Page 8 - LUA September - October 2023 Magzter

COVER STORY

million tonnes of cargo annually and we facilities. It is not the authority that does Far East. Even though Eldoret is an
serve more than 130 destinations in Africa, that. We will facilitate private cargo agricultural city, Kenya is not doing any
the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the handlers by providing them with the exports from the airport because the
Americas with a fleet of more than 140 land,” he said. runway is short and is located in a high-
modern and young aircraft,” he said. It is not just Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana altitude area. This means a big aircraft
One step ahead, Alemu also reported or Rwanda, but other African countries cannot take off with maximum weight
that Ethiopian Airlines is finalising all also understand the importance of cargo from Eldoret International Airport.
preparations to provide end-to-end facilities. For instance, at the constrained Emirates, Ethiopian and Astral Aviation
e-commerce logistics services across its cargo terminal at OR Tambo International already operate to Eldoret but leave
selected wide network. Airport (ORTIA) in Johannesburg, almost empty.
“We are utilising the most advanced Airports Company of South Africa However, Kenya Airports Authority and
e-commerce handling system for (ACSA) announced that it intends to Muse are determined to change this. Muse
consolidation, deconsolidation, sortation, conclude an expansion of the cargo said, “We are expanding the runway and
repacking, labelling, and other services terminal in the next five years. building modern cold room warehouses
in our e-commerce dedicated warehouse, Even though Jomo Kenyatta under public-private partnerships. We
which has a capacity of 150,000 tonnes International Airport is the biggest airport want to ensure that the aeroplanes, once
annually. We have positioned ourselves to handled by Kenya Airports Authority, they drop the electronics and dry goods
provide door-to-door services with our there are other important cargo airports from Asia and the Middle East, are able to
partners as demanded,” he added. that could witness potential growth in take off with flowers, vegetables and fruits
As Muse spoke about the infrastructure the near future. This includes Eldoret directly to European, Asian and Middle
in Kenya, he noted that the country has International Airport, located in the north Eastern markets.”
one of the best and most modern air cargo rift of the country, Moi International The Authority is also putting up
facilities in the region and for example, Airport, close to Mombasa Port and modern warehouses in Moi International
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is only Kisumu International Airport. Airport to support marine exports to
utilising 40 percent of its air cargo handling For instance, Eldoret Airport is a Asia, the Middle East and Europe as it is
capacity. So you can see the potential with prime example of how African airports close to the coastal region while Kisumu
the 60 percent underutilised capacity. are transforming and the potential they International Airport will be able to handle
“Our main role is to facilitate and hold. Eldoret currently only imports, the fish from one of the biggest freshwater
fulfil needs for putting up air cargo mostly from the Middle East and the lakes in the world, Lake Victoria.

6 LUA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023