Tanzania's Air Cargo Sector Soars with New Dubai Link and Regional Expansion

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania's logistics landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, marked by a fresh wave of air-cargo activity.

New freight services and the expanding operations of both local and regional carriers are poised to strengthen trade across Africa and beyond, enhancing the nation's position as a key East African logistics hub.

A pivotal moment occurred on July 2, 2025 with the inauguration of Xerin Air Cargo's maiden freighter service between Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam.

This weekly Boeing 737-800 flight, capable of carrying up to 20 tonnes per trip, promises to revolutionise export and import logistics for Tanzanian businesses.

Director of Finance and Commercial Affairs at the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA), Mr Shadrack Chilongani, lauded the new service at the welcoming ceremony.

"This freight route will significantly reduce cost and transit time—crucial for international trade," he said.

He emphasised its transformative potential for agribusiness and small-scale traders by ensuring perishable goods like fruits, flowers, agricultural produce, and meat retain their quality.

Mr Chilongani also reiterated TAA’s commitment to providing supportive infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to attract and sustain air-cargo services.

Xerin Air Cargo, a Tanzanian-owned logistics firm, already operates regional charters and plans to further expand its network throughout East and Central Africa, using Dar es Salaam as a nexus to ferry goods to regional capitals via a dedicated 10-tonne freighter.

Regional Carriers Strengthen Cargo Partnerships

The burgeoning air cargo scene in Tanzania is also benefiting from broader regional trends. Industry reports earlier this month revealed that Kenya Airways is exploring a strategic cargo alliance with Air Tanzania, aiming to broaden intra-African freight connectivity.

Ethiopian Airlines’ dedicated cargo branch, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, continues to solidify its position as Africa's leading air-cargo provider.

Its joint venture with DHL (DHL-Ethiopian Airlines Logistics Services) and investment in a high-tech parcel hub near Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport underscore the region’s rising logistics potential and collaborative spirit.

Supporting Infrastructure and National Ambitions

Locally, the growth in air cargo is strongly supported by robust ground logistics. Swissport Tanzania, a favoured provider for cargo handling at JNIA and other domestic airports, remains a cornerstone of this ecosystem.

Its ground-handling and cargo operations span Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Songwe, and Mtwara airports, expanding in line with rising demand and contributing to ongoing infrastructure upgrades at JNIA.

Furthermore, Air Tanzania, the national carrier, continues its significant focus on cargo sector growth.

Having acquired a Boeing 767-300 freighter at the Dubai Airshow in 2021, the airline has strategically deployed this aircraft on key routes, notably the Guangzhou (China) service launched in mid-2021.

The airline has also appointed Network Aviation Group as its General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) in Kenya and other crucial hubs such as Dubai and the UK, signalling a clear ambition to bolster cargo revenues.

A Sky-High Outlook for Tanzanian Cargo

Together, these developments mark a significant stride for Tanzania’s freight sector.

The newly launched direct Dubai link, coupled with enhanced regional airline partnerships and expanding freight infrastructure, promises to significantly boost export efficiency and global reach for Tanzanian goods.

Logistics experts believe that the direct Dar–Dubai air-freight service will particularly benefit exporters of horticulture, meat, and seafood, who have historically relied on slower and more expensive indirect passenger flights or maritime routes.

They say with reduced transit times and costs, Tanzanian goods become more competitive on global markets—this flight is not merely logistical, but a genuine corridor for trade.

Tanzania's ambitions to become a regional trade hub are further cemented by reinvestment in its Standard Gauge Railway, which links Dar es Salaam to neighbouring countries. This multimodal approach, seamlessly integrating air and rail freight, is fostering a truly comprehensive logistics network.

As global carriers like Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, and DHL strengthen their regional cargo operations, Xerin's direct Dar–Dubai service complements Tanzania’s broader strategy, positioning the nation to command a central role in East and Central Africa’s logistics summit, bridging African markets with the Middle East and beyond.