The sale of the cargo unit of Alitalia is nearing a conclusion according to the bankruptcy administrator of Italy’s national airline. Augusto Fantozzi said he expects to sign a contract with Alis, the owner of Cargoitalia, another private Italian all-cargo carrier, within a week which will see Alis pay nearly US$18 million for the former Alitalia Cargo, but this does not include planes or take off and landing slots, Fantozzi said. Alitalia Cargo’s five MD-11 freighters were grounded in January after CAI, the investor group that paid US$1.3 billion for a slimmed down Alitalia, declined to buy the loss-making freight unit of the former state-controlled carrier. Alitalia Cargo lost US$20 million in 2007.