Reactions continue to come in from participants in the much-anticipated CNS initiative U.S. Air Cargo Industry Affairs (USACIA) Summit scheduled for October 4-5 at Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C.
      The associations involved in USACIA have collaborated to unite senior U.S. government officials that have important roles in the movement of air cargo, including representatives from Capitol Hill and regulators.
      Supporting and active in this effort are Airforwarders Association (AFA), Airlines for America (A4A), Cargo Airline Association (CAA), Express Association of America (EAA), Express Delivery & Logistics Association (XLA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), National Customs Broker and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), and The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA).
      According to Lionel van der Walt, Cargo Network Services President and the individual responsible for spearheading this out-of-the-box initiative, “the time has come today to do something different.”
      “The air cargo industry is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history, which is being driven by factors such as weak global trade, overcapacity, currency fluctuations, the impact of unexpected external shocks such as terror attacks leading to additional costly systems and procedures, and the list goes on,” Lionel said.
      “Furthermore, competition is fierce and modal shift is a real threat. Ocean Freight rates are at all-time lows and the sector is embracing new technologies that provide it access to products that were traditionally moved by air, such as pharmaceuticals and perishables.
      “It is critical that the industry comes together, sooner rather than later, to address these concerns head on.
      “Furthermore, we are concerned that there is a fundamental lack of air cargo knowledge at the senior level in some government departments.
      “These key government officials need to hear our concerns and interact with our industry leaders to ensure that they understand the challenges we face.
      “We also need to make sure they understand the implications of their decisions on our industry and understand the value that air cargo adds to the U.S. economy and its citizens,” Lionel declared.

The Express Track In Washington

      Jim Conway, Executive Director of Express Delivery and Logistics Association (XLA), says he not only plans an appearance; he is also ready to roll up his sleeves to help drive air cargo reform into action.
      “Our association is focused on advocacy, particularly towards a thoughtful reform of air cargo compliance regulations.
      “Our goal is to support movement on existing compliance requirements towards more efficiency, particularly in terms of instituting technological improvements.
      “Make no mistake about it, air cargo security is the number one priority of our membership—it must be for any company or trade association in this dangerous world.
      “But it is imperative that industry and governmental authorities work closely and productively to optimize the opportunities of global express air cargo commerce while ensuring that this critical supply chain mode is as safe as possible.
      “These two overall goals are by no means mutually exclusive and a close industry/regulatory productive partnership can only bring positive results.”

Why USACIA?

      “The XLA is participating in the Washington Air Industry Affairs Summit because our membership values the opportunity to share perspectives on various aspects of our industry.
      “That value will be present not only from the stellar lineup of industry and governmental officials who will speak, but also from the chance to interact with attendees.
      “Often these types of informal discussions among cargo leaders are the most enlightening take away from such an event.”

Education Is Key

      “Equally important is the education aspect of the summit.
      “The air cargo industry is always evolving. However, at this particular time the speed of change—in technologies, markets, and global opportunities—has grown exponentially.
      “No one wants to be left behind.
      “The summit will provide an excellent opportunity for attendees to discover and explore cutting edge developments from every corner of the air cargo and logistics supply chain. And that is true value!”

USACIA Takeaway

      “The Express Delivery and Logistics Association (XLA) is proud to be a supporting organization of the Washington US Air Cargo Industry Affairs Summit in October.
      “We are excited about the opportunities the event will offer.
      “The summit will provide across-the-board perspectives of the entire air cargo supply chain.
      “Our membership, representing the expedited, high-value shipment global market, congratulates Cargo Network Services (CSN) on taking the initiative to bring all sectors of our industry together.
      “We anticipate a high value experience in hearing from both industry and governmental officials who shape the global cargo landscape.
      “Additionally, the summit offers a unique opportunity for discussion on the state of our industry, which is changing exponentially in terms of global markets, logistics, technologies, and regulatory compliance systems.
      “The XLA is eagerly anticipating the summit and looks forward to interacting with our colleagues in Washington at the summit,” Jim Conway said.

The Lionel Train

      New President of CNS Lionel van der Walt, the lightning rod for this expansive initiative, also had this to say:
      “I think it is critically important that we develop programs to attract the next generation of leaders to our industry. This is why we are working with educational institutions to develop awareness of our industry amongst their students.
      “The focus is on both high school and college students. Furthermore, we are busy developing a new framework for the CNS Scholarship Fund and plan to launch an industry internship program in 2017 where CNS facilitates the connection between industry opportunities and suitable high school and college students.
      “With this in mind, we will also be targeting educational institutions and will invite some of their brightest students to attend the Washington event so that they can experience first-hand what an important role air cargo plays in their lives and the broader U.S. and global economies.”
Geoffrey/Sabiha