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After the booming ocean cargo season that turned a sprinkle of profit into a firehose, any slowdown will feel like the world is ending for ocean carriers. So to maintain their success, some of the biggest ocean carriers are announcing an air cargo arm to bolster their service offerings and offset the reduction in ocean freight profits. However, by moving towards air cargo services, they’re weighing an increased cost (air freight is significantly more expensive) against the speed and efficiency of using aircraft. 

One of the critical issues for carriers considering air freight services is cost. Nowhere is it more evident than in oversized, heavy freight that takes up significant percentages of air capacity. Carriers are looking less for heavy freight diversion and more at smaller and ultra-critical cargo that’s doing a disservice to the industry by sitting on the water for days. As e-commerce continues to boom, shippers are looking skyward for solutions.

Carriers are wondering why they shouldn’t be taking on that cargo as well to add to their bottom lines, lines that are suddenly of grave concern now that the pandemic crisis has started waning. The problems of the pandemic almost instantly showed the cracks in our supply chain and infrastructure as transportation faced every hurdle possible. 

MSC, CMA CGM, and Maersk are the first carriers to announce an air freight arm is in process as they reach out to airlines and carriers to bring them under a single umbrella of services. In a refreshing twist, logistics companies, professionals, and thought leaders now understand that increasing services and diversifying their businesses are the keys to meeting the post-pandemic moment. 

As carriers follow the Coppersmith model of listening to customers and providing them with custom-tailored solutions to all their cargo needs, we will continue to build our success in conjunction with our clients. After almost eight decades of experience, we have the foundation that shippers can depend on, coupled with a fresh, service-focused approach that balances efficiency with personalization. If you’d like to learn more about how Coppersmith can help you look into options for air freight or ocean cargo, contact us today. 

Bobby Shaida

Author Bobby Shaida

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