(Los Angeles) Although the May 1, 2014, deadline for Emirates SkyCargo
to move from combined freighter & belly operations at DXB to freighters
only at nearby Dubai World Central (DWC) is rapidly approaching, Nabil
Sultan, Emirates SkyCargo Divisional Senior Vice President, is here to
tell you that long before the hour strikes for the operational split,
cargo will be testing the new secure link between the gateways to make
sure everything is sorted.
Allied Transport a well-known company
in UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council landed a five-year contract to
perform beyond expectations, and it is a lead pipe cinch that Mr. Sultan
will expect (and get) absolute delivery across this vital link.
Taking Nothing
For Granted
“We are taking nothing for granted,”
he said two weeks ago, speaking from a relaxed, late afternoon terrace
in Los Angeles whilst visiting IATA Cargo Week.
“The challenge we have is welcoming
so much business, but that situation animates us and keeps everything
sharply in focus.
“The new DWC Emirates Cargo
Freighter Terminal is scheduled to be ready by the end of this month (March),
so then we will take it over and commence testing everything, including
live flights and truck runs between the airports.
“It’s a huge move for
us and we are determined to make it work.
“SkyCargo is a burgeoning air
cargo enterprise with systems able to handle every type of cargo, so we
have quickly expanded, gaining needed ground handling space at DXB beyond
our Mega Cargo Terminal.
"We’ve moved left to some
former dnata operational space and right back,” Nabil smiles, “into
the big old cargo shed, adjacent to the mega terminal that had served
us so well in the past.
“The good thing about big buildings
on airport,” Nabil says,” is that they can be updated and
brought back into service.
“I guess we were lucky the place
wasn’t torn down, but when you work as hard as our SkyCargo team
does, you also make our own luck.
“Last summer we just had so
much cargo that demand threatened to be overwhelming.
“But we had a ‘back to
the future’ safety valve to release the pressure as our trusty former
cargo facility with updates quickly came to our rescue.”
“Now with DWC about to open,
adding a 700,000 ton capability to our annual throughput, SkyCargo can
continue to work toward planning where in the world we want to be and
even pick up the pace of moving ahead without any immediate pressure,”
Nabil said.
Speaking of DWC, cargo transferring
by truck in a two-way stream via a secure road between two airports might
add ground time to the process. This is met with a reality today that,
due to the amount of activity at DXB, just moving cargo trains from freighter
parking spots on the north side of the airport around the inner roadways
between aircraft and cargo terminals can actually take longer than the
overland link between DXB & DWC.
“Our freighter fleet today already
accounts for 35 percent of Emirates SkyCargo’s revenue.
“Looking at the bigger picture,
the new DWC operation creates a seamless ability between two points, enhancing
capabilities and allowing us to grow our business via better interconnectivity
between the Jebel Ali port, DWC, and Dubai International Airport.
“The new Emirates SkyCargo facility
at DWC contains our state-of-the-art technology, with a fully automated
material handling system as elsewhere. But at DWC we are taking things
further adding, among other capabilities, one of the world’s first
automated Unit Load Device systems capable of moving half a dozen ULDs
simultaneously.
“DWC features 46 truck docks
and 80 truck parking spaces, in addition to 12 aircraft stands directly
in front of the terminal that will be more than able to handle our freighter
fleet of 12 aircraft,” Nabil declared.
Confidence
Moving Ahead
There is a quiet yet determined air
of confidence about Nabil Sultan.
As the first Emirati to operate a
major world air cargo airline business you might expect some uncertainty,
maybe even some nerves to surface during a 45-minute Q&A.
But this very smart man who is friendly,
engaging, and quick to smile and praise sincere effort, is also as cool
as a cucumber when it comes to bringing forward his thoughts when talking
about the future, his plan, and his people.
Today Nabil Sultan is heading up the
number one international combination air cargo enterprise in the world.
If he is overwhelmed or in awe of
anything these days, we definitely couldn’t see it.
Going from about 1.2 million-tons
capability at DXB by adding an additional 700,00 ton facility at DWC in
one fell swoop is no walk in the park, either.
But the lingering thought after we
spoke is that Nabil is into this thing head, heart, and hands, and boots
on the ground.
It is not hard to imagine Nabil Sultan
out there amongst closely watched trucks as the evolution of what will
be the new normal for all EK freighter traffic in and out of UAE is less
than 45 days away.
He speaks like an old hand at this
business when he says:
“We will find a way.”
And in that simple statement, he says it all.
Nabil mentioned that he sees Emirates
newly launched Boston services as a definite plus for both shippers in
Northeastern USA and Eastern Canada moving goods closer and faster to
market in both directions.
“In addition to New York we
have been offering our Chicago services serving shippers across this region.
“But our Boston service opens
up 15 tons daily of belly hold cargo space for lobsters, electronics,
medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, machine parts, leather products, and
consumer goods.”
We wonder if Canada will soon open
up for Emirates flights now that tensions seemed to have cooled, and Nabil
smiles.
“It’s rather mind boggling
when you consider how many countries have relaxed their protectionist
policies, realizing that open trade offers such immediate and long term
benefit all around.
“India is a good example of
success building upon success after allowing more fights and even cross
airline ownerships.
“Canada and Dubai are trading
partners and travellers can only benefit from an engaged airline environment,
and we continue to look forward to the opportunities that will follow
our commencing air services.
“I am confidant things will
change because that is what is happening nearly everywhere else in the
world.
“We are building a great world
network that includes the proper mix of business with the result that
our yields are among the best in the sky.
“It is not an easy task, but
we are very good at what we do because we leverage the finest people,
products, and information available.
“When we are looking at a new
market and we don’t have enough information, we go out ourselves
and carefully research where we want to fly and what equipment will fit.
“For instance, sidestepping
operating the incorrect aircraft from Dubai to London is knowledge gained
through careful research and that is a time consuming, expensive business,
quite apart from the seat of the pants approach of just throwing some
airplanes into the sky,” Nabil Sultan said.
“Our financial results prove
our methodology as Emirates Group is consistently profitable.”
Why Air
Cargo?
“It’s a challenging business.
“During my first seven months
at the helm of SkyCargo there have been some things that needed my immediate
attention, including the continuance of a functioning hub that actually
works as masses of cargo came calling in Dubai.
“To me the efficiency of our
hub and its ability to deal with expanding business has been job one.
“In hindsight the move to DWC
is also a blessing, as we are able to move capacity from DXB at an important
time, giving us a bit of room to grow our belly capacity.
“Flying the largest fleet of
777s in the world is also being able to offer lift via Dubai on passenger
aircraft that rival some pure freighters of past years, so we are grateful
for the ability to continue to grow our belly business at DXB,”
Nabil Sultan said.
Geoffrey/Flossie |