Ethiopian expands cargo capacity
27 / 03 / 2011
ETHIOPIAN Airlines, which has the largest cargo fleet in Africa, is expanding its cargo terminal at the Bole International Airport.
“We are redesigning the perishable cargo warehouse (cold storage) expansion project so that it includes the whole warehouse expansion (dry cargo warehouse and perishable cargo warehouse) expansion,” Ethiopian chief executive officer Tewolde Gebremariam said.
Ethiopian has experienced a growth-spurt over the last few years, and does not look like slowing down just yet. Negotiations with Boeing on new B777 freighters will be underway soon.
The airline is also gearing up for the opening of a new hub in Zambia and keeps a keen eye on other attractive destinations. The carrier will begin flights with cargo capacity to the Chinese city of Hangzhou on 1 May.
“We are studying market diversification to the flower export destinations. This is being conducted with the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters Association and the Ethiopian Horticulture Development Agency,” Gebremariam adds.
Over the last five years the amount of cargo handled by Ethiopian Airlines has more than doubled from 42,000 tonnes to 110,000.
