Kenya Airways (KQ) has introduced weekly direct cargo services between Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Mogadishu, Somalia, aiming to broaden its cargo operations.
KQ says it is collaborating with Global GSA Cargo LLC, a Dubai-based sales agent, to facilitate logistics for the route.
Dick Murianki, KQ’s cargo director, expressed his delight in extending their logistics service to markets that have been underserved.
“The direct route between the UAE and Somalia offers huge demand for air freight transportation, particularly high-tech consumer goods, automotive parts, project cargo, and clothing, which are the most frequently flown goods on the route,” KQ cargo director Dick Murianki said.
KQ Cargo has expanded its route network to include direct cargo flights between Sharjah, UAE, and Mogadishu, Somalia. This route will be served weekly effective 9th February and is expected to grow to two (2) weekly frequencies in April.
Read more HERE: https://t.co/AoOOi5JIEF pic.twitter.com/9PFEiULtzm— Kenya Airways (@KenyaAirways) February 8, 2024
In November, KQ augmented its cargo freight fleet with a B737-800F plane and plans to lease another similar aircraft. These planes offer superior cargo capacity and long-range flight capabilities compared to KQ’s two B737-300F planes.
The 737-800F plane can carry up to 23 tonnes of revenue payload, as stated by Boeing, the manufacturer.
In 2020, due to the increased demand for freight services and a sharp drop in passenger services during the coronavirus pandemic, KQ converted two of its B787 planes into cargo airlines.
Besides Sharjah, KQ plans to deploy its cargo planes to several destinations, including Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dakar, Lagos, N’Djamena, Mumbai, Freetown, and Monrovia.
Kannan Nachiappan, CEO of Global GSA Cargo, stated that direct UAE-Somalia flights would decrease transit time and costs. He noted that the UAE, a multimodal logistics hub, is a primary gateway to Africa.
Kenya Airways plans to resume direct passenger flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu from February 15, 2024.