USA Freight Forwarding Services
Air & Sea Freight Between USA And The UK

Japan Airlines and Nippon Express launch Asia-North America routes

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Nippon Express have launched a transport partnership covering intra-Asia and North America-Asia routes to meet growing demand for movement of AI and semiconductor-related goods. The service operates on a round-trip circuit originating in Los Angeles and routing via Tokyo's Narita, Taiwan's Taipei (Taoyuan), Singapore and Narita before returning to Los Angeles. This service utilises a Boeing 747 freighter, with a maximum payload of approximately 100 tons, secured by JAL through cooperation with its partners. The first flight of the service departed Los Angeles on 3 October. There will be one flight per week for the remainder of the year. Japan Airlines and Nippon Express noted that demand for AI- and semiconductor-related cargo is currently very strong, particularly between Tokyo, Taipei and Singapore, yet few airlines operate large freighters within Asia, leaving shippers with limited options. Leveraging the unique capabilities of the 747F, the service accommodates transport demand for oversized and heavy cargo such as server racks and data centre-related equipment, as well as high-value-added cargo, which is increasing alongside the spread of generative AI and expanding investment in digital infrastructure, the companies added. The cargo transported on the route can also be loaded and unloaded at each port of call on the circuit route for demand flexibility. Both companies plan to continue to pursue further network expansion going forward. Yuichiro Kito, executive officer, senior vice president - cargo and mail at Japan Airlines, said: "This new partnership further strengthens the long-standing relationship between JAL and the NX Group. "In addition to our passenger flights and our own freighter network, this partnership with NX will bring large freighter service to the US west coast for the first time. "We will expand our air cargo network in rapidly growing markets and deliver JAL Cargo's high-quality cargo handling services to even more customers." Satoshi Otsuji, senior managing executive officer, president of global business headquarters at Nippon Express Holdings, said: "Through this partnership, the NX Group will strengthen its ability to provide more stable and flexible transport solutions in response to increasingly sophisticated and diverse air transport needs. "Building on our many years of cooperation with JAL, we will further expand our international air cargo network utilising large freighter aircraft, contributing to the stability of our customers' supply chains and to their business growth."

Canada pivot to Europe opens air cargo opportunities, exposing capacity gaps

Canada's efforts to reduce its reliance on the US are opening new opportunities for transatlantic air cargo, but forwarders warn that limited capacity and seasonal reductions in passenger flights could complicate the shift. Edmonton International Airport said its EU-bound cargo increased in 2025 while exports to the US fell, and expects record European flows this year. Alex Lowe, director, ecommerce, cargo, and aviation real estate, explained: "So far the data trend suggests 2026 will be a record year for air cargo from YEG to the EU." The airport also expects record EU imports this year, with turbine parts, medical diagnostic equipment, and specialised machinery among its leading inbound commodities. Mr Lowe said trade diversification could encourage greater use of airfreight as Canadian businesses developed relationships with more distant markets. "From an air cargo perspective, we welcome this trend as it encourages trade with markets that may lean towards increased air cargo, given the geographic distances." However, turning that opportunity into sustained business will require sufficient capacity. "Both our passenger and cargo data does show that the YEG market is underserved to/from the EU, so we are working with existing airline partners and potential new entrants to develop increased transatlantic air services, and/or increased capacity," he said. "The ability to offer consistent two-way cargo volumes is a strong contributor to our business case." Steffen Manz, CEO of Speed Global Logistics, said the challenge extended beyond Edmonton. "Capacity remains a significant bottleneck, particularly for Western Canada, meaning a substantial portion of western cargo must still route through eastern gateways or US hubs." He said West Canadian shippers depended on seasonal passenger belly capacity and domestic feeder networks connecting with eastern gateways. But diversification is already generating new airfreight business, according to Mr Manz, who cited an Ontario-based automotive and electronics manufacturer that had previously sent component sub-assemblies by truck to a customer in the US Midwest. Following the introduction of tariffs, he said, the Canadian supplier became uncompetitive on that lane and activated a backup supply agreement with a German automotive systems integrator. "Because the new supply chain had to be stood up immediately, to prevent factory downtime, the initial months of volume shifted entirely from domestic trucking to expedited transatlantic airfreight to Frankfurt and Liège, generating entirely new lane demand for the air cargo network." Official figures support the broader change in trading patterns, although they also underline the importance of distinguishing trade value from freight volumes. Statistics Canada reports that merchandise exports to non-US countries rose 17.2% in value in 2025, while exports to the US fell 5.8%. Total merchandise trade with non-US countries increased 14.3%. Gold was an important contributor: exports of unwrought gold, silver, and platinum-group metals and their alloys - predominantly gold - rose 41.7% in value amid rising prices. Excluding that category, total Canadian merchandise exports fell 3%. Transport Canada's 2025 annual report also identified weaker cross-border trucking and rail activity alongside increased overseas shipments and air cargo. It noted 8% more air cargo with Europe, mainly gold and aircraft. The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) said businesses were exploring alternatives to US suppliers, reflecting changing consumer preferences as well as tariffs. It said some additional freight was moving between Canada and Europe, but warned that the transition into winter airline schedules would reduce available widebody services. However, Canada's Cargojet has added capacity, launching a Wednesday 767 freighter service on 23 September, between Hamilton, Halifax, and Liège, returning to Hamilton. The service complements its weekend operation and connects with its Canadian overnight network. CIFFA suggested the additional flight could absorb some of the capacity lost as passenger airlines reduce their European services. CIFFA also cautioned that Edmonton's growth could partly reflect the additional European airline services over the summer, rather than solely a change in shippers' trading relationships. The economics of diversification remain challenging. CIFFA highlighted the difficulty of moving bulky or heavy goods by air, while higher fuel costs could make alternative routings prohibitively expensive. Airfreight was better suited to higher-value finished goods, it added. Mr Manz, nevertheless, believes the change will endure. He said: "Evidence points to this being a sustained, structural shift rather than a temporary trend." Export Development Canada's 2026 Trade Confidence Index found 31% of Canadian exporters planned to enter Europe in the next two years. EDC is also expanding its European presence with new representations in France and Sweden, and another planned for Poland in 2027. Meanwhile, Edmonton sees pharmaceuticals as a further source of potential demand. Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation is developing a Critical Medicines Production Centre in the region, with capacity to produce 70 million doses annually. The airport said operations were expected to begin later this year or in early 2027. "Air cargo is a critical contributor to revenue on our passenger flights to the EU as belly cargo," it said. "Our team is always working to find and grow the cargo contributions for our airline partners." The airport is also developing its International Cargo Hub, which it said was budgeted at more than C$350m (US$245m). Work includes expanded freighter aprons, a fuel hydrant system, additional perishables and pharmaceutical handling facilities, and infrastructure to serve a 2,000-acre cargo and logistics park. "These investments align perfectly with the Canadian government's objectives to diversify Canada's trade profile internationally and open up global markets for western Canadian businesses."

WiseTech air cargo push challenges independent booking platforms

In a move that could be a blow to air cargo booking platforms, WiseTech Global expects more forwarders to book airfreight directly within CargoWise, as it expands its airline connections and opens the platform to general sales and service agents. ATC Aviation Services, part of World Freight Company (WFC), has become the first GSSA to connect to CargoWise AirlineConnect, allowing users to search, compare, and book services from its represented airlines in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The connection brings capacity, schedules, and dynamic pricing into the same system forwarders use to manage shipments, with booking confirmations, amendments, cancellations, and status updates feeding into their workflow. Stuart Hayman, head of carrier integration and transformation at WiseTech Global, told The Loadstar the company expected more customers to book directly in CargoWise as its network expanded. "When booking happens inside the execution workflow, data is captured once and carried through the full shipment lifecycle," he said. "That clearly benefits accuracy, speed, and cost, so yes, we expect more forwarders to take advantage of these efficiencies." According to WiseTech, AirlineConnect now provides digital booking access to airlines accounting for 75% of the air waybills its customers execute, up 15 percentage points from a year ago. The figure measures the connected airlines' share of customers' air waybills, rather than the proportion of shipments actually booked through AirlineConnect. GSSA connections could broaden that reach by bringing several represented carriers onto the platform through a single integration. "Many of the airlines that GSSAs represent don't run their own ebooking channels in every market," said Mr Hayman. WFC markets capacity for more than 300 airlines across over 3,500 tradelanes, although the initial ATC connection covers only its airline portfolio in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. WiseTech expects coverage to expand through WFC's network over the coming months, and through other GSSA connections. Access to AirlineConnect is included in the CargoWise Value Pack. WiseTech did not specify whether airlines or GSSAs pay connection or transaction fees. However, Freightos founder and former CEO Zvi Schreiber argued that independent booking platforms retained advantages over a service tied to a particular transport management system. "Freightos Platform has two things a TMS can't easily copy. It's neutral, so an airline connected to it reaches forwarders whatever system they run," he told The Loadstar. "And through Freightos's shipper marketplace, the Freightos platform connects end-to-end, carriers to forwarders to shippers." Dr Schreiber, who is campaigning for Freightos to prioritise platform growth, said maintaining that network advantage required continued investment. "When a well-funded incumbent moves into your market, that's the moment to accelerate, not to take a sabbatical from growth." WiseTech's airfreight ambitions also extend beyond booking. Its July collaboration with Lufthansa Cargo and IBS Software enabled shipment records to be exchanged using IATA's ONE Record standard. Mr Hayman said the projects addressed different parts of the same workflow: AirlineConnect enables forwarders to find and secure capacity; while ONE Record supports shipment data exchange throughout the shipment lifecycle. "We will expand the bookable network through more direct airline and GSSA connections, deepen post-booking messaging and status visibility, and support standards such as ONE Record as airlines adopt them," he said. For forwarders, connectivity can be an important factor in choosing their operating system. New Hamburg-based forwarder Cherry's Logistics selected CargoWise after considering alternatives, with co-founder Marc-Henrik Schmitz identifying "the API connection possibilities" as one reason for its decision. Co-founder Sandra Bufe said its scalability and potential to save time and manpower were also attractions. But Cherry's intends to build its own data and knowledge environment, connecting its TMS and other systems while preserving flexibility over suppliers. "We want to stay flexible in making our own choices," said Mr Schmitz. Mr Hayman acknowledged that forwarders would continue using multiple booking channels as the market moved away from manual processes. "Our job is to make CargoWise the most complete and convenient option, which is why expanding the network through GSSAs like ATC is so important."