanagawa-Ken) with retroactive effect from 15 October 2014. EJ Co had been Storopack’s long-standing trade partner in Japan for many years and managed the sales of the German... more
Qatar Airways adds freighter routes but turns down A350
Just few days after taking over its fourth A330F (see ITJ Daily of 28 November), Qatar Airways started operations to three new freighter destinations - Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana) and Guangzhou (China). The cargo services to Lagos and Accra began on 6 December. The twice... more
K Line carrying "green" gas safely over seven seas
The Japanese carrier K Line has signed a long-term time charter contract for a new 164,700 cbm Moss type (independent spherical tank) LNG carrier with Chubu Electric Power Co Inc (Chubu Electric). K Line said it had also inked a separate shipbuilding contract with... more