Countdown begins for AIR CARGO AFRICA 2011 in Nairobi

A record turnout of trade visitors is expected at ‘AIR CARGO AFRICA 2011’ -the First Biennial International Conference and Expo to be held at the Tsavo Ballroom in Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, from 22-24 February, 2011. At the time of going to press 1437 trade visitors had registered two weeks before the event indicating how stakeholders of the supply chain of air logistics industry are vying for major participation in the African market.


Around five months prior to the event, the entire exhibitors’ space was booked. Yet inquiries from more interested exhibitors kept pouring in, forcing the organizer to shut the booking due to space constraints. Around 54 exhibitors will be present at the event to showcase their world class products and services specifically designed for the air transport industry of the African continent that spans across 53 countries. United Nations will also be participating in the event to highlight the importance of air cargo in the continent in terms of aid supply.


More than 220 registered delegates from across the world will explore the business prospects at the event. Currently, the pre-registered trade visitors from 24 countries across the Africa continent and 19 countries from other continents will flock to this much awaited event.
The BBC World News anchor – Aaron Heslehurst and Harpreet de Singh, General Manager, QMS & Training at Air India, will be moderating the conference and anchoring the evening networking function, including the Gala Award Nite. The networking social evenings will be interspaced with cultural programmes that will give the delegates a taste and glimpse of the African culture.


AIR CARGO AFRICA 2011 is the first of its kind event in the African continent that will give the investors and consumers an opportunity to fix deals and forge relations for a firm presence in this vast continent. So much is the realization of its potential that the World Bank’s private investment arm is roping in investors to construct toll roads for smooth road transport which will thereby facilitate efficient surface transport system in Africa. Among the prominent delegates is Shanghai Pudong international airport. Given that China has made huge investments in this Second largest Continent for mining, construction, oil extraction and so on, Shanghai Pudong International Airport is a prospective business partner and it is marking its presence at the event. Indian investments cannot be lagging behind especially when India’s is the 6th and 2nd largest trading partner with South Africa and Nigeria, respectively in the African Continent.


Ethiopia would like to see more investments from Indian firms whereas the bilateral trade between India and Nigeria in the year ending March 31, 2011 is expected to reach a record figure of $12 bn. India, Kenya expect trade to touch $2.5bn by 2013. The key sectors identified for bilateral cooperation are agriculture like agro-processing, drugs and pharma, infrastructure sectors like road, rail and energy, information and communication technology, oil and gas and healthcare.


Moreover many important delegates from airports will throng the venue to exchange business ideas and strike deals, and some of them serve as the gateway for African goods- like petroleum, metallurgical goods, raw cotton, fruits, vegetables and other perishables including fresh flowers, chemicals, non-metallic mineral manufactures, precious stones, textile yarn, gold, nickel, etc. Africa has interests from world over due to its untapped natural resources, huge reserves of minerals and a demand for consumer goods, etc.


Thus it would be of benefit to listen to experts’ opinion on a variety of topics related to major issues in the African continent like infrastructure and opportunities. The high profile speakers include Colonel H.K.Kioko- KAF((retd), Director General –Kenya Civil Aviation Authority; Ram Menen,Chairman Cargo Committee-IATA & Divisional Sr.V.P Cargo- Emirates Airlines, Des Vertannes-Group Head-Cargo of IATA;Preston Grey Murray- President & CEO of National Air Cargo; Tewolde Gebriel Mariam- CEO of Ethiopian Airlines; Sanjiv Gadhia-CEO of Astral Aviation; Shahari Sulaiman-Managing Director of MASkargo; John Batten -Executive Vice President of Cargo Worlwide-Swissport International; Franz Heuckeroth van Hessen- Managing Director-Cargo of Cologne Bonn Airport; Akshay Shrivastava- Sr.Vice President & Global Head of Business Solutions &Service Delivery- IBS Software Services; Jay Shelat- Executive Vice President Cargo of Jet Airways; John Mathenge-Regional Executive Officer of Federation of East African Freight forwarding association; Lothar Moehle, Regional Director- EMEA-Cargo 2000; Joseph Twine from Long term Air Charter Team of UN procurement Division; Sandeep Fernandes- Market Development Manager of Mercator; Georges Biwer-Head of Area 4 Africa, Cargolux;


Stanley Wraight- Managing Partner-Strategic Aviation Solutions International; Tom Crabtree- Regional Director, Business Strategy & Marketing of Boeing, Peter Scholten-Vice President Commercial- Saudia Cargo; Danita Waterfall Brizzi- Director - Cargo sales & services, EMEIA- Delta Airlines; Wolfgang A. Schmid-Vice President Sales, Marketing and Customer Support-EADS Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH; Michael Meagher, former Executive Vice President of Saudi Airlines Cargo; Bram Steller –COO of Kenya Airways, and Dr. Titus Naikuni, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of Kenya Airways.


The stalwarts from across the air cargo supply chain include General Sales Agents, IT solution providers, airports, freight forwarders, airlines, Charter Service Providers that have business prospects with United Nations as well, air cargo handlers, etc, will be present at the event. The exhibitors space is blocked by the leading players of the industry that are Astral Aviation, Astra Aviation Services, Airline Cargo Resources, Airline Service International, Air Logistics Group, Air Atlanta Icelandic, Air Menzies International, Amerijet International, BAE Systems Plc, Boeing, Brescia Airport, Brussels Airlines Cargo, Brussels Airport, Cargolux Airlines, Cargo Flash Infotech, Chapman Freeborn Air chartering, Cologne Bonn Airport, D- Connection, Decmar, DHL, EADS EFW, Egypt Air cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, Etihad Crystal Cargo, Ethiopian Cargo, Express Air Services, Frankfurt Hahn Airport, Hannover Airport, IBS Software Solution Services, Infratil Airports, Kenya Airways Cargo, Kenya Airports Authority, Leige Airport, Mercator, MASkargo, Maastricht Aachen Airport, Maximus Air Cargo, Network Airlines Services, National Air Cargo, Ostend Brudges Intl Airport, Saudi Airlines Cargo, Siginon freight, Stuttgart Airport, Swissport International, Tradewinds Aviation Services, Transglobal Cargo centre, Turkish Airlines Cargo Inc, ULS Airlines Cargo, United Nations, Worldwide Flight Services(WFS), Dube Trade Port and others.
(Source:http://www.transportweekly.com)