Cargo Exchange of dry and perishable goods will be made efficient through this new entry
Africa mainly relies on sea cargo transfer for its imports and exports to take place. Building its air freight capacity will help in more international trade through air which will help in attracting more and more clients. This will also help to build strong air cargo services.
This news is like a fresh air for the air cargo industry in Africa, which will give a separate portion for the perishable and dry goods in newly build sections. Another plus point is that the exporters and importers will be able to do the exchange of these goods knowing that their goods are safe and will reach in desired condition.
The location:
The terminal is set to open at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International airport in Nairobi, East Africa. The opening of the terminal is due in September 2018 which will provide the capacity of 80,000 tons, its upgrade to 150,000 tons is already planned.
The project is being handled by Germany’s Acunis, a joint venture between Unitechnik and Amova. This will be their second project as currently they are building the Africa’s largest cargo terminal for Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa Airport.
What will change after the completion?
This terminal will help in the faster exchange of perishable and dry goods in the future. The export of such products will become easy and quick and above all reliable. These goods may involve fruits, vegetables, other edibles and spices.
It will be a trade opener for Kenya with modern facilities as temperature controlled environment for the goods with limited shelf life, a warehouse which will accommodate the dry goods as well and make the whole process more efficient and according to the need of the day.
Challenges Faced in Planning:
The Acunis spokesman said that the major challenge they faced was to adjust all the areas in one place which was available for the task. The warehouse, custom clearance and break rooms are in a compact space. They are going to choose the option of dividing the whole area in two sections that is one for dry goods and the other for perishable ones.
These storages are kept the same in case of layout the only difference is that the perishable goods section is regulated with temperature controlled environment by keeping it down to 2 degree centigrade. Each storage area is loaded with high-bay store, a Euro pallet store, a small parts warehouse and a section for bulky goods.
What more help is being provided:
A work of this nature reaches its completion with ease if proper machinery is employed in the project. The Acunis is also providing the conveying and handling systems for the completion of the interior of the structure. These machineries include roller conveyers and industrial trucks, work stations as well as loading and unloading bridges for trucks. This will surely boost Cargo to Africa.
After all the hard work being put in the project it will prove to be fruitful in the future and make way for the advancement in the air cargo services in the African region. This will also prove a job opener for many citizens who are in search of a decent living.
