Kuehne+Nagel enters long-term deal with Amazon

Kuehne+Nagel has entered into a long-term agreement with Amazon to build on their existing relationship. The forwarder said that the new agreement is designed to support future business opportunities and further strengthen customer services for Amazon and its affiliates. It includes Amazon Web Services (AWS), encompassing the infrastructure lifecycle from construction and equipment deployment to ongoing maintenance, upgrades and expansion projects. "By building on its relationship with Amazon and AWS, Kuehne+Nagel will strengthen supply chain resilience, scalability and operational efficiency, supporting the continued growth of cloud infrastructure globally," the company said. Stefan Paul, chief executive of Kuehne+Nagel International, explained: "We are excited to enter this long-term collaboration with Amazon, with a shared focus on scale, innovation and customer value. "Kuehne+Nagel's global network, digital capabilities and supply chain expertise are well positioned to support Amazon's evolving business needs, enabling us to accelerate future growth opportunities and create lasting value for our customers. "We are setting the foundation for a new level of customer service commitment at a global scale for Amazon." The partnership is also supported by a call option on existing Kuehne+Nagel shares that settles in cash or, at Amazon's election, in shares, with vesting based on commercial milestones and services over a period of up to seven years. Kuehne+Nagel has arranged for a third-party financial institution to engage in hedging transactions in to support the arrangement.

Chinese air cargo e-commerce volumes under pressure in August

The amount of e-commerce being flown out of China declined in August as the impact of the European Union's (EU) decision to add a charge for low-value packages continued to take its toll on the market. Figures from consultant Aevean show that in August, Chinese air cargo e-commerce exports declined in weight terms by 16% year on year. The decline was driven by a 40% fall in air cargo e-commerce volumes from China to Europe following the EU's decision to introduce a €3 charge for packages worth less than €150 at the start of July. Figures from Aevean show that following the start of the charge, e-commerce volumes from China to the EU declined by 29% year on year in July. E-commerce exports from China to other regions also came under pressure. For instance, volumes to Asia Pacific were down 8% and there were also declines registered to the Middle East and South Asia region and Latin America. Volumes to North America were more or less flat, while to Africa there was a 71% year-on-year increase as the e-commerce platforms refocused their marketing efforts. The year-on-year decline registered in August follows a slowdown in the pace of growth for e-commerce shipments originating in China as countries have clamped down on the duty-free import of low-value packages. The US famously scrapped its de minimis exemption for e-commerce packages in May 2025 while Brazil removed its exemption in August 2024. Since then, e-commerce volumes from China to both the US and Brazil have recovered.

Ethiopian Cargo places its capacity on the CargoAi portal

Ethiopian Airlines Cargo has placed its capacity with online booking portal CargoAi as part of efforts to enhance its digital services and expand its customer base. The new partnership means Ethiopian will be able to offer e-booking of its flights with real-time rate visibility to the freight forwarder users of CargoAi's CargoMART portal. Its capacity will also appear on those transport management systems that have connected to the CargoAi system. "Through this integration, more than 30,000 freight forwarders across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia gain seamless access to Ethiopian Cargo's general cargo and express services," CargoAi said in a press release. The integration will also allow Ethiopian Cargo to leverage CargoAi's interline capabilities for services on partner airline flights. "Digitalisation is a key pillar of Ethiopian Cargo's long-term strategy," said managing director of Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, Dereje Derero. "Partnering with CargoAi allows us to bring our services closer to freight forwarders worldwide by offering a modern, seamless booking experience. "This step reinforces our commitment to innovation and to delivering agile, data-driven solutions that meet the evolving needs of the global air cargo industry." CargoAi chief executive Matthieu Petot added: "Ethiopian Cargo is a global leader in air cargo operations, and this partnership reflects a shared ambition to drive digital excellence." The move is the second digital development at the airline this year. In March, Ethiopian Cargo announced that it would join WebCargo by Freightos, the digital booking and payment platform.