The air cargo facility at Salalah Airport inaugurate 2024 with an unprecedented achievement

Salalah - Oman Airports: 

The air cargo facility at Salalah Airport has succeeded in achieving an unprecedented accomplishment in terms of the number of handling and clearance of air cargo shipments dealt with during the first month of this year. The data showed a tremendous leap in the volume of air cargo handling in January last year by more than 310 percent compared to the volume of shipments for the same period last year and by more than 185 percent compared to the same month in 2022. It is worth noting that with this achievement, the number of shipments has exceeded the figures for the same period in 2019 -pre-pandemic figures-, giving a positive indicator and a clear indication of the continuous growth of air cargo movement through Salalah Airport. This reflects the efforts of the Commercial Operations Unit at Oman Airports to promote the air cargo sector at Salalah Airport and to work on some initiatives aimed at promoting the air cargo facility and attracting freight agents and stakeholders in the air cargo sector to use it as an air gateway to global markets, as well as providing all necessary support and facilities to businesses in the local market in Dhofar Governorate in activities related to air cargo.

The data and analysis conducted by the Cargo Business Development Team at Oman Airports indicated a continuous increase in cargo handling volumes from the end of the last quarter of the previous year, exceeding a growth rate of 48 percent from the last quarter of 2022 and by more than 13 percent from the total cargo handling of the same year, reflecting the success of these efforts to market the air cargo facility and promote Salalah Airport as a unique strategic location and a vital air gateway possessing all logistical capabilities to handle all types of air cargo to and from within the Sultanate.

It’s worth mentioning that the success of inaugurating the sea-air trial flight, which took place in September of last year, has borne fruit and achieved its desired goals, resulting in strategic implications and dimensions as it provided a clear indication to global shipping markets of the integration of the eco system between ports and airports, highlighting the Sultanate's unique position on trade routes and the global shipping map, as its proximity to major markets makes it a gateway for the flow of cargo between continents. Additionally, the importance of the success of this experience lies in sending a clear message to individuals and companies operating in the logistics sector and shipping companies around the world, as it will be an attractive option for them, especially for those seeking better options and efficient solutions for shipping operations, given Salalah's strategic and vital location allowing it to play a pivotal role in this aspect, especially as the Port of Salalah overlooks major trade routes between Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Europe, offering better handling and transit times for goods compared to other ports in the region."