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Brussels Airport and Hyderabad International Airport have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in air cargo development and explore opportunities to enhance connectivity between Belgium and India. The partnership will focus particularly on pharmaceutical and life sciences shipments, knowledge sharing and the development of stronger trade links.
Under the agreement, the two airports will work together to identify opportunities for stronger air connectivity and develop cargo links between Brussels and Hyderabad. The collaboration will examine market demand, freight flows, route viability, cargo operating practices and stakeholder engagement, with the objective of developing concrete business cases for potential future services. Airlines, freight forwarders and other logistics stakeholders are also expected to be engaged as the initiative progresses.
Brussels Airport will contribute its expertise in pharmaceutical logistics, while Hyderabad’s expanding life sciences ecosystem offers significant potential for joint development. Brussels Airport became the first airport globally to achieve CEIV Pharma certification in 2014 and currently provides 45,000 square metres of temperature-controlled storage capacity, the largest concentration of dedicated airport pharma storage facilities in Europe.
Arnaud Feist, CEO Brussels Airport, said, “With this MoU, we are taking an important step to bring the ecosystems of Brussels Airport and Hyderabad International Airport closer together. By strengthening cargo flows between our regions, we can support trade and economic growth. As Europe's preferred pharma and life sciences hub, Brussels Airport has built a strong ecosystem and extensive expertise in pharmaceutical logistics.
Combined with Hyderabad's leading life sciences ecosystem, this creates valuable opportunities for future cooperation and knowledge exchange."
Kadhir Kadhiravan, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, said, “Hyderabad’s growing economic base and strategic location position it strongly to serve as a gateway for India’s international trade. Our collaboration with Brussels Airport strengthens our ability to connect Hyderabad with the wider European cargo ecosystem and supports our ambition to build a more globally integrated cargo network.
By bringing together market expertise, industry partnerships and complementary strengths, we can create new opportunities for businesses in Hyderabad and across the region while strengthening the airport’s role in India’s international trade corridors.”
India is the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines, accounting for around 20% of global supply by volume, while Hyderabad is a major life sciences hub spanning pharmaceuticals, vaccines and research and development.
The MoU was signed with support from Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), highlighting strengthening economic ties between Belgium and India. Importantly, there is currently no direct air connection between the two cities. The partnership will therefore explore ways to improve connectivity and support greater cargo flows between the two markets.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
SATS has introduced an integrated transport service using Autonomous Cargo Vehicles (ACVs) at the Changi Airfreight Centre in Singapore, marking a step towards more automated, responsive and sustainable cargo operations at the airport. The service enables autonomous transportation of cargo between SATS Airfreight Terminals and freight forwarders’ warehouses within the Free Trade Zone. Designed for freight forwarders and cargo agents, the service is currently being validated under live operating conditions as SATS progresses towards full deployment. The ACVs deployed in the pilot can carry up to 800 kilogrammes of cargo and automate routine point-to-point movements between SATS terminals and freight forwarders’ warehouses. The solution is designed to scale with demand. SATS said higher-capacity ACVs capable of carrying up to 1,500 kilogrammes could be deployed in the future, while the model also has the potential to support round-the-clock operations. By enabling on-demand cargo transfers, the service reduces freight forwarders’ reliance on conventional truck and driver schedules, helping accelerate cargo collection and delivery and allowing consignees to receive shipments sooner. Henry Low, CEO, SATS SG Hub, said, “Autonomous transportation allows us to rethink how cargo moves through the airport ecosystem, shifting routine movements towards an on-demand, scalable model. By integrating it into our operations, we can unlock capacity, strengthen resilience and augment the capabilities of our people, while delivering greater speed and reliability for our customers. This is how we are building a more intelligent and responsive Singapore air cargo hub for the future.” SATS has worked closely with Changi Airport Group to deploy and validate the ACVs within the airport’s autonomous vehicle operational and safety framework. This collaboration allows the technology to be tested and progressively integrated into live cargo operations while meeting the safety and operational requirements of the Changi air cargo ecosystem. The fully electric ACVs also support SATS’ efforts to transition towards more sustainable cargo transportation within the airport environment. The initiative forms part of SATS Singapore Hub’s Hub Handler of the Future programme, announced in October 2025, which brings together people, technology and new operating models to increase capacity, improve visibility and strengthen operational resilience. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for stronger, coordinated action across the air cargo supply chain to tackle the growing risks associated with undeclared and mis-declared dangerous goods (DG), stressing that security screening alone cannot provide a complete solution. The call follows discussions among regulators on whether existing aviation security screening processes could serve as a primary defence against dangerous goods entering the air cargo system. IATA said screening remains an important layer of protection, but its primary purpose is to identify security threats such as explosives and weapons rather than the broad range of hazardous materials covered by dangerous goods regulations. According to IATA, around 80% of dangerous goods incidents reported to the association during the first half of 2025 involved undeclared or hidden dangerous goods. Lithium batteries, along with concealed e-cigarettes, aerosols and other hazardous commodities, were among the products frequently identified. IATA Global Head of Cargo Brendan Sullivan said the risk arises when dangerous goods enter the supply chain without being declared or are incorrectly declared. He emphasised that responsibility for identifying and preventing such incidents must extend across the entire cargo ecosystem, beginning as far upstream as possible. IATA's latest white paper, Safety and Security in the Cargo Supply Chain, highlights limitations in relying primarily on existing screening systems. Technologies, certification standards, algorithms and training programmes used for cargo screening have largely been developed around aviation security threats and may not be designed to identify every category of dangerous goods. Certain shipments may also present practical challenges for screening because of their size, density, shape or other characteristics. Instead, IATA is advocating a layered, risk-based and supply-chain-wide approach focused on prevention and early detection. The association has called on governments to strengthen regulatory oversight and enforcement, while manufacturers and online marketplaces should improve product identification, certification and information accuracy. Shippers, freight forwarders and postal operators are encouraged to strengthen training, acceptance procedures and the use of customer and shipment data to identify higher-risk cargo before it reaches airports. Airlines and ground handlers should reinforce checks before loading, while airports should improve coordination and information sharing among cargo stakeholders. IATA's position reinforces the need for dangerous goods safety to be treated as a shared supply chain responsibility rather than a challenge addressed only at the airport. With e-commerce, lithium-battery-powered products and increasingly complex cargo flows reshaping air freight, the association believes prevention and information-sharing upstream must complement security screening to strengthen overall cargo safety and resilience. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
Lufthansa has resumed its Frankfurt-Riyadh passenger service, restoring additional belly-hold cargo capacity between Germany and Saudi Arabia amid strong demand for air freight. The airline restarted the route on September 10, 2026, with three weekly Airbus A340 services, with available cargo capacity reportedly fully utilised from the first day. The renewed connection provides shippers with additional capacity between Frankfurt, one of Europe’s major air cargo gateways, and Riyadh, supporting the movement of time-sensitive and high-value shipments between Europe and Saudi Arabia. Lufthansa Cargo has highlighted the strong initial response from customers following the restoration of the service. The resumption forms part of the Lufthansa Group’s gradual restoration of services to the Middle East following a comprehensive safety and security assessment. The group said it continues to monitor the regional security situation and remains in close contact with relevant authorities. For the air cargo sector, the return of the Frankfurt–Riyadh service is particularly relevant because passenger aircraft belly capacity remains an important component of Lufthansa Cargo’s network. Lufthansa Cargo’s global offering combines dedicated Boeing 777F and Airbus A321F freighters with cargo capacity on passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa and its partners. The strong cargo uptake on the resumed Riyadh service also highlights continued demand for reliable air freight connectivity to Saudi Arabia. The development comes as the Kingdom continues to strengthen its position as a major commercial and logistics market, while Riyadh expands its role as an important gateway for international trade. The restored connection is expected to provide exporters, importers and logistics providers with greater network flexibility, while strengthening links between the European and Saudi markets. For Lufthansa Cargo, the early utilisation levels underline the importance of restored belly capacity in meeting customer requirements across key Middle Eastern trade lanes. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 CARGOCONNECT 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
