Astral Aviation, headquartered in Nairobi with air cargo operations throughout Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Europe, has confirmed a multi-year ULD (Unit Load Device) agreement with ACL Airshop, a leading international service partner for outsourced ULD management and customized logistics solutions. The two companies have been doing business together for roughly fifteen years already.

Astral Aviation and ACL Airshop are teamed together to enhance the logistics efficiencies of Astral Aviation’s ULD fleet, including the introduction of “ULD ControlTM” for real-time tracking of ULDs. That, combined with ACL’s global Operations Center and the innovative “FindMyULD” mobile App all operate together for better utilization rates and cost efficiencies for client airlines that use ACL’s digital suite.

Astral Aviation, in operation for the past 22 years based out of its Nairobi Hub, serves the African continent through efficient and innovative air logistics solutions. As part of its TIACA membership Astral Aviation has benefited through world class innovative solutions via benchmarking with the best in class cargo logistic peers. It is through these global affiliations that Astral Aviation is proud to be part of the initial cohort of launch members for the “Blue Sky Initiative.” In addition to Nairobi, Astral Aviation operates to 50 destinations across Africa, and utilizes other key Hubs such as Johannesburg, Liege, Dubai, and Hong Kong. It has interline agreements with over 30 interline partners; along with preferential agreements with the leading global and local freight forwarders; and partnerships with over 25 global GSA’s. Astral operates a fleet of F50 (7 tons), DC9F (15 tons), B727-200F (22 tons), B757F (30 Tons), B767-200F (42 Tons) and B747-400F (110 Tons) within its Intra-African, Middle East, Asian and European network.

ACL Airshop is a leader in products and services for the global air cargo industry. Airshop has become a leading one-stop-shop for leasing, sales, repair, and fleet control of Unit Load Devices (“ULDs”), and cargo control devices manufacturing. The company operates around the world on six continents with service capabilities at over 50 of the world’s Top 100 cargo hubs. One of the unique aspects of the company’s offerings is short-term rentals and leasing solutions for airlines’ cargo products requirements—including one-way leasing drop-offs. Coupled to its dominance of short-term custom leasing solutions, ACL Airshop has also added a growing portfolio of long-term multi-year ULD fleet management contracts with an array of air cargo customers. The pairing of short-term customised flexibility and long-term cost-efficiency has become a powerful combination on behalf of air cargo customers such as Astral Aviation.

Read more: Astral Aviation collaborates with e-Cargoware to expand its digital footprint

“Astral Aviation values its strategic partnership with ACL Airshop. As we expand our air cargo network, we are enthused to extend their relationship with us through this multi-year agreement,” Sanjeev Gadhia, Chief Executive Officer of Astral Aviation, said.

“It is our privilege to serve Astral Aviation with our complete suite of equipment, technology, and logistics services. Astral’s unique strengths across Africa are admirably formidable, plus their expanding network of operations to other continents. With the industry’s largest independent fleet of Lease-Ready ULDs and our own growing network of service hubs on 6 continents, our objective is to cost-effectively help Astral Aviation keep growing as a trusted leader in air cargo,” Steve Townes, CEO of ACL Airshop added.