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ECS Group names Hernandez as Americas COO

ECS Group has appointed Francisco Hernandez as its chief operating officer for the Americas. He is expected to work closely with Joao Ferreira, chief commercial officer - Americas to create what the GSSA group says will be "a more integrated Americas organisation capable of scaling while continuing to uphold close customer relationships and maintaining local market expertise". ECS Group is strengthening its regional management structure as it prepares for further expansion across the Americas. As COO, Hernandez's focus will be on "building and deepening ECS Group's airline partnerships, developing flexible, tailored solution models, and embedding digital capabilities for improved customer service". He will be responsible for regional coordination and operational execution of the Group's Americas strategy, and alongside Ferreira, work to establish a "streamlined Americas organisation that has the flexibility to grow and adapt, while maintaining the customer-centricity and market knowledge that the Group is known for". Hernandez has been with ECS Group for 16 years and has worked closely with commercial, customer service and operational teams in the US. He has built up extensive understanding of its operations, airline partners, teams, local market realities, and customer needs. Jean Ceccaldi, ECS Group's chief executive, commented: "Across the globe, our ECS Group mission is to transform the traditional GSA business model by leveraging the ideal combination of digital capabilities and human expertise to drive commercial resilience and growth. "Who better to lead operations in the Americas than someone who has been so actively involved in establishing its US airline portfolio and has in-depth comprehension of CargoTech's digital capabilities?" Hernandez remarked: "Getting the Americas to operate as one connected network will open up many opportunities and offer far greater customer value. "By sharing market intelligence, coordinating key accounts, and developing cross-border and interline flows, our local teams will be in a stronger position to serve customers and offer fast solutions across the US, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. "My first priority, therefore, is team connection and capability alignment to create a solid operating rhythm across the entire Americas. "Clear accountability, consistent performance management and faster escalation and decision-making will ensure and strengthen service quality for our airline partners." Plus, he added: "Digital transformation will also be a key enabler to consistently improving productivity, responsiveness, and decision-making across the region. "Customers should experience ECS Group as one connected Americas organisation - locally expert, operationally consistent, digitally enabled, and able to mobilise the strength of the wider Group."

Asia Pacific the star performer as airfreight rates take off

Surging jet fuel prices have added to the upward pressures that have seen global airfreight rates climb above the highs of the previous two peak seasons, as the industry enters its busiest period of the year. Figures from the latest TAC-compiled Baltic Air Freight Index and World ACD indicate that rates have been rising by between 4% and 4.7% over the past fortnight, up some 26% compared with the same period of 2025. Covering the period from 12-18 October, WorldACD noted chargeable weight and available capacity was up 2% week on week, with carriers having opted to expand freighter operations following two consecutive weeks of reductions. TAC said the index had already surpassed the highs recorded over the previous two peak seasons in the run-up to both Thanksgiving and Christmas, with jet fuel prices having a part to play after more than doubling year on year, up 113%, said IATA. The index noted that together with fuel increases, disruption thrown up by conflicts in Europe and the Middle East was creating a floor for airfreight rates, and that carrier s were not prepared to sink beneath that in a dash for volumes. On a market by market basis, there is one clear frontrunner - Asia-Pacific exports to the US up 10% week on week, with Europe-bound volumes climbing 13%, while Hong Kong-US and mainland China-US up 27% and 18%, respectively. Annually, the performance looks strong too, with Asia-Pacific volumes to the US 14% higher than a year ago, helping to drive rates on the trade up 41% year on year, and 6% week on week, according to WorldACD. Globally the situation looks fairly rosy too, with rates 30% higher than they were in 2025, but the indices also show that there is one region struggling for the same sort of momentum, as Asia-Europe rates could only muster a 1% week-on-week increase. That may not be too surprising, given that Asia Pacific-Europe volumes are dwindling some 16% lower than they were this time last year, despite the weekly recovery following China's Golden Week holiday. WorldACD put some of the weakness down to EU measures aimed at curbing low-value ecommerce imports, although the divergence also suggests that the current rate environment is not being driven by a uniform increase in global demand. But, with the general upturn coinciding with carriers and forwarders prepping for a traditional year-end peak, forwarders will need to determine whether increases are being driven by underlying demand, or tighter capacity on particular routes.

Car carrier orderbook surge raises oversupply fears

The orderbook for pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) has surged amid booming Chinese vehicle exports and elevated charter earnings, raising concerns that an expanding fleet could outpace demand as European restrictions on Chinese vehicle imports threaten to curb a key source of cargo growth. Greek brokerage Intermodal said last week that 82 PCTCs were contracted in the first nine months of 2026, compared with just nine vessels ordered throughout 2025 and a 10-year annual average of 35 vessels. The orderbook-to-fleet ratio has consequently risen to 26%, well above its historical average of 14%, pointing to a substantial expansion in carrying capacity over the coming years. CMA CGM boss Rudolphe Saade said in a recent interview with Lebanon's L'Orient-Le Jour that the French line targets to have 21 PCTCs in the coming years. Currently, its 3PL arm, CEVA Logistics, operates 11 PCTCs. Fuelling the surge in newbuilding orders is the growth in Chinese vehicle exports, which totalled 8.2m units in the first nine months of 2026, up 66% year-on-year. However, the immediate impact is likely to be limited, with 64% of the orderbook, measured by tonnage, scheduled for delivery from 2028 onwards. This backloaded delivery schedule should help defer much of the supply pressure. China's rapidly expanding automotive exports have kept charter rates elevated, with ships being fixed for $95,000 per day, near levels last seen in 2024. Subdued domestic demand and intense price competition have encouraged Chinese manufacturers to seek overseas markets. Domestic NEV sales contracted by 9.4% year on year, reinforcing the industry's reliance on exports to absorb production. The resulting increase in long-haul shipments, particularly from China to Europe and Latin America, has boosted car-mile demand, while limited backhaul cargoes and diversions around the Cape of Good Hope have lengthened voyages and tied up vessel capacity. Yet the demand outlook faces mounting risks from European trade policy. In October 2026, the EU and China reportedly reached a preliminary understanding on proposed restrictions covering Chinese-built conventional and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Under the proposed four-year arrangement, which could take effect in December subject to formal implementation, annual imports would initially be capped at 350,000 units, with the quota increasing by 6% annually. Battery-electric vehicles would remain subject to separate EU anti-subsidy duties. Intermodal said: "Against projected Chinese hybrid imports of around 800,000 units in 2026, these measures could significantly constrain shipment growth along the China-Europe corridor. The impact on car-mile demand will largely depend on manufacturers' ability to redirect exports to alternative markets." Meanwhile, Chinese automakers like BYD and SAIC Motor are expanding their own shipping fleets, potentially reducing their reliance on vessels chartered in the open market. This could further alter demand for third-party tonnage even if China's overall vehicle exports continue growing.