Asia stands as Africa’s predominant alternate accomplice, with a well-known influx of e-commerce and electronic goods from China. These goods usually proceed through Hong Kong en-path to the space, alongside pharmaceuticals basically originating from India.
On the opposite hand, the contemporary freighter capability between Asia and Africa remains restricted. Which ability that, worthy of the cargo traverses through Heart Jap hubs or, in particular cases, European ones.
This scarcity of articulate passenger routes between Asia and Africa further constrains belly capability, underscoring the need to elongate airfreight operations through dedicated freighters.
“Astral Aviation offers dedicated capability on its B767F for scheduled and adhoc charters to and from Asia-Pacific (APAC) space which accounts for 40 p.c of its flights,” Sanjeev Gadhia, Astral Aviation’s CEO, highlighted.
“Connecting airfreight from Hong Kong and Guangzhou into Astral’s Nairobi Hub offers a reliable and efficient circulate of e-commerce cargoes for Africa.”
Purpose market
Astral Aviation’s focus is on area of interest markets from the APAC Spot to the Heart East and Africa, offering a aggregate of advert hoc and scheduled flights which would possibly well be tailor-made for e-commerce shipments.
The Boeing 767F, with a payload of between 40-50 tonnes, is an supreme freighter for mid-sized volumes with point-to-point solutions which offers Astral a aggressive advantage.
“Astral Aviation plans to initiate scheduled flights from Guangzhou to Nairobi and Johannesburg with attain from July 2024 following the appearance of its B767-300F, which will provide contemporary opportunities and capacities for airfreight from China – Africa,” Gadhia outlined.
Trending upwards
Forging interline collaborations with diverse airlines in Asia, notably China Southern, Cathay Pacific, SF Remark and China Airlines, Astral Aviation has labored to advertise the consolidation and distribution of cargoes destined for Africa in diverse hubs.
All over the last One year, this has resulted in the carrier experiencing over 30 p.c enhance within the Asia Pacific Spot, likely to elongate by 15 p.c per annum from 2025 onwards.
“Here’s a mighty enchancment from 2021 – mid 2022, when exports from the APAC space were at the lowest phases following Covid-19 and the monotonous resumption of exports, especially from China,” Gadhia proudly acknowledged.
