Air Niugini and Express Freight Management (EFM) will allow pick up and delivery of all cargo destined for Lae in the city instead of Nadzab Airport.

Under the agreement starting on 1 September, Air Niugini Cargo will be assisting businesses and the public of Morobe Province, mainly Lae City with a split rates system using the code of Lae to unload all cargo at Nadzab.

The cargo will then be picked up by EFM and delivered to a designated point of collection in Lae, which is EFM’s hardware house for customers to pick up.

EFM’s managing director, Robert Howden says the service will be convenient for customers, as they will not have to drive to Nadzab Airport, which is about 45 minutes outside Papua New Guinea’s second city.

Howden says: “This new initiative will see a new Lae City destination added so that clients are able to nominate Lae for all deliveries rather than driving all the way to Nazab airport to pick up their cargo.

“We will pick up cargo from Nadzab airport and deliver to the EFM warehouse in Lae, Malaita Street, which is located in the hub of the commercial and industrial centre of Lae.”

Air Niugini Cargo general manager, Gus Kraus says it has been a long time since Lae was recognised as an airfreight destination, saying: “This will greatly assist businesses and the public as well as the government institutions and hopefully grow the Lae business market, while ensuring convenience also for the everyday person to pick up cargo or consign to Lae City instead of Nadzab airport.”