Cargo capacity to reach 1.5m tonne
The National Air Cargo Strategy is designed to strengthen sea-land connectivity in Suhar, Duqm and Salalah to build up their capabilities as strategic distribution hubs. “Air cargo represents an enormous opportunity for Oman,” said Hinai.
“By modernising our cargo infrastructures and implementing an ambitious air cargo strategy, we will be able to tap into niche cargo corridors in several key markets and further drive economic development across Oman.” Oman is laying the foundation for strong growth in air cargo and forecasts that its current capacity of 200,000 tonnes will grow to more than 780,000 tonnes by 2030.
The air cargo demand in, out and transiting through the Middle East is expected to benefit from growth that is increasingly driven by emerging and developing economies like China, Africa, India and Indonesia.
Furthermore, global air cargo traffic is projected to grow at 3.8 per cent annum, with the Middle East, Africa and South Asia projecting the strongest growth.
A 2017 IATA report stated that global goods trade grew by 4.6 per cent year on year in the fourth quarter of 2017, well above its five-year average pace of 2.6 per cent.
Since 2013, Oman has seen yearon-year growth in cargo tonnage. From 122,000 tonnes in 2013 to 210,000 tonnes in 2017— a 72 per cent increase — it is currently on track to achieve more than 220,671 tonnes by end of 2018.
Driven by globalisation, air cargo composition is shifting from electronics and consumer goods towards perishables, foodstuff, healthcare and pharma, creating a growing need for just-in-time supply chains. The new air cargo terminal was designed specifically to meet this growing demand in air freight.
Comprising 22,500 square metres, the new cargo warehouse combines leading freight management technologies with best cargo industry practices and is equipped with the latest Material Handling System which offers seamless and automated handling of cargo containers and pallets. The system utilises cuttingedge technology and an elevated transport vehicle (ETV) to move and store cargo in a systematic and organised manner.
With a significant portion of Muscat’s import and export cargo made up of perishables and temperature-controlled goods such as fish, fruits and vegetables, frozen meats and pharmaceutical products, the fully air-conditioned terminal, together with its cold room storage facility, ensures that cold chain integrity is maintained throughout the entire handling process, which is of critical importance throughout the summer season.