A Thai Airways freighter flew into Durban’s King Shaka International Airport recently carrying 67 tons of desperately needed Toyota vehicle components, thanks to a critical Dube TradePort Corporation intervention.
Severe flooding in Thailand last year significantly affected Toyota vehicle component manufacturing, putting operations there behind schedule. This created a knock-on effect as regards the provision of such parts to the massive Toyota manufacturing plant at Prospecton, south of Durban. Although scheduled flights, via Dubai, were able to maintain a steady supply of such parts, the local plant also required the urgent supply of a single shipment of some 67 tons of equipment.
Its plight was taken up by Dube TradePort Corporation. The entity successfully facilitated air traffic rights through the offices of the Department of Transport and expedited the provision of a Foreign Operator’s Permit, opening the way for a once-off Thai Airways freighter flight direct to King Shaka International Airport.
The flight touched-down in Durban in December bringing immediate manufacturing relief to Toyota South Africa’s business operations.