Cargo will have been the only consolation for airlines during the reign of Dame Covid for two years, even saving, for some of them, a disastrous balance sheet in perspective, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
It must be said that it represents 1.9% of global air traffic. Except that the horizon that we thought we would see brighten tends to darken with the conflict in Ukraine and its fallout. Our national company, Royal Air Maroc, is not immune to this whirlwind which is heavily affecting the supply chain in view of the energy costs which have exploded, and inflation never at its highest level throughout the world. A situation we suspect that affects more severely Africa, which is very dependent on exports and where inflation, according to the IMF, should not move from its 12.2% in 2022”.
According to IATA statistics, for the month of April, global demand measured in cargo tonne-kilometres (CTK) fell by -11.2% compared to the past financial year, and by – 1% compared to 2019. Global capacities also suffered contractions of -2% compared to 2021. Only South America with an impressive increase of +40.9% in freight demand for the same period ( April 2022) escaped the slump. As for our continent where our company, RAM is making its lines, the fall in demand for freight in Africa (-6.3%) is less significant than that observed in the other regions of the world, even achieving the strongest growth. CTK in the world.
It did not, moreover, fall during the Dame Covid crisis as mentioned above, thus remaining engraved as a good factor of cohesion for the companies operating in this market where competition for Royal Air Maroc is fierce with Ethiopian Airlines and many lesser degrees Air Algérie. This is where the hope lies and the three companies do not insult the future by embarking on investment and go ahead and start buying aircraft for Ethiopian Airlines and Air Algérie. If the two rivals have placed an order for five Boeing 777-8F freighters in order to pursue its strategy focusing on freight for the first, the eastern neighbor is preparing to renew its fleet in all categories with the acquisition of 15 new planes. But in mid-May, Air Algérie launched its official website for its cargo subsidiary.
Royal Air Maroc, which obtained the Cargo iQ certification a few days ago, which demonstrates its perfect application of the quality management standards of the air cargo transport industry… is rather in the tradition. No need for devices, the Group is self-sufficient, although it intends to complete its range. Air freight at RAM has always been an optional activity, if not a vocation, which the first African company can boast of. New trade is added every day that God does around the world and our company is fully invested in it as in trade with China.
The General Administration of Chinese Customs recently indicated that trade estimated at 64.8 billion dollars between China and Africa increased by +23% compared to 2021. So how can we spit in the soup for a company that already has its base in Beijing? This is explained by the increase in imports of raw materials from Africa, Chinese ones from Africa increased by +29.3%, and exports from the Middle Kingdom to Africa increased. of +18.2% compared to last year.
However, Boeing said in a report that two hundred and fifty new jumbo jets (passenger and cargo) will ensure the expansion of air cargo and long-haul flights. Aircraft delivered to African airlines are expected to support fleet growth with sustainable and more fuel-efficient models, such as the Boeing 737, 777X and 787 Dreamliner; the remaining 20% will replace older models,” the report states. The latter specifies that these acquisitions will represent 160 billion dollars, to which will be added the cost of maintenance and repair services estimated at 235 billion dollars. In addition to this, 63,000 jobs will be available: 24,000 flight crew members, 20,000 technicians and 19,000 pilots. To your job applications!
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