Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport recorded a rise of 10% in international cargo volumes. While pharma, auto and farm products were the top three ferried internationally, general cargo, engineering goods, and post office mail were the top three categories of products transported domestically from Mumbai airport.
CT Bureau
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) solidified its position as a premier global cargo hub during 2023-2024, witnessing a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in the overall cargo volumes, marking a significant stride in economic recovery post-COVID. This boost was driven by 10 per cent surge in global cargo volumes. These volumes managed to attain 93 per cent recovery compared to their pre-COVID levels, indicating a resurgence in global trade and logistics activities.
This fiscal year saw a 20 per cent increase in the total number of cargo air traffic movements. This achievement showcases the airport’s dedication to managing the rising cargo volumes. CSMIA’s cargo facility manages a diverse array of goods, with pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, and automobiles being among the primary categories. On the international scale, the top three categories transported are automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural cargo.
While this is so, the leading cargo categories exported domestically include general cargo, engineering goods, and post office mail. These categories underscore the airport’s proficiency in handling a wide variety of goods.
The surge in e-commerce impacted cargo operations at CSMIA. The Diwali season noticed an 87 per cent YoY growth in e-commerce shipments. Mango exports were prominent during April to July 2023, accompanied by export of cut flowers and chocolates during the Valentine’s Day. At the same time, CSMIA handled its inaugural shipment of frozen ready-to-serve food products, such as idli and vada, using specialised va-Q-tec containers bound for Amsterdam. CSMIA’s global cargo volumes comprised 56 per cent exports and 44 per cent imports. London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Chicago, and Amsterdam were the top global destinations for outgoing cargo, while Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad led domestically. Top global carriers handling cargo volumes from CSMIA included Emirates, Qatar, and Cathay Pacific, along with Indigo, Vistara and Akasa Air as top domestic carriers.
To enhance infra and adopt technology, MIAL is in process of building Pre-Engineered Building Structure (PEB) to enhance its cargo handling capacity in imports. Also, CSMIA has pioneered innovations in cargo operations, introducing ACCS and Adani MIAL Air Exchange, the first of its kind in India. This system transforms processes through SOP, integrated systems, and digitisation. Mobile apps such as AMAX and Turant enable transparent, paperless, and digital operations, eliminating physical documentation for export consignments. Integrated processes, such as e-Airwaybill, e-carting order, e-CSD, e-delivery orders, and e-gate passes ensure efficiency.
CSMIA spearheaded the Air Cargo Community portal in India, enhancing operational efficiency and supply chain planning. The introduction of Digital Docket Delivery (D-Cube) for import gate pass system streamlines online processing, reduces paper usage and cargo dwell time.
