Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, one of the fastest growing international airlines, underlined its commitment to Zambia’s growing economic prosperity with the touchdown of its first dedicated SkyCargo freighter flight into Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, effective from July 3rd 2012.
Operating a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, the dedicated SkyCargo freighter flight arrives from Dubai at 16:00 hrs every Tuesday during the month of July. The airline will then evaluate whether to continue with the service on a permanent basis. From Lusaka the flight will continue to Johannesburg before returning to Dubai. The SkyCargo airplane has the capacity to carry 103 tonnes of freight, adding to the existing weekly cargo capacity of 160 tonnes on Emirates’ scheduled five-time-a-week passenger service. Supporting the thriving trade between Africa and the rest of the world, SkyCargo’s weekly cargo capacity into and out of the continent is already more 6,000 tonnes since the launch of the airline’s passenger service to Lusaka and Harare on February 1st 2012. SkyCargo now has a total annual capacity of more than 300,000 tonnes worldwide. The new gateway means Emirates SkyCargo can connect businesses in 21 countries across Africa to its network of more than 100 destinations, while also providing increased opportunities for key trading partners such as China and Japan.South Africa – with a weekly capacity of more than 1,500 tonnes spread across the belly-hold of 84 passenger flights serving Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, as well as two dedicated Johannesburg freighters – is Emirates SkyCargo’s key trading point on the continent.
Dedicated freighters also operate to Eldoret and Lilongwe, Cairo, Nairobi, Entebbe, Lusaka, Johannesburg, Accra, Lagos and Tripoli. While the other points on Emirates SkyCargo’s African network – Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Accra, Cairo, Casablanca, Dakar, Dar el Salaam, Entebbe, Khartoum, Lagos, Luanda, Nairobi, Tripoli, and Tunisia – are served using either the belly-hold of wide-body passenger aircraft, or a combination of the belly-hold and freighters. “With such a comprehensive service now in place we are in a good position to help sustain Africa’s continued economic development by facilitating international trade with its business partners and opening it up to new markets on our ever-expanding network,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo. Emirates SkyCargo is transporting parts to support the mining and infrastructure sectors in Zambia – as well as of commodities such as garments, computer parts, and pharmaceuticals – from the likes of the Far East, Australasia, the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Europe and North America. Fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables will be among the main commodities shipped in the other direction, while trade is also expected to be generated by neighbouring countries.
