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Fraport moves to allay Frankfurt jet fuel shortage concerns

Airport operator Fraport is not expecting to face any jet fuel shortages at Frankfurt, despite press reports suggesting the airport faces a supply disruption. In a statement, the airport operator confirmed to Air Cargo News that work is being carried out on a pipeline but said this is not expected to cause any issues. "Currently, routine maintenance is being carried out on a fuel pipeline that also supplies Frankfurt Airport with jet fuel," Fraport explained. "This scheduled maintenance has been taken into account in our operational planning. We therefore do not expect any disruption to fuel supplies, with alternative supply routes and ample fuel storage capacity available. "The airport's operational capability is not affected by this maintenance." A report from Germany's Bild newspaper suggests that Lufthansa has told its crews on certain routes to take on extra fuel at other airports so they are less reliant on fuel at Frankfurt. This is mainly affecting short- and medium-haul routes, although longer flights are also affected. The report suggested that, as well as the maintenance work being carried out on the pipeline, low water levels on the Rhine were affecting jet fuel supplies moved by ships. Meanwhile, the Bild said that Lufthansa said cargo would not be offloaded so that aircraft can carry more fuel.

Rhenus opens Dubai Humanitarian hub office

Rhenus has opened an emergency aid and relief logistics office within the Dubai Humanitarian hub to manage air, ocean and road freight aid operations. The office was inaugurated on 14 October and follows the launch of Rhenus' humanitarian logistics offering in the UAE earlier this year. Dubai Humanitarian describes itself as the only non-profit, independent, humanitarian free zone authority. It hosts a community of around 80 members comprised of UN organisations, non-profits and non-governmental organisations, in addition to commercial companies. Since the start of this year, Rhenus has established activities within Dubai Humanitarian, developed regional and cross-border transport solutions, secured its Dubai Humanitarian free zone license and expanded its network of humanitarian partners. From Dubai Humanitarian, the Rhenus aid & relief team will manage air, ocean and road freight for essential relief supplies, including medical products, pharmaceuticals, food aid, shelter materials and emergency response equipment. "Dubai Humanitarian brings together many of the organisations that play a vital role in humanitarian response. Being part of this community allows us to work more closely with our partners and better support their logistics requirements when and where they are needed," said Hassan Alzeer, managing director, Rhenus Middle East. Giuseppe Saba, chief executive and board member of Dubai Humanitarian, added: "In humanitarian preparedness and response, proximity is more than a logistical advantage as it can be an operational necessity. "Rhenus Logistics' presence within Dubai Humanitarian reinforces the value of our ecosystem where humanitarian actors and logistics partners work side by side, strengthening coordination, efficiency and the capacity to respond when it matters most." Sayid Kunhipurayil, logistics development manager, aid & relief, Rhenus Middle East, further stated: "Humanitarian shipments often move under intense time pressure and through complex operating environments. "Our role is to bring structure, reliability and practical logistics expertise to those moments, helping organisations plan the right route, secure capacity and move essential supplies as efficiently as possible."

Pharma traffic on the rise for LATAM Cargo, but global market stays 'flat'

LATAM Cargo has reported a 150% increase in pharmaceutical air cargo shipments between Europe and Brazil in the first seven months of the year, driven largely by rising demand for GLP-1-based medications. The growth, on the same period in 2025, comes after the carrier transported nearly 32,000 tonnes of cargo between the two markets, an increase of 27% year on year. GLP-1 medicines, used in treatments for type 2 diabetes, accounted for approximately 15% of LATAM Cargo's total Europe-Brazil volume during the period. Jorge Carretero, cargo sales manager Europe at LATAM Airlines Group, said: "The growth in pharmaceutical transport demonstrates how demand for specialised logistics solutions is gaining prominence between Europe and Brazil. Our priority is to support this evolution through a safe, efficient operation equipped for the specific requirements of each cargo type. "At the same time, the 27% growth in volume reinforces the importance of connectivity between both markets and our network's capacity to serve diverse economic sectors." However, the increase on the Europe-Brazil corridor contrasts with a more subdued picture across the wider pharmaceutical air freight market. Maarten Wormer, head of consulting at Aevean, told The Loadstar, at Aviation Connect in Athens this month, that pharma air freight volumes had been broadly flat in the first part of the year, with some changes in trade flows rather than widespread growth. He noted that some GLP-1 shipments originating in Denmark were being moved away from air freight, potentially reflecting greater competition and the availability of alternative transport modes as supplies expanded beyond their initial markets. "It's not just coming from Denmark anymore, so it can now go via ocean, because the first waves of the goods have gone out," he explained, and added that there could be multiple reasons for the modal shift. Growth in pharmaceutical logistics was increasingly concentrated in high-value products, including cell and gene therapies, requiring more intensive monitoring throughout transport, he said. For LATAM Cargo, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Italy were the leading European origins for pharmaceutical shipments to Brazil between January and July, followed by the Netherlands and France. Services included belly capacity on routes such as Lisbon-São Paulo and Madrid-São Paulo, as well as freighter connections from Frankfurt and Brussels to Viracopos. The carrier said its pharmaceutical handling measures included temperature monitoring, climate-controlled rooms, cargo segregation, thermal blankets, and reduced ramp exposure. Active temperature-controlled containers can be connected to power, with batteries and temperatures monitored periodically. The importance of qualified routes was also highlighted during an industry panel discussion at the EU CBEC Cross Border Ecommerce Forum in Liege last month. Julia Celetaria, a global pharma director and healthcare specialist, cautioned that adding a route did not automatically create a suitable alternative for pharmaceutical cargo. "Is it an alternative? No, it's not for pharma," she said, emphasising the need for qualified airports and routes, trained personnel, and appropriate standard operating procedures. Meanwhile, DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its Health Logistics Cold Chain Network with six dedicated air corridors linking Europe and North America with markets in Asia. The new connections include routes from Liège and Brussels to Shanghai, Brussels to Singapore, and Cincinnati to Singapore, Tokyo Narita, and Seoul Incheon. It said the expansion reflected continued investment in dedicated healthcare logistics capacity.