Saudi Airlines Cargo Company (Saudia Cargo) has signed an agreement with UAE-based Fast Forward Cargo to operate 150 charter flights from Sharjah to West Africa in 2011.

Under the agreement, Saudia Cargo will operate three weekly flights to Lagos (Nigeria) and to N'Djamena (Chad). The flights will be operated with B747 freighters.

Peter Scholten, VP commercial of Saudia Cargo, said “This agreement fits in our growth strategy in which we targeted to develop the emerging sea-air business from Asia to West Africa”.

Saudia Cargo sells the worldwide belly capacity of Saudi Arabian Airlines fleet of 125 passenger aircraft and operates a fleet of 9 freighters that spans a rapidly expanding global network of 85 destinations.

“Sharjah Airport is our hub for freighter flights to West Africa. We selected Saudia as our main carrier for the charter program due to the strong partnership we have build up through operation of 60 flights last year” said Al Ameen, MD of Fast Forward.

Fast Forward Cargo, a young, vibrant freight forwarder with offices in UAE and Nigeria, is the market leader in the UAE to West Africa air cargo lane.-TradeArabia News Service