Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Africa’s largest cargo operator, Ethiopian Airlines, announced the inauguration of its state-of-the-art Cargo Terminal-II will take place during the Second ICAO Global Air Cargo Development Forum, which Ethiopia will host on June 27 – 29.
Covering a total area of 150,000 square metres, the new cargo terminal includes facilities such as a dry cargo terminal warehouse, a perishable cargo terminal with cool chain storage, fully automated with latest technology ETV (elevating transport vehicle), G+2 office building, apron area which accommodates five additional big freighter aircraft, sufficient truck parking apron as well as employees canteen and wash rooms. The terminal is also fitted with different climate chambers for storage and handling of temperature sensitive products such as fresh agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, life science products, etc.
Group CEO Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked: “Infrastructure development being one of the four pillars of our fast, profitable and sustainable growth strategic roadmap, Vision 2025, we have been making massive investments in infrastructure projects to modernise and expand our cargo facilities at a total cost of USD 150 million. The new Cargo Terminal-II combined with our existing Terminal-I will give us a total tonnage capacity of around 1 million per annum, which is the largest in the continent of Africa. Moreover, upon completion of the second phase, which adds 600,000 tonnes annual uplift capacity, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services will have one of the world’s largest cargo terminals; a capability equivalent to cargo terminals in Amsterdam’s Schiphol, Singapore’s Changi, or Hong Kong.
This investment and the resulting massive cargo facilities along with the six modern B-777F fleet and 2 B-757F will create adequate air cargo transporting capacity for the fast growing export and import demand of the continent, which is essential in the socio-economic development of African countries.”