MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a global leader in transportation and logistics, has started developing a new MSC Air Cargo solution in response to “customer demand” and as a complementary service to its container shipping solutions.
Commenting on the new initiative, MSC Chief Executive Officer Soren Toft said: “This is our first step into this market and we plan to continue exploring various avenues to develop air cargo in a way that complements our core business of container shipping.”
The company indicated that MSC Air Cargo has been under development for “several months” and confirmed that the new solution would be available from early 2023, following the delivery of the first of four MSC-branded Boeing 777-200F aircraft that will be operated by Atlas Air, a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide.
Under the terms of the long-term ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) agreement, Atlas Air will operate all four of its new and incoming Boeing 777-200 freighters on a global basis for MSC, with the first delivery being taken in the fourth quarter of 2022. Atlas’ order of these four aircraft was announced in January 2022.
“We are pleased to welcome MSC as a new customer, and look forward to supporting MSC as it develops its airfreight business and further enhances its position as a global leader in transportation and logistics,” said John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “This new agreement will allow MSC to capitalise on the state-of-the-art service solutions provided by our aircraft and crews, as well as the unparalleled air cargo expertise brought by our Atlas team.”
Toft added: “Atlas Air’s fleet of 777 freighter aircraft is well-suited to support our entry into air cargo and this strategic initiative will ensure we meet the cargo requirements of our customers.”
Toft also welcomed Jannie Davel, formerly of Delta Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and DHL, to the company who will work to develop its air cargo business and to build the team that will implement it.
Davel was appointed Vice President Global RFQ Management of DHL in 2008, then promoted to Vice President Global Airfreight Product Development and Implementation in Germany and, subsequently, SVP Airfreight Americas & USA Head of Airfreight. In 2018 he joined Emirates SkyCargo as Vice President Cargo Commercial Operation Americas and most recently he has served as Managing Director Commercial Delta Cargo based in Atlanta, Georgia.