Transport communications

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Archives for October 2025

New Chair Announced for Cargo Handling Industry Body

International Cargo Handling Association (ICHCA) has a new chair. Australian Scott McKay has been elected, effective 30 September.  

With members from the port, terminal, shipping and cargo handling community throughout the world, ICHCA remains committed to improve the safe working environment of all those handling cargo throughout the international maritime supply chain.

The appointment of McKay, a veteran with nearly forty years experience of supply chain management is seen as reinforcing that mission, particularly regarding the Association’s attempts to disseminate safety performance data and innovations to cargo handlers and the broader industry.  McKay commented, “I see that ICHCA has a fantastic opportunity to further develop gathering, analysing and sharing safety data and best practice to help improve safety decisions and cultural change along and across the cargo supply chain.”

McKay joined a state chapter of ICHCA Australia seven years ago.  He was appointed Chair and became a member of the international board in November 2023. Formerly a chartered accountant at KPMG and a principal at Aurecon a design and delivery global infrastructure consultancy, he has vast experience in the supply chain industry, including senior roles in Europe, Asia and Australia as CEO in warehousing and road transport, container rail and intermodal and bulk ports operations.

Currently, as founder and chief executive of Flywheel Advisory, he helps organizations and businesses using supply chain as a differentiator to drive profitability and service levels. He is also CEO of T Ports, a bulk grain handler that develops and operates bulk ports and transhipping operations for global grain traders in Australia. T Ports provides innovative solutions for bringing deep seaports closer to the grain grower.

McKay replaces John Beckett who steps down as Chair after 18 years of service, including eight as Chair. “I believe Scott is a highly appropriate professional to be taking on the role of ICHCA Chair. He inherits a membership which is growing rapidly and has diverse members of all sizes and nationalities that share a common goal to maintain, and where possible improve safety regimes for all operators in the industry.  I wish him and the ICHCA community every success in the future.”

About ICHCA International

Established in 1952, ICHCA International is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the safety, productivity and efficiency of cargo handling and movement worldwide. ICHCA’s privileged NGO status enables it to represent its members, and the cargo handling industry at large, in front of national and international agencies and regulatory bodies, while its Technical Panel provides best practice advice and develops publications on a wide range of practical cargo handling issues.


Operating through a series of national and regional chapters, including ICHCA Australia, ICHCA Japan and plus Correspondence and Working Groups, ICHCA provides a focal point for informing, educating, lobbying and networking to improve knowledge and best practice across the cargo handling chain.

www.ichca.com

“K” LINE Carried Out Emergency Response Exercise

On October 8th, 2025, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) carried out “the Emergency Response Exercise” as a part of training to optimally prepare for any major maritime accidents. The scenario of the exercise developed assuming that an LPG carrier owned by “K” LINE group collided with a tanker while navigating in Osaka Bay. It confirmed a series of emergency response process by setting crisis-management headquarters upon receiving an incident report, establishing communication channel with the ship management company and conducting a mock press conference at the end of the exercise. During the press conference, journalists asked many questions, creating a tense atmosphere to a real conference.

While growing interest in safety and environmental protection over the world, “K” LINE Group positions the safe operation of vessels as the top priority in fulfilling its social responsibility as a shipping company. Moving forward, it will continue to contribute to society by preparing for unforeseen circumstances through large-scale accident response drills and by ensuring daily safe operations of its vessels.

GEODIS Celebrates 500th Dedicated Freighter Flight from Asia to Mexico

GEODIS, a leading global logistics provider, today announced a significant milestone for its dedicated freighter network, celebrating the 500th successful flight on its route from Asia to Guadalajara, Mexico. Through a long-term partnership with Atlas Air, the leading global provider of outsourced aviation logistics solutions, GEODIS has established a service with proven safety, consistency and reliability. This achievement highlights the service’s success in providing secured capacity, reduced lead times and end-to-end reliability, solidifying it as a foundational element of GEODIS’ regional strategy and a critical component of its customers’ supply chains.

Credit @ GEODIS Mexico
Caption L to R:  First Row: Ivonne Mendoza (Country Business Development Manager); Miguel Muñoz (Managing Director); Carmen Pomar (Customer Retention & Operations Manager); Juan Carlos Anzelmetti (National Sales & Marketing Director)

Launched in 2019, the dedicated freighter service was designed to provide a consistent and secured cargo solution from Asia to Mexico. The service operates two weekly flights, one each from Shanghai and Hong Kong, China, directly to Guadalajara. Demonstrating the resilience of this route, and the commitment to its clients,  GEODIS has maintained the service through the unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic as well as the recent geopolitical disruptions to worldwide supply chains.

“Reaching 500 flights is an incredible achievement and proves our unwavering commitment to our customers in Mexico and the Latin American region,” said Miguel Muñoz, Managing Director at GEODIS in Mexico. “This milestone is a clear signal that GEODIS Mexico has strengthened its position in the local market, and it would not have been possible without the great collaboration between our teams in Mexico and Asia as well as our corporate headquarters in Paris and our regional headquarters in the U.S. We look forward to building on this momentum and are committed to reaching the 1,000-flight mark, continuing to serve as a growth partner for our customers.”

A Seamless End-to-End Solution:

The dedicated freighter service offers an integrated, end-to-end solution for customers. This 500-flight milestone reinforces Mexico’s position as a strategic gateway for GEODIS, strengthening logistics links between Asia and South America. This reflects GEODIS’ Air Freight vision to deliver innovative, flexible and high-quality solutions that connect global markets and support customers’ growth. While flights from Shanghai and Hong Kong land in Guadalajara, the service is complemented by a robust intra-Mexico ground network, providing daily scheduled deliveries to major cities including Mexico City and Monterrey. For added flexibility, shipments can either clear customs directly in Guadalajara or be moved bonded to their final destination before clearing. This seamless air-to-ground connectivity ensures the speed and reliability of the flights are maintained throughout the supply chain.

The 500th flight was celebrated with a ceremony at the Guadalajara airport upon the flight’s arrival, which included a ribbon cutting with GEODIS leaders and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.

To learn more, visit www.geodis.com.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. The Group operates a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 50,000 employees. In 2024, GEODIS generated €11.3 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group. 

GEODIS Strengthens its Ambitions in the Aerospace and Defense Sectors

In response to the rapid changes taking place in the international environment and growing logistics needs in the aerospace and defense sectors, GEODIS is accelerating its development in these strategic markets. The Group remains firmly committed to becoming the partner of choice for industrial and institutional players in the sector. To support this ambition, Brigadier General Arnaud Weixler (Ret.) will head GEODIS’s operations in the aerospace and defense sectors.

In a rapidly changing geopolitical and international environment, GEODIS is developing its aerospace and defense business. The Group is seeking to establish a long-term presence in these sectors and become a key player, notably by supporting the growing needs of France’s Defense Industrial and Technological Base (BITD). The modernization of military equipment and the accelerated renewal of army hardware are driving rapid growth in the aerospace and defense markets.

Resulting from the substantial growth in defense and security budgets, increasingly complex and strategic logistics presents challenges that GEODIS is well positioned to address. GEODIS already supports numerous aerospace and defense leaders, providing them with its full range of expertise. With its strong local and international presence, the Group meets a wide range of demanding requirements, including Aircraft on Ground (AOG) logistics requiring the rapid delivery of essential parts and services, oversized special transportation, high value-added warehousing and secure supply chain management.

One of GEODIS’s principal references is KNDS, for which it inaugurated a state-of-the-art automated logistics facility in Montbeugny, central France, in 2023, illustrating the Group’s ability to support the leading players in the sector with innovative and high-performance solutions.

With the aim of achieving these ambitions, the aerospace and defense sectors will now be directed by Brigadier General Arnaud Weixler, whose international expertise and in-depth knowledge of the challenges faced by the sector will be valuable assets for GEODIS. He attended the 121st session of the NATO Defense College and has held senior positions within NATO and the French Army. He has also planned and led numerous logistics operations at home and abroad, working closely with industry as well as relevant private and public entities.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. The Group operates a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 50,000 employees. In 2024, GEODIS generated €11.3 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.