Ethiopian Airlines sets late June date to open new cargo terminal

Ethiopian Airlines has set this year’s ICAO Global Air Cargo Development Forum, hosted by Ethiopia, as the date for the inauguration of its Cargo Terminal-II. The event takes place from 27th to 29th June 2017.

The new 150,000 square meter Cargo Terminal includes facilities such as the dry cargo terminal warehouse, the perishable cargo terminal with cool chain storage, and an apron area that can accommodate five large freighter aircraft.

The new cargo terminal will also be equipped with climate chambers for storage and handling of temperature sensitive products such as fresh agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, life science products.

Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam, explained that as part of a US$150 million investment in cargo facilities, the new terminal, combined with the existing Terminal-I, would bring total tonnage capabilities up to around one million per annum, “the largest in the continent of Africa.”

GebreMariam added that, “upon completion of the second phase, which adds 600, 000 tones annual uplift capacity, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services will have one of the world’s largest cargo terminals; a capability equivalent to cargo terminals in Amsterdam Schiphol, Singapore Changi, or Hong Kong. This investment and the resulting massive cargo facilities along with the 6 modern B-777F fleet and 2 B-757F will create adequate air cargo transporting capacity for the fast-growing export and import demand of the continent which is critically essential in the socio-economic development of the African countries.”