Welcome to MarineNet!

dbg

日本海事新聞ニュース Japan Maritime Daily Jun 24, 2024 (Mon)

The air cargo industry shifts to automated cargo handling after the COVID-19 crisis

Chronic shortage of personnel working at airports (photo: Kumamoto Airport)

　The aviation industry is seeing a rapid recovery in passenger demand following the end of the coron ・・・続きはログインして下さいnext %E3%80%80The+aviation+industry+is+seeing+a+rapid+recovery+in+passenger+demand+following+the+end+of+the+coronavirus+pandemic.+In+particular%2C+ground+handling%2C+which+involves+guiding+passengers+and+loading+baggage%2C+was+already+suffering+from+a+serious+labor+shortage%2C+and+with+the+sharp+decline+in+passenger+numbers+due+to+the+coronavirus+pandemic%2C+there+has+been+an+increase+in+employee+turnover%2C+so+manpower+is+not+keeping+up+with+the+V-shaped+recovery+in+demand.+There+is+also+a+chronic+shortage+of+cargo+workers%2C+but+in+the+future+Narita+Airport+will+consolidate+its+facilities+and+automate+most+of+the+loading+and+unloading+processes%2C+putting+an+end+to+its+inefficient+loading+and+unloading+system.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Passenger+demand+recovers+sharply+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Last+year%2C+there+were+frequent+reports+of+long+lines+forming+in+front+of+security+checkpoints+at+airports+in+Japan.+Since+the+coronavirus+pandemic+ended%2C+demand+for+domestic+travel+and+business+trips+has+returned+in+earnest%2C+and+border+control+measures+for+international+flights+have+been+relaxed+since+the+year+before+last%2C+resulting+in+a+significant+increase+in+the+number+of+foreign+visitors+to+Japan.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Meanwhile%2C+ground+staff+working+at+airports+have+been+leaving+in+large+numbers+due+to+the+coronavirus+pandemic.+Last+year+in+particular%2C+there+was+a+shortage+of+security+inspectors%2C+which+led+to+delays+in+pre-departure+baggage+inspections.+At+Narita+Airport%2C+some+ground+handling+companies+were+unable+to+meet+airline+requests+to+launch+and+increase+routes%2C+to+the+point+where+the+airport+company+had+to+step+in+and+adjust+the+situation.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80At+a+press+conference+at+the+end+of+May%2C+NARITA+INTERNATIONAL+AIRPORT+President+Akihiko+Tamura+said%2C+%E2%80%9CThanks+to+our+proactive+matching+efforts%2C+we+are+now+almost+fully+able+to+meet+demand.%E2%80%9C+In+September%2C+it+will+increase+the+security+service+fee+charged+to+passengers+and+accelerate+the+securing+of+security+inspectors+and+the+introduction+of+inspection+equipment.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+International+flights+to+see+90%25+recovery+rate+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Under+the+current+2024+summer+schedule+%28March+31+to+October+26%29%2C+the+number+of+international+passenger+flights+in+Japan+will+recover+to+93%25+of+the+same+period+in+2019.+Compared+to+the+2023+winter+the+preceded+it%2C+when+passenger+numbers+were+at+83%25%2C+flights+to+and+from+China+are+recovering+in+earnest.+Chinese+tourists%2C+who+were+the+main+source+of+visitors+before+the+coronavirus+pandemic%2C+are+expected+to+return+in+greater+numbers.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80According+to+the+Ministry+of+Land%2C+Infrastructure%2C+Transport+and+Tourism%2C+the+number+of+personnel+in+passenger+handling+positions+such+as+providing+passenger+information%2C+and+ramp+handling+positions+such+as+loading+baggage%2C+have+both+bottomed+out+last+year+and+are+showing+signs+of+recovery.+However%2C+while+the+number+of+people+at+the+ramp+exceeded+pre-coronavirus+levels+in+April%2C+the+number+of+passengers+was+only+around+90%25+of+the+pre-coronavirus+level.+The+number+of+security+inspectors+is+also+at+less+than+90%25+of+pre-coronavirus+levels.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Airlines+are+rapidly+reviving+hiring+that+had+been+put+on+hold+during+the+coronavirus+pandemic+in+an+effort+to+strengthen+passenger+handling.+Last+summer%2C+ground+handling+operators+came+together+to+form+the+Airport+Ground+Handling+Association.+It+is+working+to+strengthen+the+industry%E2%80%99s+competitiveness+in+recruitment%2C+reduce+employee+turnover%2C+and+save+labor+and+manpower.+The+government+is+also+encouraging+the+raising+of+service+fees+and+the+introduction+of+cutting-edge+technology%2C+but+the+number+of+foreign+visitors+to+Japan+in+2030+is+expected+to+be+60+million%2C+2.5+times+higher+than+last+year.+The+companies+are+strengthening+collaboration+across+company+boundaries+in+both+the+passenger+and+ramp+departments%2C+and+are+also+working+toward+automation.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+DX+to+improve+waiting+times+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80The+cargo+site+at+Narita+Airport+has+actually+seen+an+increase+in+work+during+the+coronavirus+pandemic.+From+2020+to+2022%2C+when+the+number+of+international+passenger+flights+plummeted+nationwide%2C+many+cargo+flights%2C+both+dedicated+freighters+and+passenger+planes%2C+were+operated+from+Narita+Airport+as+freighter+services%2C+and+combined+with+disruptions+to+maritime+transport%2C+cargo+from+all+over+the+country+flooded+into+Narita+Airport.+Narita+Airport%E2%80%99s+annual+cargo+capacity+has+been+estimated+at+2.4+million+tons%2C+but+the+actual+volume+in+FY+2021+was+over+2.6+million+tons.+Narita+Airport%E2%80%99s+share+of+the+nation%E2%80%99s+cargo+volume+has+jumped+from+the+typical+level+of+around+50%25+to+over+60%25.+Cargo+site+staff+were+forced+to+work+long+hours+for+over+two+years.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Due+to+the+sudden+increase+in+volume%2C+the+disadvantages+of+cramped+air+cargo+facilities+and+the+dispersion+of+facilities%2C+which+had+been+issues+even+before+coronavirus+pandemic%2C+have+become+clearly+apparent.+%E2%80%9CThe+waiting+line+of+trucks+extended+far+beyond+the+cargo+area+and+all+the+way+to+the+bus+stop+at+the+second+passenger+terminal%2C%E2%80%9C+said+a+truck+operator.+Even+now+that+normal+times+have+returned%2C+long+waiting+times+for+trucks+remain+an+issue%2C+especially+at+the+start+of+the+week%2C+and+urgent+measures+are+needed+from+the+perspective+of+the+%E2%80%9CLogistics+2024+Problem.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80Since+last+year%2C+Narita+Airport+has+implemented+a+reservation+system+for+trucks+bringing+in+export+cargo%2C+which+has+led+to+improvements+in+waiting+times+for+trucks+to+load+their+cargo.+A+similar+system+will+be+built+and+put+into+operation+for+imported+cargo+within+the+year.+Similar+initiatives+are+underway+at+Haneda+and+Kansai+Airports%2C+where+international+cargo+handling+is+recovering.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%96%A0+Changing+cargo+handling+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80NARITA+INTERNATIONAL+AIRPORT+will+this+month+finalize+a+plan+to+consolidate+the+airport%E2%80%99s+three+current+passenger+terminals+into+one+and+build+a+new+terminal+in+the+2030s.+Freight+areas%2C+where+the+coronavirus+pandemic+has+exposed+issues+of+narrowness+and+facility+dispersion%2C+will+also+be+consolidated+and+newly+established.+The+new+cargo+area+will+consolidate+or+bring+together+the+loading+and+unloading+functions+of+multiple+ground+handling+companies+and+forwarders%2C+and+will+introduce+automation+technology+to+start+with+establishing+a+system+that+will+be+able+to+efficiently+handle+2.8+million+tons+per+year.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%E2%80%9CI+don%E2%80%99t+think+that+10+years+from+now+there+will+be+as+many+people+wanting+to+work+in+the+cargo+field+at+Narita+Airport+as+there+are+now.%E2%80%9C+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80These+are+the+words+of+one+insider%2C+but+it+would+be+fair+to+say+that+this+is+the+consensus+of+almost+everyone+who+knows+Narita+Airport%E2%80%99s+cargo+area.+In+the+new+cargo+area%2C+manpower+was+left+to+carry+out+the+only+task+of+loading+cargo+onto+pallets+and+containers+%28ULDs%29.+It+seems+unlikely+that+any+technology+will+soon+be+found+that+can+perform+this+task+more+efficiently+than+humans.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80In+the+aviation+industry%2C+there+is+a+growing+momentum+to+identify+tasks+that+absolutely+require+human+labor+and+develop+human+resources%2C+as+well+as+to+boldly+introduce+automation+and+digital+technologies.+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%3D+End+%3Cbr%3E%E3%80%80%28This+series+was+written+by+the+Labor+Shortage+Issue+Reporting+Team%29+%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDisclaimer%3A+The+English+translations+provided+through+this+service+are+the+result+of+translations+made+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+or+automatically+and+mechanically+translated+by+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+using+an+automated+translation+system+provided+by+a+third+party+after+certain+processing+of+the+Japanese+content+licensed+by+the+third+party.+In+terms+of+the+English+translation%2C+The+Japan+Maritime+Daily+and+MarineNet+Co.%2C+Ltd.+make+no+warranty+or+burden+of+any+kind%2C+express+or+implied%2C+including+its+accuracy%2C+reliability%2C+validity+or+fitness+for+a+particular+purpose.+MarineNet+Users+should+fully+understand+that+this+service+uses+an+automated+translation+system+that+automatically+and+mechanically+recognizes+and+analyzes+information+and+produces+results.+The+users+should+understand+the+above+conditions+before+using+this+service.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%AC%E4%BA%8B%E9%A0%85%EF%BC%9A%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E4%BB%8B%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%82%8B%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%BD%9C%E6%88%90%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%80%81%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E8%A8%B1%E8%AB%BE%E3%82%92%E5%8F%97%E3%81%91%E3%81%9F%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%86%E3%83%B3%E3%83%84%E3%82%92%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%81%8C%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E3%81%AE%E5%87%A6%E7%90%86%E3%82%92%E8%A1%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E8%80%85%E3%81%8C%E6%8F%90%E4%BE%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%83%BB%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8A%E3%80%81%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%B5%B7%E4%BA%8B%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E3%80%81%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E5%BD%93%E8%A9%B2%E8%8B%B1%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E4%BF%A1%E9%A0%BC%E6%80%A7%E3%80%81%E5%A6%A5%E5%BD%93%E6%80%A7%E5%8F%8A%E3%81%B3%E7%89%B9%E5%AE%9A%E7%9B%AE%E7%9A%84%E3%81%B8%E3%81%AE%E9%81%A9%E5%90%88%E6%80%A7%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%81%E3%80%81%E6%98%8E%E7%A4%BA%E5%8F%88%E3%81%AF%E9%BB%99%E7%A4%BA%E3%81%AB%E3%82%82%E3%80%81%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8B%E4%BF%9D%E8%A8%BC%E3%82%82%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%80%82%E3%83%9E%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A6%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%83%BC%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%8C%E3%80%81%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%9A%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%A4%E6%A9%9F%E6%A2%B0%E7%9A%84%E3%81%AB%E6%83%85%E5%A0%B1%E3%82%92%E8%AA%8D%E8%AD%98%E3%83%BB%E5%88%86%E6%9E%90%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6%E7%B5%90%E6%9E%9C%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E5%8A%9B%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E8%87%AA%E5%8B%95%E7%BF%BB%E8%A8%B3%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%E3%82%92%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%A7%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%92%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E3%81%AB%E7%90%86%E8%A7%A3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E4%B8%8A%E3%81%A7%E3%80%81%E3%81%93%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%92%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99%E3%80%82%3Cbr%3E