International cargo volumes at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport increased by a whopping 137% in quarter 3 of 2017, according to MliboBantwini, executive, Dube Cargo Terminal.
“This growth has been primarily driven by the introduction of additional wide-bodied passenger flights into Durban, as well as the increased frequency of chartered aircraft using the airport.
“Investment in a new specialised outsized cargo handling facility has significantly contributed to our ability to handle bulky shipments, such as large pipes, machinery, vehicles, large animals and even ocean-going 20-foot containers,” said Bantwini.
The latest chartered aircraft handled by Dube Cargo Terminal was a Boeing 747-400ERF freighter, operated by AirBridgeCargo Airlines, which had a payload of 30 tonnes of heavy-duty seaflex marine hoses.
Since the airport opened in 2010, cargo volumes have grown by 138%. Cargo volumes were forecast to grow by up to 12% by the close of the 2017/18 financial year, Bantwini added.
And the announcement by Qatar Airways to increase its capacity on the Durban-Doha route with the introduction of the larger Boeing 777-300ERaircraft from March 28 has raised hopes of further growth – with increased weekly cargo capacity on the route of 15-23 tonnes per flight.
In October, Air Mauritius increased its frequency to three flights per week on its Durban – Port Louis route, while the peak season of December and January spurred Emirates to increase its frequency on the Durban – Dubai route.
