dnata invests $17mn to boost Erbil operations

dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has opened an advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility for its state-of-the-art bussing fleets at Erbil International Airport (EBL), Iraq with an investment of $3.5 million.

dnata has also made an investment of $14 million and added a 16,000 m² cargo warehouse to its infrastructure in Iraq. The three new facilities will create up to 100 local jobs with dnata, according to an official statement.

"The cool chain facility is capable of processing 10,000 tons of perishables annually. It enables dnata's cargo team to offer an uncompromised chilled and frozen storage and cool chain product to its airline customers at EBL, catering to product categories including fresh fruit, meat and pharmaceuticals. The facility was designed and built with flexibility and unique product handling requirements in mind, taking advantage of the latest cold storage technologies," the statement said.

The bus maintenance facility has been designed to maintain the fleet of eight passenger apron buses and over 10 transportation buses operated at EBL.

dnata's new cargo warehouse, which is expected to open in 2023, will be capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo annually with a special focus on pharma and other cool chain commodities, the statement said.

"Our latest investment in three new facilities will help us further expand and improve our operations in Erbil as demand for reliable and safe cargo services is on the rise across the region," says Tom Alwyn-Jones, Managing Director, dnata Erbil. "I thank my colleagues for their hard work and our partners for their support and trust in our services. We continue to go the extra mile to consistently deliver superior quality and be the best in everything we do."

dnata currently provides passenger, ground and cargo services to over 25 airlines in Erbil. In 2021, the company assisted over 1.2 million passengers and handled 8,200 flights and 20,000 tonnes of cargo in Iraq.

dnata has made strategic investments in new cargo facilities in London and Manchester (U.K.), Karachi and Lahore (Pakistan), and additional cargo capacity and infrastructure in Brussels (Belgium), Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). In addition, the company recently announced that it would invest over €200 million ($236 million) in its operations in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and operate one of the world's largest and most advanced cargo facilities, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport.