Page 10 - STAT November 2022 for Magzter

COVER STORY

According to Swissport, higher air
freight rates have impacted available
capacity for flower exports out of Kenya.
While the most active trade lanes for
perishable cargo out of Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi
are to mainland Europe and the flower
hubs of Amsterdam, Brussels, and Liege,
new trade lanes have emerged in the
recent past to include London Stansted,
Maastricht, and Ostend. Word is that
the political situation in Europe has not
affected capacity but has reduced the Africa plays a vital
volumes of flower exports. role in exporting
Swissport undertakes cargo handling perishables such
in Accra (ACC), Alegiers(ALG), Cape
Town(CPT), Dar es Salaam (DAR), as flowers, fruit
Durban (DUR), Johannesburg (JNB), and vegetables,
Kilimanjaro (JRO), Nairobi NBO and Port
Elizabeth (PLZ) airports in Africa. and meat. Our
The main perishables for exports in local presence in
Nairobi, Kenya are flowers, fruits, and Ghana, Tanzania,
vegetables. As per Swissport, a breakdown
of the volumes of the perishables handled Kenya, and South
at Kenya stood at 18393.43 tonnes in 2020, Africa and our
24565.62 tonnes in 2021, and 13015.74
tonnes between Jan–Sep 2022 period. state-of-the-art
These figures show that the volumes are air cargo facilities
not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, as a
result of capacity constraints and a rebound allow Swissport to
is expected in 2023, with the resumption of provide excellent
some frequencies by air carriers. services to our
Meanwhile, the flower exports handled
by Swissport in South Africa stood at 217 clients and
tonnes in 2020, 3527 tonnes in 2021, and partners looking
1925 tonnes in 2022 till date. Meat Exports
stood at 1309 tonnes in 2020, 1373 tonnes for an effective
in 2021 and 1414 tonnes in 2022 to date. and efficient cool
While the fruit and vegetable exports stood chain solution.
at 43,931 tonnes in 2020, 50,550 tonnes in
2021 and 36,915 tonnes in 2022. DIRK GOOVAERTS
While 95% perishables are exported SWISSPORT INTERNATIONAL
out of Ghana, as per information by
Swissport Ghana, the total tonnage of
exports handled were pegged at 20.5 fruits and vegetables) as an air cargo
tonnes in 2020, 22.3 tonnes in 2021 product for the airport and the need
and an estimated 19.5 tonnes in 2022. for more direct flights linking Brussels
Pineapples, mangoes, yams, passion fruit, Airport's trade routes with airports in
cut fruits, flowers, pawpaw formed a Africa, particularly Nairobi, Samuel
chunk of these exports. Meanwhile the Quintelier, Cargo Business Development
volume of meat handled by Swissport Manager, Brussels Airport Company said,
Tanzania has grown beyond pre- “Currently perishables as a whole already
pandemic levels. It was 347.5 tonnes in represents more than 20 per cent of total
2020, 2674.4 tonnes in 2021 and 3355 volumes handled. Africa in general and
tonnes to date in 2022. Kenya in particular have a huge potential
Speaking about the significance and I believe that in the next year we will
of perishable commodities (flowers, see this further developed, as will airlines.

8 LUA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2022