Over the last six months, Dube TradePort's Cargo Terminal has experienced a significant uptick in airfreight volumes, a trend influenced by ongoing congestion and reduced throughput at South Africa's main sea ports. This shift has notably impacted operations at Durban's Dube Cargo Terminal, located within King Shaka International Airport, with a marked increase in cargo throughput, particularly over the last four months leading into 2024. Specifically, from September to December 2023, airfreight volumes surged by 57% quarter-on-quarter as industries increasingly turned to air logistics amid persistent sea port challenges.
Ricardo Isaac, the senior manager of cargo development and operations at Dube Cargo Terminal, highlighted the broad impact of this shift, noting: "This significant increase in airfreight has been observed across various industries, from perishables to automotive, the latter traditionally being reliant on ocean freight."
He emphasized the critical role of airfreight in maintaining seamless production and ensuring timely deliveries to export markets. Remarkably, fruit exports to the Middle East and European markets saw a doubling in volume during the same period in 2023 compared to the previous year, while automotive cargo volumes in November were about 30% higher than usual. Isaac's observations underscore the growing importance of airfreight for time-sensitive goods and in scenarios where production stoppages pose significant risks.
Source: freightnews.co.za