The International Air Transport Association called for strong partnerships to promote air cargo competitiveness through e-commerce technology at a recent e-cargo conference in Geneva.

Antwerp, Rotterdam and Dusseldorf are the best logistics hubs in Europe, according to a report from Colliers International, global real estate advisers. Kiev, Istanbul and Bratislava were the top three ideal locations for cost-driven manufacturing activities, according to the report entitled Logistics Cities.

An expanded Panama Canal will result in a smaller number of North American air cargo centers, according to the recently released North American Port Analysis by commercial real estate firm Colliers International. The report, titled "CapEx or Capsize," says air cargo's role in global trade will be defined by the tug-of-war between energy/infrastructure costs and e-commerce growth in the first post-Panamax decade, from 2015 through 2025.

Nobody knows what the future holds for air cargo, but the mode is an important part of the economy, said Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

In 2013, IATA expects cargo demand to grow by 2.7 percent and cargo yields to be flat - an improvement over the last two years, which has seen cargo demand and yields decline.

The European Commission has explained why its members felt that EU merger regulations forced the body to block the proposed acquisition of TNT Express by UPS.

Shorter supply chains resulting from near-shoring could have an impact on future airfreight volumes, if new research from logistics provider BDP International proves to be an accurate indicator.