Page 14 - LUA July - August 2023 Magterz and Online

COUNTRY REPORT

neighbouring African countries, such as
Kenya, Sudan, and Djibouti. These trade
lanes have experienced increased traffic,
especially in the perishables segment, as
Ethiopia's agricultural exports are in high
demand in the region.”
Several global logistics players operate
out of Ethiopia via local partnerships and
joint ventures. CEVA Logistics works
locally in Ethiopia through its joint
venture, MACCFA, a leading freight
forwarding agent. The company provides
services particularly for consumer goods calendar year. In the 2021/22 fiscal year, we
and aid and relief market segments while have transported around 750,000 tonnes
working for numerous multinational of cargo, operated 67 dedicated freighter
companies in the market. destinations, and have belly capacity to
Peter Penseel, COO, Airfreight for over 130 international destinations. Our
CEVA Logistics told the publication, vision is to be among the top cargo airlines
“Over the past 10 years, the perishable in the world in terms of FTK (Freight/
sector has been the driving force behind Cargo Tonne Kilometres) by providing safe,
Ethiopian exports, and the trade lanes are market-driven, and customer-focused air
managed locally by Ethiopian Airlines. cargo, courier, and mail transport services
For perishables, the trade lanes are mostly The country has by 2035. Accordingly, ET will operate 37
exports to Europe. In addition, volumes seen an increase freighter jets to 90 dedicated freighter
are made up of products connected in textile exports, destinations by 2035.”
to clothing, e-commerce, and pharma Compared to many carriers in the
industries. Trades lanes to the U.S. see including ready-made region, its cargo arm has also successfully
sizable volumes for clothing, while import garments, textiles, adopted digitalisation.
trade lanes remain connected with Asia.” and accessories. Alemu added, “Ethiopian Cargo &
Logistics Services is fully automated with
THE JUGGERNAUT ROLLS ON JOE LAWRENCE one of the latest aviation cargo IT systems.
One of Ethiopia’s strengths is the country’s AIRLINE SERVICES INTERNATIONAL We are using the latest technologies for data,
largest airline - Ethiopian Airlines (ET), information, and market intelligence with
whose earnings jumped 20% to $6.1 bln passenger transportation returning back 100% eAWB from our main hub in Addis
in the 2022/2023 fiscal year, despite the to normal, we have reconfigured our Ababa. We use Elevating Transfer Vehicles
impact of the Russian-Ukraine war and Preighters back to passenger aircraft.” (ETV) for the movement of our shipments
the increase in fuel prices. As per official Recent years have seen Ethiopian in our warehouse. We also use the latest
figures, the carrier transported 13.7 million ramping up cargo infrastructure and services real-time monitoring systems, temperature-
passengers and 723,000 tonnes of cargo in to become a logistics hub in the continent. controlled cold rooms, and ULDs in the
the fiscal year. Cargo now accounts for half of Ethiopian’s transportation of perishable items.”
The airline has been expanding its fleet, revenues post-pandemic, explaining the
adding new destinations, and increasing vertical garnering significant investment. BOOM IN PERISHABLE TRADE
frequencies on existing routes. Bole Becoming one of the largest cargo As per a recent report on Ethiopia
International Airport in Addis Ababa, network operators in Africa, the carrier published in 2022 by the ITA (International
Ethiopia's capital, has also undergone has also put in place a modern warehouse Trade Administration) which comes
significant upgrades to accommodate the of 1 million tonnes storage capacity in under the U.S. Department of Commerce,
growing air traffic. the cargo terminal to cater to the growing Ethiopia’s agricultural exports are primarily
Talking about its cargo milestones, perishables and eCommerce trade between unprocessed commodities, including coffee,
Abel Alemu, MD of Ethiopian Cargo & China and Africa and other nations. oil seeds, pulses, live plants, and cut flowers.
Logistics Services, Ethiopian Airlines Alemu added, “Ethiopian is currently in It is a major producer of coffee and barley
told the publication, “Ethiopian Cargo & the process of investing in a state-of-the-art and ranks second in sorghum, third in maize
Logistics is one of the major global cargo eCommerce warehouse and working on & wheat, and fourth in coarse grains and
carriers and we are currently operating nine the required commercial and operational maintains the largest number of livestock in
B777-200Fs, two B767-300Fs, and four aspects of the eCommerce logistics services. Africa. Ethiopia exported 271,111 tonnes of
B737-800F aircraft. Following the outbreak So far more than 80% of the warehouse coffee in 2020/21 generating $855.6 million
of the pandemic, Ethiopian converted construction is completed and it will be in revenue, cited this report.
24 passenger aircraft to Preighters. With ready in the last quarter of the current Dawit Woubishet, Director at logistics

12 LUA JULY - AUGUST 2023