MSC builds team for new air cargo airline

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is building up its newly announced air cargo airline with a robust leadership team.

This includes the appointment of Jannie Davel as senior vice president.

Davel, formerly of Delta Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and DHL will develop its air cargo business and to build the team that will implement it.

MSC chief executive Soren Toft said: “We are delighted to announce the development of MSC Air Cargo and to welcome Jannie Davel to spearhead this exciting new offering for MSC clients.

“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.”

Switzerland-headquartered shipping giant MSC confirmed last month that Atlas Air will operate four new Boeing 777-200 freighters on a global ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) basis for MSC Air Cargo.

Atlas’ order of these four aircraft was announced in January 2022. The first B777F will be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year to MSC Air Cargo.

MSC is not the only shipping company to widen its supply chain offering in recent years.

Maersk Line launched its air cargo business in April and CMA CGM Air Cargo began operating in March 2021.

A recent IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS) conference session concluded that integrated logistics can play a key role in adding value and efficiency for shippers but airfreight and oceanfreight will remain “distinctly different.