Weekly freighter links SA with West Africa

The African-registered air
freighter specialist, Avient,
has continued its expansion
into West Africa and now
has 17 scheduled destinations
in the region, according
to commercial director,
Samantha Smith.
From its European hub in
Liege, the company’s owned
fleet of aircraft flies into a
number of cargo points –
including Bamako, Lagos,
Ouagadougou, Pointe Noire
and Port Harcourt – carrying
a wide range of freight,
from oil and gas equipment
to time-sensitive cargo and
perishables. In addition new
routes have recently been
opened into Conakry, Dakar,
Freetown and Monrovia.
“With effect from last
Friday (September 9),” Smith
told FTW, “Avient has linked
SA with Nigeria/Mali and
Burkina Faso – with a direct
freighter service on the route.
“This means that the
mining and other industries
have a weekly dedicated
freighter to move cargo into
West Africa. The majority of
freight is currently shipped to
Europe and then back to West
Africa. Avient’s new service
ensures cargo reaches its enddestination
directly.”
Avient will operate either
an 85-tonne capacity MD11
or a 60-t DC10 airplane.
There will be scheduled
flights every Thursday from
Johannesburg to Lagos-
Bamako-Ouagadougou, and
on to Liege in Belgium.
This service will be
managed from the Leisure
Cargo SA offices in
Johannesburg and Cape Town
– with contact people Fred du
Plessis and Wilnell Strydom.
“With the services of
freighter operators like
Avient,” Smith added,
“African exporters have
the opportunity to grow –
utilising the direct services
to Europe. For example
the airline currently moves
weekly loads of perishables
from various points in
Africa into Liege for onward
distribution within Europe.”
Avient hopes to satisfy
multiple market demands
and ensure that Africa and
her markets play a prominent
role in the recovering world
market. The company already
offers significant freight
services linking the African
continent with China, India,
the Middle East and Latin
America – and intends to
continue to develop the range
and scope of services it
provides.
In addition, it offers
an experienced charter
department that flies a wide
range of cargo for a varied
customer base, both in and out
of Africa and across the globe.