(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