WorldStage Newsonline– Perishable cargo transportation on Friday received a boost as Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, operator of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Terminal-II (MMA2), inaugurated a 25-metric tonne capacity digital cold storage facility.
Bi-Courtney’s Head of Aeronautics/Cargo, and Chief Operating Officer, Mr Remi Jibodu, said during the inauguration that the initiative would generate revenue and reduce spoilage of perishable cargoes.
Jibodu, while applauding the support and creativity of the Chairman of Bi-Courtney, Mr Wale Babalakin, SAN, said that the company would increase the capacity to 100 metric tonnes within a two-year period.
He noted that the facility was to ensure that the cold chain of perishables cargoes were maintained.
”Cargo has been what we call an operational environment, and what we are trying to do is to have a paradigm shift, where we change from an operational environment to a business unit.
”Where we can increase revenue, bring up a lot of innovations and creativity that can be able to give us more revenue, and will most importantly, ensure that we add value to our customers’ services.
”So, what you have seen here is a 25- metric tonnes cold storage, but this is just the beginning. We have a vision to extending to about 100 metric tonnes in less than two years.
”One of the things we will continue to do is to ensure excellence, while we adequately manage existing infrastructure to ensure that we get utmost revenue at every point,” he said.
Speaking on the volume of cargo transported through the terminal on daily basis, Jibodu said that an average of between 40 metric tonnes and 50 metric tonnes faced challenges.
He said that industry capacity had affected the volumes as there was no freighter, but only belly cargoes currently.
He said: ”What I can tell you is that on the very average, on a daily basis, we have an average of about between 50 metric tonnes and 60 metric tonnes.
”You know, the cargo that we are looking for now is belly cargo. We do not have a freighter.
”We could go up to 80 tonnes but because of capacity, especially after Dana Air was grounded, they were the biggest belly cargo and that has impacted cargo a lot.
Jibodu said that the cold storage, segmented into Chiller and Freezer would serve as a warehouse facilities for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, frozen foods, vegetables and other perishables within the airport and environs.
He said that the price for daily service and bulk storage were affordable with discounts available to users who wished to store in bulk and for longer periods.
