In 2017, more than 2.4 million tonnes of fresh products have been transported worldwide on board of our aircraft, a 3.3 percent increase compared to 2016. With more than 1.1 million tonnes, fruits and vegetables comprise around 46 percent of all fresh products in air cargo. “With CV fresh, Cargolux offers a special product tailored to the special requirements of these perishable goods. Customers appreciate the airline’s excellent, long-standing experience in this area, which is built on expertise, innovation and close personal attention”, says Chris Nielen, VP Sales at Cargolux, ahead of the opening of the Fruit Logistica exhibition. Every week, the Luxembourg-based carrier operates close to 20 flights out of Africa and South America to Europe.
Blueberries from Chile, asparagus from Peru or beans from Kenya – consumers in Europe and the United States as well as in the emerging economies in Asia demand fresh fruits and vegetables all year around. It has developed into a win-win partnership for people and business in advanced countries and emerging ones as well. Demand for safe and reliable air transport of perishable goods is expected to increase. Cargolux strives to offer the highest standard required to transport fresh products and therefore introduced the Air Cargo covers that ensure an additional protection for temperature sensitive shipments. “We are operating a modern fleet which has the state-of-art thermal capabilities and we do have a highly skilled team that knows and understands the importance of ensuring an unbroken cool chain. We constantly strive to optimize our processes to meet the ever increasing requirements of fresh products transportation”, says Stavros Evangelakakis, Cargolux product manager for fresh and temperature controlled commodities.
Fast growing African countries like Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are importing commodities by air such as hi-tech goods, agricultural products and machinery, while export shipments are mainly perishables, such as fruit and vegetables for European consumers. “Cargolux is the preferred partner for African businesses in their endeavor to establish their trade lanes to Europe, the United States and Asia as well as across the Cargolux network worldwide’, Nielen says.
Cargolux is the world’s first GDP-certified airline, as well as the world’s first ‘Lean & Green’ carrier and operates from one of Europe’s most modern centers for temperature-controlled logistics in Europe at Luxembourg’s Findel Airport. Its expert staff is highly trained and motivated with a thorough knowledge and experience in their field, which benefits its customers’ specialized requirements.
