Night freighter service attracts strong support

Coega IDZ promises opportunities for growth TWO MONTHS since the launch by Imperial Air Cargo (IAC) of a night freighter service between Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Durban, strong support from the courier and transport industries has ensured consistent performance, says Express Air Services’ Eastern Cape branch manager Ian Turner. IAC brings together the expertise of Safair, Comair and EAS, tapping into a growing market dominated until now by the national carrier. Some 85% (by revenue value) of the country’s courier sector moves by night freighter. But the group is looking beyond domestic aspirations, with expansion into sub-Saharan Africa as well as international routes on the cards, says Turner. He is also upbeat about opportunities that the Coega IDZ will present. Currently the Port Elizabeth runway is unable to accommodate special freight carriers, which is particularly problematic in the perishable season. “Being close to the Coega IDZ, long term plans would include an international airport to handle this type of freight. “I don’t believe this is far off as Coega is the centre of the world’s main trade routes,” he said.