L-R: Opeyemi Emmanuel, Group Head Internal Control, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL); Martins Abhulimen, Station Manager, Ibom Air, Remi Jibodu, Head, Aeronautics and Cargo, BASL, Kola Bamigboye, Head, Space and Premises, BASL, Lucky Omokhodion,Chairman, Ehi Multi System, Bright Aghogban,CEO, BA Global Logistics and Monica Oguta, Head, AVSEC, BASL during the commissioning of the new Digital Cold Storage facility at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) in Lagos.
From Idris Alooma, Lagos
Managers of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) have added a new impetus to improving perishable cargo businesses in Nigeria with the commissioning of a new digitalized storage facility at the cargo wing of the airport in Lagos.
The terminal management affirmed that the new facility will not only prolong the lifespan of such items but save billions of naira hitherto lost due to lack of storage facilities at airports in the country as the facility offers a cold room and chiller for different degrees of storage as may be desired for different farm or similar product.
The facility, a 25-tonne capacity, the operator said is an innovation aimed at increasing the cargo value chain in the aviation sector adding that it will drastically reduce the loss currently witnessed by cargo agents in the course of freighting their perishable goods.
Speaking at the commissioning of the facility in Lagos at the weekend, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services (BASL) Mr. Remi Jibodu said the electronically controlled facility will preserve produce like cosmetic products, frozen meat, pharmaceutical dairy products and plants and flowers for a longer period and offer seamless belly-cargo services for airlines.
Jibodu projected that BASL plan is to increase the capacity of the storage facilities to 100 tonnes within the next two years just as he disclosed that clients who bring more volume to the facility are assured of a good deal.
He said “For us, one of the things we will continue to do at all times is to ensure that we add to the existing infrastructure so that customers will continue to patronize us and to offer those services and this is the opportunity we have been waiting for.
“What you are seeing is just a 25-tonne cold storage. This is just the beginning. What we are trying to do is to ensure that we extend it to 100 tonnes in two years. In the next six months, we may even have to move to another place to ensure that we have about 100 tonnes in a few years.”
“We are still pushing the 50 tonnes we are doing daily despite. That for us is fantastic. I am sure people will be surprised by the volume we are doing daily.
“In any domestic airport in Nigeria, this is the first in Nigeria. Even the one we have at international here is for the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCo) and not an airport operator that owns that. For us, we think it is very strategic looking at our location.”
“We say we are a consuming nation importing everything but the truth about it is that when you import, you have to have a place to store cold cargo. This is the hub of aviation. Apart from the fact that we are using this hub to distribute cargo, the cold aspect of it; I realised some time ago, that you have a B747 bringing almost all cold cargo and we will use B737 to distribute to Accra, Libreville and before daybreak.
“A lot of people have complained of losing money on 80% perishable of what they brought in because there is nowhere to store it because the other airports they are coming from, there is already a delay; they already lose their ice and getting to this place, there is another delay and customers are complaining seriously about it and the number one priority and we think it is very important for us and international products and secondly, for Lagos itself as an environ for pre-departure and pre-arrival goods so that we can be able to satisfy all of our customers.” Jibodu said.
