newstodate.aero
Apr 23, 2009 (newstodate): With the Swedish air cargo market down 25 percent so far into 2009, forwarders and logistics providers are fighting a tough battle.
-The Swedish airfreight export market is especially hard hit by the sustained crisis in the country's automotive industry where not only the big players like SAAB and Volvo but also range of providers and sub-suppliers are having great troubles, says Jorgen Ekwall, Geodis Wilson Sweden national airfreight manager.
-The import airfreight market is less affected, and right now we are seeing the annual peak in textile imports driven by Sweden's many fashion and clothing companies. Overall, however, we are seeing this market down also against 2008.
-The market is also seeing airfreight rates at a record-low level, and while this might be considered a short-term benefit for exporters this is a longer-term problem for everyone in the business, notably the airlines, and no-one knows if we will be able to keep the current ex-Sweden air cargo capacity under these circumstances.
-Especially the Far Eastern carriers have built up much capacity ex-Sweden, and with low rates this traffic might be in danger of shut-downs. We use a carrier like e.g. Singapore Airlines Cargo extensively and would be strongly affected by any changes in their freighter operations from Copenhagen Airport.
-Hopes are that we are now seeing the bottom of the cargo recession, and there are indeed indications that the situation is improving after the bleak months of January and February.
-As one positive sign, Geodis Wilson Sweden was ranked in CASS statistics for the first time as Sweden's No 1 export airfreight forwarder in January and March 2009, proving that we are at least outperforming competitors under the current adverse market conditions, says Mr Ekwall.
-The Swedish airfreight export market is especially hard hit by the sustained crisis in the country's automotive industry where not only the big players like SAAB and Volvo but also range of providers and sub-suppliers are having great troubles, says Jorgen Ekwall, Geodis Wilson Sweden national airfreight manager.
-The import airfreight market is less affected, and right now we are seeing the annual peak in textile imports driven by Sweden's many fashion and clothing companies. Overall, however, we are seeing this market down also against 2008.
-The market is also seeing airfreight rates at a record-low level, and while this might be considered a short-term benefit for exporters this is a longer-term problem for everyone in the business, notably the airlines, and no-one knows if we will be able to keep the current ex-Sweden air cargo capacity under these circumstances.
-Especially the Far Eastern carriers have built up much capacity ex-Sweden, and with low rates this traffic might be in danger of shut-downs. We use a carrier like e.g. Singapore Airlines Cargo extensively and would be strongly affected by any changes in their freighter operations from Copenhagen Airport.
-Hopes are that we are now seeing the bottom of the cargo recession, and there are indeed indications that the situation is improving after the bleak months of January and February.
-As one positive sign, Geodis Wilson Sweden was ranked in CASS statistics for the first time as Sweden's No 1 export airfreight forwarder in January and March 2009, proving that we are at least outperforming competitors under the current adverse market conditions, says Mr Ekwall.