Mexico City - The International Air Transit Association (IATA) concluded its first World Cargo Symposium this week in Mexico. The success of the event took everyone, including the planners by surprise as more than 750 delegates representing nearly all the world's airlines from all parts of the globe were in attendance.

There were multiple forums ranging from Cargo Terminal & Security to Cargo Technology & e-Freight Improvement. There was a separate Perishable Goods Forum which I attended that focused mainly on the challenges of transport of fresh-cut flowers, and produce and fish. And, oh yes, pharmaceuticals. 

First, some surprising general statistics. Giovanni Bisignani, Director General and CEO of IATA, opened the session with a state-of-the-union address in which he mentioned that although air cargo is responsible for the transport of 46% of the value of all goods in global commerce, it represents only about 12% of all airline revenue, which last year had its best performance since 9-11-01 and still lost $500 Million. 

Miami is the gateway for 86% of all flowers coming into the US including 12 cargo planeloads daily from Colombia and Ecuador alone. Additionally, 66% of all imported fish and 60% of all imported fruits and salad produce entering the US, comes through Miami.

These items on the opposite end of the perishables spectrum have more issues than Britney Spears compared to the logistics challenges of pharmaceutical freight. Details in the next posting.