Based on analysis by WorldACD Market Data, outbound air cargo from Africa increased 8 percent in the first half of 2024, compared to the first half of 2023. At the same time, inbound to Africa increased 11 percent in the same period, predominantly due to significantly more air cargo traffic to Southern and North Africa. Both subregions have seen increased inbound of 23 percent in the first six months of 2024 versus H1-2023.
In the last 13 months, from June 2023 to June 2024, air cargo outbound from the African continent peaked between December 2023 and March 2024. In June 2024, outbound air cargo (chargeable weight) from Africa had grown six percent compared to June 2023. Similarly, inbound air cargo to Africa has seen a Year-over-Year growth of nine percent in June 2024 versus June 2023, albeit with a somewhat earlier peak of inbound air cargo traffic in November 2023.
The rates of air cargo inbound from and to the African continent have also developed positively throughout the region in the first half of 2024. Except for outbound rates from the subregion North Africa, which rose 18 percent compared to the first half of 2023. Air cargo rates for outbound and inbound from and to Africa as a region, however, decreased by two percent and 13 percent, respectively. Furthermore, analysis by WorldACD Market Data shows that rates for outbound are significantly lower for all African subregions compared to inbound rates.
The largest air cargo outbound origin in Africa is Kenya, followed by Egypt, South Africa, and Ethiopia. The Netherlands and Belgium ranked first and second as major destinations for air cargo originating in Africa, despite a slight decrease of flower exports in the first half of 2024 compared to last year. The United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and France followed suit.
In terms of product categories, special cargo has dominated outbound air cargo from Africa in the first half of 2024. Special cargo represented roughly 80 percent of all outbound air cargo traffic from Africa, whilst approximately 67 percent of the total inbound to Africa was accounted for by general cargo. For outbound, general cargo outpaced special cargo, whilst the opposite scenario applied to inbound to Africa, as special cargo increased 14 percent in the first six months of 2024 compared to a nine percent increase for general cargo.
Unsurprisingly, outbound and inbound air cargo traffic from and to Africa is relatively well-balanced. However, East Africa is predominantly outbound-oriented with a 73 percent portion of outbound in the first half of 2024, whilst Central Africa is mainly focused on the inbound market with outbound accounting for only 25 percent of the subregion’s total air cargo traffic.
