Mangaluru Airport Launches New International Cargo Terminal.

Mangaluru International Airport commenced international cargo operations from its integrated cargo terminal on July 2, with flight IX 815 transporting 2522 kg of fruits and vegetables to Abu Dhabi. The formal launch event took place on Friday, attended by the airport’s leadership team along with representatives from Customs, airlines, and the Airport Security Group of CISF.

A media statement indicated that the initiation of international cargo operations will benefit exporters from coastal Karnataka, Kerala, and the surrounding regions. They can now export perishables such as fresh fruits and vegetables, food, machine parts, textiles, shoes, tropical fish, frozen and dry fish, plastic coloring material, and ship parts (propellers) as belly cargo.

IndiGo and Air India Express, with their extensive connectivity, will enable exporters to send cargo to destinations including Dubai, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain.

The airport began domestic cargo operations on May 1, 2023. On May 10, 2024, the Commissioner of Customs appointed the airport as both a Custodian and a Customs Cargo Service Provider, paving the way for international cargo operations.

In its first 11 months of domestic cargo operations from May 1, 2023, the airport handled 3706.02 tonnes of cargo during the financial year 2024-25. This included 279.21 tonnes of inbound and 3426.8 tonnes of outbound cargo.

HBL