DubeTradeport targets further expansion

February 22, 2017

2016 was a very favourable year for Dube TradePort, with cargo volumes growing 20 per cent on 2015, chief executive officer Hamish Erskine tells Air Cargo Week staff writer, James Muir.

Dube TradePort Corporation owns and operates Dube Cargo Terminal at King Shaka International Airport 30 kilometres North of Durban has welcomed additional capacity and connectivity with new carriers.

Erskine says: “The additional capacity and connectivity offered by more carriers staring operations in late 2015 was well received by the airfreight industry.”

2017 has started well, Erskine comments: “We see that there is an opportunity for steady, organic growth throughout the rest of the first quarter and 2017.” He feels Dube TradePort is in a prime location, as KwaZulu-Natal has the second largest manufacturing sector in South Africa, producing one third of the country’s exports.

Erskine says: “We believe a combination of Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone’s (SEZ) location, facilities and services give air cargo companies a competitive advantage in doing business in Southern Africa.”

The SEZ is home to King Shaka Airport with 77 hectares of light manufacturing facilities including electronics, medical and pharmaceutical goods. Dube Cargo Terminal offers dedicated facilities to handle outsized cargo for specialised freighter operations, and Erskine feels it is the most secure cargo terminal in Africa.

He says: “All this is enabled by our advanced and modern technology coupled with highly trained staff. We also offer all these services at very competitive rates for the shippers.”

Dube Cargo Terminal has 100,000 tonnes of annual capacity but Dube TradePort’s long term plans include expanding to accommodate two million tonnes.

Erskine says the TradeZone for manufacturing, assembly, warehousing and distribution of pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, high-tech and aerospace, as well as textiles, is rapidly expanding, boosting airfreight.

He adds: “Plans for phase 2 are underway which will open up further opportunities for KwaZulu-Natal and airfreight.”

James Graham

James Graham is an award-winning transport media journalist with a long background in the commercial freight sector, including commercial aviation and the aviation supply chain. He was the initial Air Cargo Week journalist and retuned later for a stint as editor. He continues his association as editor of the monthly supplements. He has reported for the newspaper from global locations as well as the UK.