Every kind of cargo shipping faces challenges from time to time. Some of those challenges are specific to certain types of shipping, some are universal. Companies like Four Winds Saudi Arabia has faced a certain number of challenges during the pandemic. A lot of them are still existing. Read on to find out more about the ongoing air cargo issues.
Ongoing air cargo issues
Shipping your goods via air is the fastest way to get your cargo to the desired destination. But even like that, air cargo Jeddah, like other logistics companies, faces certain challenges, especially during times of uncertainty like these.
Capacity shortage
To contain the worldwide spread of Covid – 19, many countries had to establish border restrictions. Because of this, air freight to Saudi Arabia, alongside others, faced a lot of challenges. The number of carriers passing the borders got downsized drastically, leading to disruptions in the shipping chain worldwide. Improving the utilization of the aircraft fleet is mandatory. The use of passenger jets is critical in overcoming the current challenges. Normally, between 45-50% of cargo is transported in the belly holds of passenger airplanes. Because of the drop in passenger numbers, this number could increase to 62%. The strategy of using passenger planes as cargo transport vessels can only be a temporary solution.
Managing of available resources
The proper use of the resources is crucial in overcoming the current challenges. It is essential to maximize the use of:
- Equipment
- Staff (one of the ongoing air cargo issues are also a small number of available workers)
- Infrastructure
Because of the pandemic, long-term plans cannot be as accurate. For this reason, dynamic plans based on constantly updated data are the key when planning resource allocation. Efficient shipping to Saudi Arabia, for example, depends on the ability to quickly react to occurrences. Nowadays, technology makes all of this much easier. Elaborated algorithms make prioritization of tasks easy, which leads to optimized use of vehicles. You can easily identify exceptions via Graphical User Interface. These and many more tools leave only the risk and benefits decision to the user.
Rapidness
One of the biggest challenges for air cargo companies is keeping the coronavirus vaccines constantly refrigerated. Logistics companies mostly ship the vaccines via air transport. Cold chains are able to handle transport conditions between +2 to -8°C. The problem is that the vaccine doses can only last at -70°C. Companies need to adjust their strategies to overcome this issue. The use of temperature-controlled units can help but exhausting monitoring is still required. Using software can help even further. It would notify the driver about any changes in the temperature of the unit. This way, the cargo will be safe at all times.
Ongoing air cargo issues – conclusion
The ongoing air cargo issues have never been seen before. At least not in this amount. One thing that has always characterized this industry is its ability to overcome challenges and show resilience. With the right approach, air cargo companies will demonstrate once again that they will remain strong despite the difficulties.
