Modern Logistics’ Koga at Cargo Facts LATAM 2024

Brazil added its second 737NG freighter operator this year when Modern Logistics began flying the type, even as some of the country’s other carriers take on more Classics.Modern Logistics is undergoing a transformation to grow its presence in the logistics industry.“Part of this investment plan was to bring new aircraft,” Chief Executive Cristiano Koga said during a fireside chat at Cargo Facts LATAM 2024 in Panama City this month. Excerpts of this conversation are included in today’s episode of the “Cargo Facts Connect” podcast.“We are very confident that the aircraft that we have signed and are already operating in Brazil will help us achieve this long-term goal to be an integrated logistics provider with a time-definite product end to end,” Koga notes in the chat.Modern has leased two 737-800BCFs from BBAM, with the 2004-vintage unit 33566 arriving in October 2023 and its 2003-vintage sibling (33550) arriving in February 2024. They join one 737-400F (25374) and one 737-300F (24219).“The performance of [the -800s] from a payload perspective, from a cost-to-serve-per-unit perspective is amazing,” Koga said. “So, we’re very excited about the fleet. But again, it needs to serve the right industry, the right sector and the right routes. That’s why one of the pillars of our long-term strategy is network planning.”Even though Modern has phased out a 737-400F and a 737-300F, it still sees a use for them in at least the next six to twelve months.“The -300 makes sense for specific projects, like charters or even e-commerce, because it’s the cheapest aircraft,” Koga said. “So, we still have the Classics, we have the two NGs, and it’s proving to be a very good decision to apply [the Classics] to these kinds of projects and leave the NGs for the big routes and international expansion as well.”Countries at the top of the list to see Modern’s 737-800BCFs include Argentina, Chile and Colombia, he added.Tune in to this week’s “Cargo Facts Connect” for the discussion with Koga.