GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo Launches ‘HC3 – Hyderabad Cargo Charter Circle’

GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo launched ‘Hyderabad Cargo Charter Circle (HC3)’ – a first of its kind innovative and dedicated platform in India for facilitating the Cargo Charter Operators via Hyderabad Air Cargo Terminal, on 11^th October. The HC3 was unveiled in the presence of Charter Operators, Freighters, Shippers, Consolidation Agents, Freight Forwarders and the other airport stakeholders at a gala event organized at Hyderabad.

GMR Hyderabad Airport Cargo has taken a strategic step to develop Hyderabad as an Air Charter Hub for the South and boost the regional direct connectivity and link it to the main hubs across the globe. HC3 entails a membership programme, in which the affiliates will have several benefits viz. additional free cargo storage time; single point of contact for all aspects related to cargo handling and a 24X7 customer centric response; priority storage allocation, end-to-end logistics support within the terminal etc. Under the aegis of HC3, the consignees from across Southern India will also have the advantage to benefit by reduction in multiple handlings of their consignment thus gaining more reliability and control over their cargo throughout the transit.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL, said, “Cargo Charters in India as a concept is still in a nascent phase. While, it contributes a small proportion of the volume handled by the Indian airports currently, but as an emerging market, Cargo Charters holds a lot of promise. Realizing this potential, we have launched the HC3 platform, which will act as an industry forum led by Hyderabad Airport to give the value add and advantage to this segment of the industry and help boost trade and logistics.”

Hyderabad International Airport has witnessed an encouraging demand for Cargo Charters in the segments viz. Pharmaceuticals, Engineering Goods, Telecom, Defence and Aerospace Commodities. Hyderabad Air Cargo would be facilitating the consignees by helping them with non-stop connectivity through charter cargo operators encompassing the domestic markets in India and the international pockets in the US, Middle East, Far East, Africa and Latin America.

The Airport offers a strategic locational advantage linking all major Indian cities within two hours flying time. It is also well positioned globally within a five hour radius from all major cities across the Middle East and South East Asia.

Hyderabad International Airport has the distinction of building the first modular, integrated cargo facility in the country with 150,000 MT of cargo handling capacity per annum, which also houses India’s first Pharma Zone, which is World Health Organisation’s Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP) certified and offers end-to-end temperature-controlled environment right from the Truck-Dock to the airside. The terminal has handled over 148 thousand tonnes of cargo in FY 19.

In line with the Govt. of India’s vision, GHIAL is progressively working towards making Hyderabad as a strong cargo hub. It has been the airport’s continuous endeavour to create requisite infrastructure facilities to rally towards this goal. Growing at the pace of double digit cargo growth historically, Hyderabad International Airport has been taking steps towards expanding the existing facilities, adding new infrastructure, transshipment facilities, Integrated Express Terminal, Dedicated Perishable facilities, Pack Houses and strong network - International and Domestic (Air and Road), Multi modal connectivity and ease of operations in the Air Cargo Terminals. GMR Group, with its Hyderabad and Delhi Airports, is working towards contributing to the country’s vision of becoming the top five Air Freight Markets by 2025.