TANZANIA is set to boost exports
of its products, especially perishable goods, to foreign markets following
setting up of a modern 6 million US dollars (about 10bn/- ) storage facility at
the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam.
Managing Director of Africa
Flight Services (AFS), Mr. Mohamed Anur, said in Dar es Salaam that the firm, which
is part of the Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), would be engaged in cargo
handling and not ground handling.
“We have been receiving a lot of
phone calls from airlines and airport authorities regarding news that we will
be conducting ground handling at JNIA, but the truth is that we will only be
doing cargo handling,” Mr. Anur explained.
He, however, noted that his firm
is among those which have submitted bids to provide ground handling services at
the airport, following liberalisation of the aviation industry by the
government of Tanzania.
WFS is among leading independent
cargo handling companies in the world, handling over four million tonnes of
cargo per annum.
The conglomerate is present in
121 stations globally, serving more than 50 million passengers per year. “With 10,000
employees, WFS supports more than 300 airlines and airport authorities across
the globe,” according to WFS Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mr. Barry Nassberg.
Tanzania is the second station of
operations in Africa after the company launched first operations in South
Africa in the year 2012. In Tanzania, the new firm plans to start with 120
employees, the COO noted, saying that the company would strive to train locals
in the cargo handling services and thus shun using foreign experts in its operations.
According to Mr. Nassberg, though
the aviation industry in the country was still in its infancy stages, there
were a lot of opportunities in the mode of transport.
He also pointed out the fact that
lack of a vibrant national carrier was holding back growth of the industry.
Established as a family business
in 1983, the company operates at over 100 airports across 22 countries in the world.
The WFS chose Tanzania to put up
the facility due to, among others, steady economic growth, political stability and
conducive environment to do business, according to the WFS’s COO.
The Director of AFS, Mr. Juma
Mabakila, expressed optimism that the storage facility will enable the country boost
exports of fruits, flowers, meat vegetables and other non-perishable goods.
According to the officials, the cargo facility at the JNIA will become
operational in the fourth quarter of this year.
Daily News.
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