Global cargo operations have been launched at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Odisha, which is expected to boost the state’s export potential and benefit a wide range of manufacturers. Jindal Stainless, India’s largest stainless steel manufacturer, became the first company to use the airport’s direct air cargo operations for international destinations, despatching a 28-kg consignment of hot-rolled stainless steel plate samples to Sweden.
The cargo services, which can handle around 1,000 tonnes a year, will connect Bhubaneswar airport to the entire globe, according to the Odisha government’s department for micro, small and medium enterprises. Sectors such as metal and mining, aquaculture, vegetable cultivation, fisheries, handicrafts, spices and perishable food items are expected to benefit from the timely despatch of products with limited shelf-life. The air cargo services will also help generate employment for the local population and support the government’s focus on the eastern region’s growth, as per a report.