Infrastructure in place for
cargo growth, writes Leonard Neill
ALL UPGRADED facilities at Mafikeng International Airport are expected to be in place for full implementation by the end of the year. Likely operators in each sector will be announced at the international investors conference to be held at the airport in October.
This will complete the upgrading contract which was undertaken by African ARC (Airport Redeployment Company) in March, says project manager Nick Serfontein. It includes the establishment of a multi-modal cargo centre, bonded warehouse, aircraft maintenance centre, container depot and storage facilities, a tank farm and airport operating company.
What we want is for service providers, freight integrators and consolidators involved in imports and exports, and all related trade support service organisations to integrate the airport into their existing networks and also to establish themselves in the area, says Serfontein.
The availability of a container park, supported by a customs clearing and forwarding facility, will also stimulate imports and exports, not only to the regional markets of SADC but also to all other global world markets.
We are hoping that by the time we reach the investors conference, approval will have come through for the establishment of the IDZ. With the expected establishment of financial services, info-mediaries, and forwarding and clearing agents to name just a few of the potential service providers, Mafikeng airport will have all the physical facilities and logistical services to operate as a fully fledged global transpark.
He has stressed the need for a bonded warehouse stating that the North West province is a landlocked area with limited access to trade routes. The establishment of the bonded facility, therefore, will enable all sectoral role players to exercise more direct control over their international trade transactions, and make them more accessible.
The mere existence and availability of this facility at the airport will help to demystify the complex nature of import and export transactions, he said. Its establishment is one of the key pillars in the overall plan to ensure a one-stop service centre for the international marketing strategies and endeavours of the investors and the sectoral role players.
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