Page 4 - The STAT Trade Times September 2022 Issue

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ULDs FOR FUTURE

LIGHTER & SMARTER

ULDs are an incredible tool for efficiency. They help the aviation industry to consolidate cargo in an
otherwise impossible way. However, the air cargo industry has treated this asset for a long time without
due care and respect. And it is exacerbated by the lack of workforce coming back after the pandemic. With
the shortages of ULDs getting eased, it is also time for the air cargo to welcome new types of ULDs.

Libin Chacko Kurian

nit Load Devices (ULDs) like geographies. The ULD stock shortage has "pseudo-demand," as the “loading equip-
pallets or containers, used by always been an industry issue due to the ment was available, but just wasn't where it
the aviation industry to load lug- trade imbalance between the east and the was needed.”
Ugage, freight, and mail is a $357 west, the exponential growth of e-com- “Due to the increased demand during
million market and is anticipated to grow merce which is mostly only one way, trade the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for
at a rate of more than 4.7 percent CAGR to wars and seasonal passenger traffic and air cargo ULDs was also high. As a result
reach $495 million over the forecast period then it further deteriorated by the Covid-19 of the disrupted flight schedules, the dis-
2022-2026, according to a July 2022 report pandemic and the war. tribution of ULDs in the airlines' networks
by MarketWatch. was more inefficient than before the
However, particularly since the Covid-19 Shortages, imbalances and pandemic,” he said.
pandemic, the industry was getting a lot logistics of ULDs The shortage of ULDs has highlighted the
of attention due to the shortages and Andreas Seitz, managing director of importance of efficient and forward-looking
how they affected the flow of cargo across DoKaSch Temperature Solutions, called it a

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