'Don't under-estimate impact of high temperatures'

AIRFREIGHT SHIPPERS are often unaware of the impact of high temperatures on fuel consumption at take-off depending on the cargo/ passenger ratio, says Cargocare Freight Services' Sue Wood. “During the European summer, airlines that fly out of warm areas such as Marseille or Barcelona may remove cargo to accommodate the additional fuel consumption if the temperatures rise. The waybill however often remains on the aircraft causing difficulty at destination – even though the electronic tracking clearly indicates it was on board and on its way, it tracks the paperwork and not the cargo itself.” Temperature also plays an important role in the vaccines Cargocare transports and distributes across Africa through a German partner connection for the World Health organisation (WHO). Some of the vaccines are shipped to Johannesburg where they are repacked to maintain the temperature for delivery to their final destination. Unless the precise temperature is maintained, the active ingredients and efficacy of the vaccines can be destroyed.