LMH-1 Airships to transport helium from mines in Tanzania
Hybrid Enterprises has signed a partnership with Helium One to use LMH-1 Hybrid Airships to transport helium from deposit sites in Tanzania. Helium One is an explorer, developer and producer of high value bulk liquid helium, and holds a prospecting licence across three project areas in Tanzania covering more than 4,500 km2 of land and […]
Ethiopian Airlines launches two new freighter routes to Europe
Africa’s largest cargo operator Ethiopian Airlines launched two new freighter routes to Europe – in the shape of Milan in Italy on 2 April and Zaragoza in Spain on 28 March. At the moment the carrier services the European continent to Liege in Belgium using Boeing 777 Freighters with a minimum weekly tonnage of 2,200 tonnes, and […]
2017 looks promising after challenging year in 2016
2016 was a challenging year due to the 22 March Brussels Airport terrorist attack, but Brussels Airlines vice president global cargo, Alban Francois (pictured below) tells Air Cargo Week’s staff writer, James Muir that 2017 is looking promising. He says the airline saw some growth in 2016 despite the effect of the attacks in March, […]
Ethiopian adds Ahmedabad to Indian network
Ethiopian Cargo is to add a freighter service to Ahmedabad in India with flights starting from 28 March. Ahmedabad is home to more than six million people, India’s second oldest stock exchange and is a large producer of cotton, and will be Ethiopian’s fifth Indian cargo gateway. Ethiopian started cargo flights to India in the […]
ACI: 5.7% volumes growth across world’s airports in January
The Airports Council International (ACI) reports that air cargo volumes grew at airport across the globe by year-on-year (YOY) by 5.7 per cent in January. All regions posted surges ACI explains, including hubs in the Latin-America Caribbean market. Africa saw growth of 9.6 per cent, Europe 8.3 per cent, North America 5.1 per cent, the Middle […]
Air Cargo Africa 2017: Drones to be part of life
The potential of other transport methods including drones, UAVs and airships in Africa provided an interesting discussion to end the Air Cargo Africa conference and exhibition. The panel discussion, ‘Innovations in cargo delivery: from drones to UAVs to airships’ was moderated by BeCon Projects chief executive officer (CEO), Uwe Beck, who was joined by Astral […]
Africa has huge potential and challenges to overcome
Africa is expected to make up 20 per cent of the global population by 2050, creating a huge potential labour force and consumer market but the numerous challenges were a major talking point in the first panel discussion of Air Cargo Africa in Johannesburg. During the session, ‘Unlocking Africa’s civil aviation potential: the time is […]
Export orders drive air cargo demand in January
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says airfreight markets saw demand in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) rise 6.9 per cent in January 2017 compared to the year-earlier period. IATA says this was down from the 10 per cent annual growth recorded in December 2016, but it still was well above the average annual growth rate of three per […]
Tunisia’s Express Air Cargo operates 1st flight
Express Air Cargo – a new Tunisian airfreight carrier has operated its inaugural flight from Tunis to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The Boeing 737-300 which it received on 13 January this year took off for France from Tunisia on 25 February and it is set to get another B737 soon. Express Air Cargo’s eventual aim […]
Volumes grow but overcapacity hits yields at Ethiopian
As a major player in the African market, Ethiopian Airlines has suffered from declining yields caused by overcapacity, but Ethiopian Cargo managing director Fitsum Abadi (pictured below) says cargo traffic has grown strongly. He says the industry has seen huge capacity growth compared to demand, primarily due to extra space on wide-body passenger aircraft, hitting […]
Astral remains committed to three-hub strategy
Astral Aviation remains committed to its three-hub strategy for Africa even though it is reconsidering the planned Western base in Lagos, chief executive officer Sanjeev Gadhia (pictured below) tells Air Cargo Week (ACW) staff writer, James Muir. Astral is planning a West Africa hub for the middle of this year and was looking at Lagos […]
Perishables the focus at shippers forum in Africa
Perishable concerns and the opportunities they bring were aired at the Air Shippers Forum at the 4th Air Cargo Africa 2017 event in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday, 21 February. The forum was attended by over 90 delegates from the shippers and forwarders community where the focus was on flowers, fruits and vegetables – key export commodities […]
Ambitious Siginon Aviation looking to grow its presence in Nairobi
Kenyan cargo handler Siginon Aviation is targeting a contract win with a European carrier in Nairobi in the near future as it looks to further expand its presence at one of Africa’s main airfreight hubs. Earlier this month it secure a cargo handling deal with Qatar Airways Cargo, adding to others it has with Cargolux, […]
Cargolux targets more markets in Africa
Cargolux Airlines International had an “excellent year” in Africa in 2016 and expects the market to remain stable for the first half of 2017, regional director Africa Jonathan Clark explains to Air Cargo Week staff writer, James Muir. He says Cargolux registered a healthy tonnage increase compared to 2015 and will remain an important market. […]
DubeTradeport targets further expansion
2016 was a very favourable year for Dube TradePort, with cargo volumes growing 20 per cent on 2015, chief executive officer Hamish Erskine tells Air Cargo Week staff writer, James Muir. Dube TradePort Corporation owns and operates Dube Cargo Terminal at King Shaka International Airport 30 kilometres North of Durban has welcomed additional capacity and […]
Siginon Aviation named as official Qatar Airways Cargo handler in Kenya
Siginon Aviation has been appointed as the official ground and ramp handler for Qatar Airways Cargo at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Siginon Aviation’s $10 million state-of-the-art air cargo terminal at JKIA was commissioned in 2014 has been custom designed and includes a 3,000 square metre Perishables Centre, a 5,000 square metre General […]
Bolloré Logistics gains CEIV Pharma certification in Paris
Bolloré Logistics has been awarded the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) – becoming the 1st transport and logistics firm in France to gain it. IATA’s chief executive officer, Alexandre de Juniac, and president of ADP, Augustin de Romanet presented the company with the certification. In a pilot phase […]
Emirates to start third daily flight to Nairobi
Emirates Airline is to increase capacity in Africa with a third daily flight to Nairobi from 1 June. Flight EK717 will leave Dubai at 01.40h and arrive in the Kenyan capital at 05.40h, with the return flight, EK718 departing Nairobi and landing back in Dubai at 13.15h. The Boeing 777-300ER flight will provide 16 tonnes […]
ACI: Consumer electronics help airfreight surge 8.1% in November
Worldwide airfreight volumes grew 8.1 per cent driven by consumer electronics and global digitisation, Airports Council International (ACI) says. It says international airfreight was up 9.2 per cent while domestic volumes grew 5.6 per cent, with the global electronics market generating a surge in demand due to close release dates for competing consumer products. ACI […]
Kenya Airways Cargo to export flowers into Australia
Kenya Airways Cargo (KQ Cargo) is now exporting Kenyan cut flowers to Australia after partnering with Qantas Airways. The new service was introduced after market research identified Sydney and Melbourne as being key markets for Kenyan flowers. The Kenyan carrier is targeting to lift more than 30 tonnes of flowers into Australia every month as part of […]
DHL and Gavi join forces to improve vaccine supply chain
Deutsche Post DHL Group and Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance – are to team-up to provide efficient transport management and help improve vaccine supply chain for vaccine distribution in Gavi-supported countries. Kenya is one of the first countries to benefit from the new partnership, announcing a new initiative with DHL – the logistics arm of the Deutsche […]
Air battling with sea for increased market share
Getting food to a customer’s plate as fresh, tasty and nutritious as possible has been the mantra of retailers and growers for hundreds of years. Where in the past this may have involved a quick cart ride from farm to village market, today’s globalised world means making the best use of freight options either by […]
HAE targets expansion in Africa and Indian Subcontinent
Africa and the Indian Subcontinent are the target markets for HAE in 2017, as it eyes new general sales and service agents (GSSA) contracts and acquisitions. The company’s vice president of senior management, Peter Kerins says having opened up GSSA services this year in South Africa, Canada and Iraq, it expects to see expansion in […]
Increasing perishables to Asia the main focus for Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways (KQ) is looking to develop new Asian markets for the Africa countries flower-led perishables industry, acting general manager of cargo Peter Musola tells Michael Mackey. Some 70 per cent of the perishables market is Europe-bound Musola tells Air Cargo Week and the Nairobi-headquartered carrier is looking to do something similar in China by […]
IATA: Wildlife trafficking getting severe and a growing problem
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has started carrying out airport wildlife trafficking assessments – working with the World Customs Organization (WCO) – as it looks to combat the growing illegal trade. Last month, IATA launched its Airport Wildlife Tracking Assessment tool with a pilot at Maputo International Airport in Mozambique before rolling it out […]
New South Africa cargo handling contract for Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines has extended its cargo handling agreement in South Africa with Africa Flight Services (AFS) – part of Worldwide Flight Services’ (WFS) global airport services group – with the awarding of a new contract in Johannesburg. AFS already provides cargo handling services for the airline in Cape Town, and expects to handle more that […]
Intra Middle East lanes boosting NeWay Logistics
NeWay Logistics’ busiest trade lanes are the intra Middle East routes with business driven by the oil and gas, military and humanitarian sectors. The firm’s general manager, Erwin Burger tells Air Cargo Week that the third quarter started slower versus last year, but from September onwards it has picked up again and is now on […]
Strong volume growth of 6.2% in October, WorldACD reports
Airfreight volumes grew strongly year-on-year (YOY) by 6.2 per cent in October driven by the Asia Pacific region, according to market analyst WorldACD Market Data. The analyst says the month was up on the five per cent YOY growth in September, while yields also saw improvement. WorldACD says the “undisputed” driver in October was Asia […]
South African Airways Cargo opens a ‘Pet Lounge’ at OR Tambo
South African Airways Cargo (SAA Cargo) has introduced a new ‘Pet Lounge’ facility for domestic pets Cargo OR Tambo International Terminal in Johannesburg. The Pet Lounge started operating from 1 October and is designed for the pets’ comfort and safety. SAA Cargo says it ensures they experience a stress-free environment during their journey as it minimises any environmental […]
Biggest monthly uplift in tonnage for Etihad Cargo
Etihad Cargo has achieved its busiest month ever in October this year – uplifting 53,785 tonnes of cargo and thereby surpassing its previous best recorded in November 2014 – by 501 tonnes. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier says this reflected growth in perishables traffic from Africa, US inbound and outbound traffic, and volumes from Europe to Asia Pacific. […]