Over 546 conference delegates, 2,000 air cargo stakeholders and 86 exhibitors gathered at Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park in February, for the fifth edition of Air Cargo Africa, the sectors’ leading industry exhibition and conference.

Suzette Scheepers, CEO of Messe Muenchen South Africa, said: “Air Cargo Africa is a central hub for Africa’s air cargo industry, putting them in contact with experts from across the globe. We’d like to thank partners, sponsors and our air cargo industry supporters for making this event the continent’s prime air cargo industry gathering.

Over three days, it facilitated successful business engagements, networking and sharing of expert knowledge by industry decision-makers from across Africa and around the world.” The top visiting countries were Kingdom of Saudi, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Miami, Brussels, Liege, Frankfurt, Morocco, Ethiopia, France, Germany, South Africa, St. Helena, Uganda, Ukraine, India and the United States of America.

The event was officially opened by Vuyani Jarana South African Airways CEO, and Ms. Bongiwe Pityi  General Manager of O.R Tambo International Airport at Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), a number of networking lunches, a theme dinner and a high-level conference featuring niche round tables and forums where industry experts unpacked topical themes such as ‘Liberalization and Modernization’, ‘Air cargo in a digital era’, ‘Trade barriers and populist agendas’, ‘China’s belt and road initiative and investments in Africa’, and the future of unmanned vehicles in the air cargo industry.

Highlights included a round table on Liberalization & Modernization of the freight industry in Africa moderated by Glyn Hughes, Global Head of Cargo, IATA; Automotive Air Shippers forum addressed by keynote speaker Max Conrady, Senior Vice President Cargo, Frankfurt Airport and moderated by Roland Weil, Vice President, Sales, Cargo, Frankfurt Airport; an Air Shippers Forum – Flowers moderated by Reji John, Editor, Stat Media Group; a round table on Air cargo in the digital era moderated by Marcel Fujike, Senior Vice President Products & Services, Global Air Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel; a round table on Trade barriers and populist agendas moderated by Shahe Ouzounian, COO, Chapman Freeborn; a pharma Air Shippers Forum moderated by Emir Pineda, Manager-Aviation Trade & Logistics, Marketing Division, Miami-Dade Aviation Department; a round table on eCommerce moderated by Bert Selis, Cargo & Logistics Manager, Liege Airport; a round table on threats to the air cargo industry moderated by Reji John, Editor, Stat Media Group; and a round table on belt air logistics and investments in Africa moderated by Robert Schoenberger, Exhibition Group Director, Transport Logistic Exhibitions, Messe München.

The STAT Trade Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo was presented at a glittering celebration. Qatar Airways Cargo took three awards, closely followed by Turkish Cargo, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Servicesand Saudia Cargo. OR Tambo International Airport was named African Airport of the Year, and Tleli Makhetha, former General Manager of cargo at South African Airways, received a lifetime achievement award.

Air Cargo Africa 2019 was organized by Messe Muenchen South Africa, and Indian publishing house Stat Media Group, in partnership with Diamond Partner Swissport, Platinum Partner Qatar Airways Cargo, Emerald Partner Airports Company South Africa, Gold Partner Saudia Cargo, Silver Partner Miami International Airport, and track and forum partners Frankfurt Airport, NAACAM, Liege Airport, ibs Software, National Airlines Cargo, Mobile App Partner Unisys, as well as ATC Aviation, Cargoflash, Atlas Air Worldwide and Frankfurt Hahn airport.

Messe München purchased the Air Cargo India and Air Cargo Africa exhibitions from Stat Media Group last year, and upgraded and expanded the events in line with its global portfolio of industrial, transport and logistics, and supply chain events.

The next edition of the Air Cargo series is Air Cargo Europe. This international industry gathering for the global air freight industry will take place from 4th – 7th   June in Munich, Germany, presented by leading international exhibition organizer Messe München. For more information visit www.aircargoeurope.com Air Cargo Africa will be back in 2021, again organized by Messe Muenchen South Africa in partnership with STAT Media Group.