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GURUGRAM, March 12, 2021: In a move which will significantly aid the national dream of building India into a transshipment hub, SpiceJet, the country's favourite airline, operated its first flight as part of the multi-modal cargo transportation project carrying 48 tonnes of cargo including garments for a renowned global fashion brand from Dhaka to Spain while availing an inter-connect of two modes of transport – via road and air.
Multimodal transport is a combination of different means of transport to facilitate the movement of cargo making it faster and more efficient whereby more than one transport mode is involved to ferry the goods to their final destination which may include trucks, trains, ships, airplanes etc.
The initiative was undertaken in association with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Ltd. (AAICLAS) as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’.
The consignment was shipped first from Dhaka through Petrapole to Kolkata airport via road and then to New Delhi on a SpiceXpress freighter. From New Delhi, a SpiceXpress Airbus A340 cargo plane will transport the consignment to Spain. The aircraft departed from New Delhi at 8:15 PM.
Petrapole is the Indian side of Petrapole-Benapole border checkpoint between India and Benapole of Bangladesh.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “We are extremely proud to launch our first-ever multimodal cargo movement between Dhaka and Spain via Kolkata and New Delhi with the help of Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAICLAS. Multimodal cargo service will actively and effectively contribute in streamlining cargo shipment across various domestic and international sectors, reduce cost and ensure self-reliance, helping realize our Prime Minister’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
“With the government’s continued support, I am sure this initiative will foster the logistics industry to be a key driver in making the country a five trillion-dollar economy by 2024.”
With a network spanning 63 domestic and 50 international destinations and a fleet of 19 cargo planes, SpiceXpress is capable of flying over 600 tonnes of cargo daily to domestic and international destinations.
Ever since the lockdown began, SpiceJet and its cargo arm, SpiceXpress, has played a critical role and worked relentlessly to ensure that the country’s supply chain remained intact. The airline has helped in the transportation of vital goods and medical supplies to all corners of India and the world. SpiceJet has operated 15,469 cargo flights since the lockdown began and carried around 1,30,788 tonnes of cargo.
To ensure seamless delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine both within and outside the country, SpiceJet has tied up with multiple partners including Brussels Airport, GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC), Adani Ahmedabad International Airport among others. The airline has also tied-up with global leaders in cold chain solutions offering active and passive packaging and has the capability to transport extremely sensitive drugs and vaccines in controlled temperatures ranging from -40°c to +25°c.
About SpiceJet Ltd
SpiceJet is India’s favourite airline that has made flying affordable for more Indians than ever before. The airline operates a fleet of Boeing 737s, Bombardier Q-400s & freighters and is the country’s largest regional player operating 63 daily flights under UDAN or the Regional Connectivity Scheme. The majority of the airline’s fleet offers SpiceMax, the most spacious economy class seating in India.
The airline also operates a dedicated air cargo service under the brand name SpiceXpress offering safe, on-time, efficient and seamless cargo connectivity across India and on international routes.
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