Airfreight volumes through Dube TradePort’s Cargo Terminal have risen significantly over the past six months as the effects of congestion and slow-throughput capacity at South Africa’s major ports ripples across the supply chain.
Durban’s air cargo operations, handled through the Dube Cargo Terminal at King Shaka International Airport, have been on the rise over the financial years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.
However, demand for airfreight spiked over the past four months leading into 2024 with cargo throughput rising by 57% quarter-on-quarter from September to December 2023, and port challenges continued to drive significant demand towards airfreight in January 2024.
“This significant increase in airfreight has been observed across various industries, from perishables to automotive, the latter traditionally being reliant on ocean freight. This emphasises the need of these industries to ensure uninterrupted production and timely delivery to export markets,” said Mr Ricardo Isaac, Dube Cargo Terminal Senior Manager: Cargo Development and Operations.
” From September through to December 2023, we saw fruit exports to the Middle East and European markets double in volume compared with the same period last year.
On the automotive side, in November we saw volumes approximately 30% higher than normal being moved through our airfreight cargo terminal,” he said.
This trend shows that for time-sensitive commodities and in cases where production stoppage risks are heightened, having an efficient air option, such as the Dube Cargo Terminal, has become invaluable, and remains an important part of the supply chain, concluded Isaac
