Switzerland-headquartered Kuehne+Nagel and Singapore-based gateway services provider SATS, parent company of globally active handler Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), have agreed a new deal to strengthen what they describe as their ‘strategic partnership’ that dates to a 2023 memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The aim is to further strengthen their air logistics offerings.
At the heart of the new agreement are a new expedited delivery service for time-critical aircraft parts launched in Singapore; the expansion of multimodal Sea-Air solutions, also in Singapore as well as in Los Angeles; and a pilot project introduced at Frankfurt Airport to improve warehousing and trucking efficiency there.
Regarding the first of these, SATS and Sterling, a Kuehne+Nagel company, have launched a new time-critical service option at Singapore Changi Airport to address aircraft-on-ground (AOG) emergencies – critical situations where aircraft are grounded due to technical or mechanical issues.
The new solution is designed to reduce delivery times and offer improved real-time shipment visibility.
The two companies have also launched a Sea-Air logistics option for cargo moving through Los Angeles and Singapore, a method which offers reduced cargo transit times, costs and carbon emissions by streamlining shipment handling directly from port to airside facilities.
Finally, WFS and Kuehne+Nagel have launched a new service at Frankfurt Airport to accelerate import cargo clearances. The initiative aims to optimise operational capacity and reduce delays by streamlining cargo pick-up and delivery by truck.
Further joint projects are planned at Frankfurt Airport, Kuehne+Nagel confirmed.
Yngve Ruud, executive vice president air logistics at the logistics services provider, observed: “Our partnership with SATS proved vital during the Red Sea crisis, supporting our Sea-Air solutions to mitigate disruptions to our customers’ supply chains.”
Francois Mirallie, deputy chief executive gateway services global at SATS, added: “This expanded collaboration with Kuehne+Nagel underscores our shared commitment to building smarter, more resilient global supply chains.
“By combining SATS’s deep expertise in air cargo handling with Kuehne+Nagel’s global logistics network, we are accelerating innovation across critical touch points.
“Together, we are delivering agile, customer-centric solutions that meet the evolving needs of our ecosystem partners.”
The companies also confirmed that they are committed to expanding their collaboration to include solutions for the healthcare and aerospace sectors.
Co-operation with Natilus
In other Kuehne+Nagel news, at the end of May the supply chain services giant announced a strategic partnership with Natilus, a manufacturer of blended-wing-body aircraft.
They will collaborate on studying the environmental, economic and operational impact of integrating Natilus’s hyper-efficient blended-wing-body aircraft into commercial air logistics operations.
Leveraging its knowledge of the air logistics industry, Kuehne+Nagel will collaborate with Natilus to explore the operational feasibility of implementing its aircraft within the industry, focusing on route modelling, environmental impact assessment, operational cost analysis and engagement with the aviation industry.
And in mid-May Kuehne+Nagel confirmed that it had launched a sustainability programme that aims to further develop its sustainability partnerships with airlines.
As part of the programme, the forwarder has signed individual MoU agreements with 14 airlines to advance sustainability initiatives and innovations.
”This first-of-its-kind collaboration in the air logistics industry aims to reduce the environmental impact of airfreight transportation for customers,” it said.
