|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A recent visit to Port Harcourt International Airport by BusinessDay showed that cargo handling activities at the airport is seeing a transformation largely due to the recent upgrade of cargo equipment by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc,(NAHCO).
NAHCO, a diversified enterprise with interests in aviation cargo, aircraft handling, passenger facilitation, crew transportation and aviation training says it will continue to invest in infrastructure procurement to facilitate the movement of cargoes across Nigeria, including Port Harcourt airport.
Unlike every other airport that engages in regular cargoes, Port Harcourt cargo airport is peculiar for its movement of oil and gas equipment because it is built within the South-South zone where oil and gas is a key business of the people who dwell or work in the state.
This implies that cargo handlers in this region need to invest in sophisticated facilities and equipment to be able handle heavy duty cargoes.
This is why the company has since taken up the responsibility of ensuring it meets international standards in all ramifications, by providing standard services to meet up with its daily demands and anticipated expansion.
Nahco just provided a dual view X-ray machine for both Lagos and Port Harcourt station. The Lagos X-ray machine is being installed and that of Port Harcourt station will arrive soon.
This is to help its business because exports from Port Harcourt require a lot of screening. Dual view machine helps cargo handlers X-ray beyond what a single view can do. With the dual view, one can get to the nitty-gritty of the content of products being screened.
The handling company also has two large warehouses, one for imports and the other for export, which are custom bounded because activities that has to do with cargo imports and exports has to be controlled to ensure prohibited items are not either taken out or taken into the country.
In a bid to ensure safety and security at the cargo shed, the company has procured an Explosives Trace Detector (ETD), an explosive detection equipment able to detect explosives of small magnitude.
The detection is accomplished by sampling non-visible “trace” amounts of particulates. The equipment is used to ensure there are no acts of unlawful interference.
Lufthansa and AirFrance/KLM, the two international cargo and passenger flights in Port Harcourt are handled by Nahco. It also handles all domestic flights emanating and landing at Port Harcourt, aside from Dana Air.
A station manager at the airport told BusinessDay that agriculture is yet to gain traction in Port Harcourt and that is why the Exports Promotion Council is working on growing agro exports from Port Harcourt.
“Nahco has the facilities on ground to process exports out of the country but the people are not yet informed to see what this can add to them in terms of value. Nahco has been in operation since 1979 and their operations started from Lagos, after which it expanded to major international and state airports in Nigeria,” the station manager added.
Seyi Adewale, chief commercial officer, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance) in an interview with BusinessDay said Nahco has continued to accept cargoes, screen them, put in the sterile area and load according to Load Controller Flight Instructions.
“Our services are limited towards safety, security and appropriate aircraft loading. Packaging is done before the shipment is brought into Nahco. It is only if Nahco now decides to develop a product processing and packaging company around the airport, then can we do these things.
“Our improvements has been with space, processing, security screening, storage, loading and providing the platform for government agencies to perform their statutory oversight function on all shipments leaving the country, to ensure they are safe and secure,” Adewale added.
The company recently clinched the Airport Ground Handling Special Achievement Award at the 2017 Nigeria Aviation (NIGAV) Awards, held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Among the 44 categories of awards, nahco aviance was announced the winner of the only award for ground handling, while FAAN, NIMET, AIB, NAMA, Bi-courtney and 37 other institutions and individuals also won different categories of awards.
The Nigerian Aviation Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious air transport awards is an annual event organized by FCI International Limited, and it seeks to recognise companies, organisations and individuals for best practices and outstanding contributions towards developing the nation’s aviation industry.
Over the years, nahco aviance has won several NIGAV awards in various categories. These include as Ground Handling Operator of the year 2009, Best Passenger Facilitation Company of the year 2010 and Handling Company of the Year award for 2012 and 2013 editions back-to- back. This latest award made it the Company’s fifth NIGAV award since inception.
IFEOMA OKEKE
