August 30 - Togo-based Africa West Cargo has reinforced its fleet by leasing a second DC9 freighter, adding to the company's list of aircraft currently serving various destinations in West Africa and Central Africa.

"This additional aircraft will help us in our commitment to continually enhance the services that we provide to our customers," Yannick Erbs, CEO of Africa West, stated. "Starting September, we will be able to accommodate increasing traffic and ensure faster connections to several destinations," he said.

Africa West, which says it is equipped to handle heavy and out of gauge cargoes, believes that Lome will soon become a world-class staging and hubbing point, as well as the gateway to West Africa. By adding to its fleet, it believes that it will be helping to contribute to ensuring that this goal is realised. 

The cargo airline has also recently added two new destinations to its network - Freetown and Monrovia, which brings the total of scheduled destinations served across West Africa to ten, with a number of additional destinations served on request. Additionally, Africa West has a dedicated 1800 sq m warehouse in Lome that provides reliable, secure and efficient transfers to onward destinations.

Africa West operates freighter services from Europe, Asia and the Middle East direct to Lome; and has recently commenced new direct operations from the USA and Milan with an MD11-F aircraft, with more services and destinations in the pipeline, which the company plans to announce in the near future.

Africa West is managed by Dubai-based GSA Global Investments Limited, which recently assumed 51 percent controlling interest of the cargo airline. This acquisition seats logistics veteran Issa Baluch at the helm as chairman.