Air Cargo Africa exhibition and conference set for take-off under Messe München banner in February

The fifth biennial Air Cargo Africa conference and exhibition, Africa’s biggest niche air cargo trade fair, gets underway in Johannesburg in February under the management of international exhibitions giant Messe München.

Messe München purchased the Air Cargo India and Air Cargo Africa exhibitions from the Indian publishing house Stat Trade Times last year, and aims to upgrade and expand the events as part of the exhibition firm’s global portfolio of industrial, transport and logistics, and supply chain events.

Air Cargo Africa attracted over 80 exhibitors and 2,100 visitors from across the continent in 2017, and this year is set to deliver even broader reach and impact.

Air Cargo Africa 2019, to be staged at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg from 19 to 21 February, will include a number of networking opportunities, an international exhibition, a theme dinner and an awards evening.

The three-day Air Cargo Africa conference will feature several niche air shippers’ forums, while industry experts will unpack topical themes including ‘Liberalisation and Modernisation’, ‘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. International speakers will include Glyn Hughes, Global Head of Cargo at IATA; Steven Polmans, Head of Cargo and Logistics at Brussels Airport Company; Peter Gerber, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo AG; Omar Talal Hariri, CEO of Saudi Cargo; Turhan Ozen, Chief Cargo Officer at Turkish Airlines; Guillaume Halleux, Chief Cargo Officer at Qatar Airlines; Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO at Ethiopian Airlines; and Jan de Vegt, COO at Kenya Airways.

For the full conference agenda, click here and to view the speakers’ line-up, click here.

Air Cargo Africa 2019 will also recognise leading stakeholders in the industry as part of the Stat Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo. Africa-specific awards categories will include:

• International Freight Forwarder of the Year in Africa
  
• International Ground Handler of the Year in Africa
  
• International IT Systems Provider of the Year in Africa
  
• International Air Charter Provider of the Year in Africa
  
• International General Sales Agent of the Year in Africa
  
• African Airport of the Year
  
• African All Cargo Carrier of the Year
  
• International All Cargo Carrier of the Year in Africa
  
• International Cargo Airline of the Year in Africa
  
• Air Cargo Brand of the Year in Africa

Voting for winners is now open online, with the awards night scheduled for 20 February.

Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge. To reserve your seat at Air Cargo Africa 2019, please click here or visit https://www.stattimes.com/ACA2019/.