Latest X-ray tech speeds cargo assessments at LHR

Logistics firm Rhenus Group opened an airfreight gateway equipped with the latest cargo screening and handling equipment and technologies to service London Heathrow Airport . [caption id="attachment_57134964" align="alignright" width="300"] Rhenus Air Gateway at London Heathrow Airport (Photo/Rhenus Group)[/caption] Rhenus Gateway, opened at LHR earlier this month, brings handling, aviation screening, unit load device buildup and break operations in-house. “The new gateway enhances our global airfreight cargo proposition, ensuring we can handle all time-critical, sensitive shipments,” Martijn Stieva , head of airfreight for North-West Europe at Rhenus, said in a release. “We have invested in the latest X-ray and explosive trace detection cargo screening equipment to boost our offering, and also in specialized airfreight handling equipment to support unitized cargo.” Rhenus invested in a dual-view X-ray machine, according to Maria Hofer , regional marketing manager for North-West Europe at Rhenus. Dual-view screening provides an additional view of screened items from a different angle, enabling a faster and more accurate assessment. Dual-view systems use two X-ray generators as opposed to one used in single-view systems. Calculating carbon to be green Rhenus has implemented its own carbon-reduction program for airfreight at its site. Rhegreen is a calculation method based on available types of equipment, fuel consumption and distances to be covered. It calculates which aircraft is most efficient in terms of CO2 emissions per route. “We are focusing on efficiently consolidating cargo for our customers to maximize the load per consolidation and also offering Rhegreen, a service that identifies the most sustainable flight option, taking into account CO2 emission output, the aircraft type, the fuel efficiency and the route,” Hofer said. By making the greenest choice, a CO2 reduction of 10% to 40% per shipment can be achieved. An external party has validated the transparency and independence of the calculation method, according to Rhenus. For example, by choosing the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner for shipment of 1 tonne of cargo from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to S hanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), customers can save 1 ton of CO2 compared with the average CO2 emissions on that route, according to Rhenus. In-house ops to grow fivefold Rhenus opened its LHR site in 2022 with a storage and handling facility dedicated to life sciences and health care cargo. “The new gateway operation we have now launched at this facility brings in new in-house screening systems, plus consolidation capabilities, designed to expand on the services previously available from our Heathrow branch,” Hofer said. In the first month of operation, the facility processed 100 tonnes of cargo. “We anticipate volumes will grow significantly over the next 12 months to nearer [10,000 tonnes] in 2025, especially with growth in our industry solutions for fresh produce, pharmaceuticals and health care products, together with our work in full vehicle logistics,” Hofer said. Stieva added, “Our goal is to increase the volume of tonnage handled at the gateway fivefold.” LHR similarly expects the gateway to increase cargo capacity at the airport. “We are delighted to welcome the Rhenus Gateway to Heathrow, adding additional forwarder capacity to the airport,” James Golding , head of cargo at LHR, told Air Cargo Next . “As the U.K.’s hub airport, Heathrow handles more cargo by value than any other U.K. port and it is fantastic to see Rhenus choose Heathrow as its next U.K. base.” Dedicated department for perishables, pharma Rhenus also announced this month that it launched a dedicated Rhenus Fresh department to handle perishables in the U.K. “We are expecting growth in perishables and pharmaceuticals from 10% of the cargo now [at LHR], to around 40% to 50% of our airfreight tonnage by 2025,” Hofer said. Rhenus Fresh in the U.K. will work with a range of perishables, including flowers and food, with a focus on transporting fish. “With chilled and frozen storage, temperature-controlled handling and transportation, [customers] can be assured that we can deliver the consistency in temperatures required to maintain product integrity and quality at every point of the supply chain,” George Mead , U.K. head of Fresh at Rhenus, said in a release.

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