Emirates SkyCargo expects a flat growth in cargo throughput from India this fiscal, due to global economic slowdown.
It, however, is confident of retaining its top position in the air cargo industry, with a share of 15 per cent in outbound and 13 per cent in inbound traffic.
“In 2010-11, we notched up a throughput of 1,33,000 tonnes as outbound (or export) traffic from India, with 14 per cent growth over the previous year. So far this year, we did 1,10,000 tonnes,” Mr Pradeep Kumar, Senior Vice-President, told
India scene
India's air cargo throughput accounts for about 10 per cent of the global haulage of Emirates SkyCargo, the freight arm of the Dubai-based airline Emirates.
Perishable items, such as vegetables and meat, have a share of 30 per cent of its cargo from India, followed by pharma products and auto parts with 20 and 11 per cent respectively.
The airline operates 185 passenger flights a week from India, covering 10 cities.
Aircraft
“With almost all our aircraft being wide-bodied, we have significant cargo carrying capacity. In addition to these, we have one freighter connecting Chennai and Dubai,” Mr Kumar said.
The airline is on a global expansion mode, having started to add new destinations such as Buenos Aires, Dallas, Dublin, Seattle, Harare, Lisbon and Barcelona from this year.
Globally, it has on order about 70 A380s, 85 777-300s and nine freighters.
The airline has also registered brisk pace in its e-freight drive, as part of an International Air Transport Association (IATA) to make air cargo supply chain totally paperless by 2014.
“In India, our e-initiative penetration is about 30 per cent,” Mr Keki Patel, Cargo manager, India & Nepal, said.
The airline is consolidating its coal chain infrastructure to handle new pharma products such as vaccines and insulin.