国际英语新闻：Air cargo transportation recovers from economic crisis

AMSTERDAM, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The air cargo transportation market has shown a strong recovery this year, but the future is still uncertain, top decision-makers in the international air cargo and logistics industry said at the 25th International Air Cargo Forum and Exposition (ACF) in Amsterdam.

"Our company itself is getting better of course. If you compare it with years ago, we are not yet there at all," Maurice van der Velde, sales manager of Air France-KLM, told Xinhua. "We have very good quarters at the beginning of this year, and now it's steady, hopefully the future will be positive again. But nobody is sure about that."

The air cargo transportation market is closely connected to the worldwide economic situation. As the economic crisis started in 2008, the air cargo transportation industry also suffered seriously. However, this year has witnessed a remarkable turnaround.

DUS Cargo Logistics (Airport Duesseldorf Cargo GmbH) registered a rise in cargo volume of approximately 45 percent this year compared with 2009. In this July, the cargo section of the Emirates Airline declared its tenth consecutive month of double-digit growth -- up 23.5 percent to just under 200,000 tons.

Many participants of the ACF considered Asia as the most important market for their business. Some other regions have also been a driver of growth with Europe lagging somewhat behind, except for Germany. The rapid change in Asian markets also accelerates the readjustment of air cargo transportation in general. Many transportation companies have been preparing for a swift reaction to the changing markets.

At the forum, participants also discussed several prospective developments for the aviation industry. The prospect of e-freight, air cargo screening and issues such as how air cargo could cooperate with ground handlers to further develop the market and improve customer services were at the center of discussion.

The ACF is one of the top international events for all segments of the air cargo industry. It gives the entire industry a chance to meet and discuss industry challenges and opportunities.