In Dubai, UAE where they seem to do everything high, wide and handsome these days one area that has needed some immediate attention and is actually behind the curve sort of, is the cargo area handling set up.
     Driven by overwhelming demand facilities that a few years ago looked ample have quickly become maxed out.
     Yes, there is a new airport or rather airport universe building at Jebel Ali, and elsewhere in DXB cargo area construction is going on seemingly everywhere.
     But tomorrow is today at DXB Cargo as everybody politely is screaming for space.
     In fact it is so crazy busy what with new terminals and airport traffic and air cargo looking for space, if you might decide to lunch outside here and leave your sandwich for a moment while off to get a cold drink, that hummus on pita might end up as a cornerstone.
     Sunimal Fernando is Project Manager at the Cargo Mega Terminal for EK SkyCargo.
     The native-born Sri Lankan is right at home and certainly above the din with all his facts and figures delivered with a confidence reflected in his easy smile.
     “This is a tremendous project.
     “We will launch this place by the end of this year.
     “Half of the warehouse together with all office areas will be ready in December 2006. The other half will be ready during July 2007.
     “The Cargo Mega Terminal (CMT) includes area of 43,000 square meters with a terminal footprint of 35,000 square meters.
     “In terms of throughput capacity, CMT is designed to handle about 1.2 million tons a year.
     “The facility features a fully automated pallet (ASRS - Automatic Storage and Retrieval System) and Unit Loading Devices (PCHS -Pallet Container Handling System).
     “Handling equipment at the facility is to be fully integrated and optimized with the help of CCS (Cargo Control System) designed to interface with SkyLog, the current operations systems at our hub that was implemented in August 2004.
     CMT is designed to handle all types of cargo such as perishables with different temperature storage requirements, valuables, vulnerables, and dangerous goods.
     “The facility is also rated to handle a total hourly peak of 350 ULDs (both incoming and outgoing) with an extrapolated mix of ULD types based on Emirates fleet expansion plans.
     “But ASRS and PCHS as mentioned here are part of CCS which is supplied together with the handling equipment.
     “The four-module facility will be delivered in two different stages.
     “Two of the four modules will be delivered by the end of this year with the balance ready in mid 2007.
     “Currently, together with the remaining civil work, a lot of mechanical, electrical and plumbing and equipment installation work are ongoing.
     “Obviously with our late 2006 opening anticipated work is more rigorously being conducted in the first half of the facility.
     “In parallel, system integration development and testing are also ongoing.
     “There is no question that growth here has driven a sense of urgency as to increasing our capabilities.
     “But we also feel that we must get these systems right so that they can serve and be expanded to meet future demand.
     “So we have experienced some delays in appointing the main civil contractor and some other issues have been challenging.
     “More capacity and additional equipment would have helped ease the current operation that is running almost three times its design capacity (thanks to the dynamic workstations that we have).
     “As we have in the past, we continue to anticipate changes and have contingency plans in place that will accommodate for any of these changes.
     “But when this place opens it will be a new wonder world for air cargo handling, driven by the next generation everything, serving the most exciting, fastest growing air cargo airline in the world.”
Geoffrey