Emirates Boosts Cargo Revenue 48.4 Percent

Emirates Sky Cargo, the freight unit of Dubai-based airline Emirates, boosted first half revenue 48.4 percent from a year ago to $1.2 billion.

Cargo volume grew 23.7 percent to 897,000 metric tons in the six months to Sept. 30 from 725,000 metric tons in the same period in 2009.

Emirates said cargo is posting steady gains in revenue, now contributing around 17.8 percent of the state-owned carrier's total transport revenue.

By The Numbers: Middle East Air Freight.

The strong cargo performance helped Emirates increase first half net profit more than fourfold to $925 million from $205 million a year ago on a 35 percent increase in revenue to $7.2 billion.

The airline expanded its cargo coverage in the first half adding freighter flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan.

Emirates Sky Cargo launched a new weekly service between Dubai and Sao Paulo over the weekend with a 747-400 freighter with 117 tons capacity.

The new service to Sao Paulo Viracopos-Campinas airport will operate via Frankfurt on the outbound flight and return through Dakar, Senegal, the most recent addition to Emirates global network.

"Brazil is a major force in food production -- exporting such items as meat, fruit, sugar, coffee and dairy products -- so strengthening our commitment with the introduction of the world’s most advanced long range freighter was an easy decision to make," said Ram Menen, Emirates' divisional senior vice president, cargo.

Emirates has been operating a passenger service to Sao Paulo Guarulhos International airport with a weekly bellyhold cargo capacity of 105 metric tons each way since 2007.

-- Contact Bruce Barnard at brucebarnard47@hotmail.com.