Jet Logistics is expanding into cargo through a Blue Tide Aviation partnership, adding a regional aircraft programme aimed at inter-island and U.S.-Caribbean freight links.
Jet Logistics Inc. is expanding into the cargo sector through a new partnership with Blue Tide Aviation, a Fort Lauderdale-based logistics operator, according to an announcement issued by JLI Group Holdings, Inc. on May 14, 2026. The programme includes deploying Blue Tide’s C-23 “Shorts” Sherpa in the Caribbean to serve Florida, the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region. The move extends Jet Logistics’ existing aviation activities into a more specialised freight operation, with the companies describing the arrangement as a platform for cargo, passenger and combined services.
The partnership is focused on air transport in markets where geography and infrastructure can make delivery more complex. Blue Tide Aviation said the combined operation is intended to support inter-island distribution as well as direct lift to and from the United States. Its stated mission profile includes time-critical commercial freight, aircraft-on-ground support, specialised government contract work and disaster-response logistics, with clients including direct shippers, freight forwarders and other airlines. The release identified operating lanes linking the mainland United States with Puerto Rico, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Barbados.
The aircraft at the centre of the programme is a C-23/C-360 “Shorts” Sherpa, a twin-engine military transport aircraft. The release highlighted its ability to use unimproved runways, perform short take-offs and landings, and load through a full-width rear cargo door equipped with a ramp. Jet Logistics said the aircraft has a cargo capacity of 40 cubic metres and up to 7,500 pounds under Part 135 regulations, characteristics that support on-demand and dedicated operations in remote or austere regions.
For Jet Logistics, the agreement adds cargo to a portfolio that began with corporate passenger charter and later expanded into U.S. and international air medical, government contracting and special-mission services. The company operates as an FAA Part 135 carrier with worldwide operating specifications and holds IS-BAO Stage 3 and Department of Defense CARB certifications, according to the release. Blue Tide Aviation brings a separate logistics profile, including disaster response, aerial delivery, flight training, emergency medical extraction and maritime aerial rigging, while remaining partnered with BlackSea Technologies.
The announcement therefore centres on combining Jet Logistics’ Part 135 operating platform and Caribbean experience with Blue Tide Aviation’s cargo and special-mission capabilities. Neither company disclosed financial terms or a timetable beyond describing the programme and its intended operating region. Its immediate significance lies in the type of capacity being assembled: an aircraft and operating model designed for freight movements between island markets and the U.S. mainland, alongside passenger and combined configurations.
