‘Improve road infrastructure to facilitate efficient cargo movement at NMIA’

M Afzal Malbarwala, Managing Director, Galaxy Freight shared, “We are excited about the new Air Cargo Complex (ACC) in Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). It’s a big step forward for the freight forwarding industry. But we really need better infrastructure to make the most of it. The road to the NMIA needs to be improved so that cargo can get there in under an hour. This isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s absolutely necessary. We need to clear up some questions about the cargo cleared at the old ACC. Will it be bonded and transported by airlines? If so, are there going to be extra charges for that? If they add these costs to the freight without being upfront, it could create unexpected expenses for everyone involved. Plus, if we use bonded trucking from the old ACC and only some of the cargo from an Air Waybill (AWB) gets shipped, what happens to the rest? Will it be loaded onto the plane or put on hold until the balance is ready? If the next flight doesn’t leave for a few days, who pays for the extra storage fees? Also, what’s the plan for screening the cargo? Is it going to be done at both complexes? If we pay Terminal Charges (TC) at the ACC where the cargo is cleared, will there be more charges for screening at the new ACC? Since there’s a brand-new ACC, it would be great if there were spaces for agents to create their pallets, just like in many other countries. If we can tackle these issues and get the right infrastructure in place, it will make everything run much smoother.