The SkyUp Airlines PQ-555 outward flight to Ukraine carried 658.5kg fish and seafood from the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) on January 8. This fish and seafood exports comprised edible Tuna, prawns and mullets.
As an island with a territorial sea of 21,500 km2 and a coastline of 1,340 km, Sri Lanka has a rich supply of fish and seafood. The Island has emerged as a quality fish and seafood exporter and addressing such opportunities, the MRIA is equipped to handle increased volumes of seafood air freight cargo in the future.
The MRIA is positioned as an exotic tourism destination to boost passenger movements and is now aggressively marketing its capability to attract cargo exports from Sri Lanka while establishing an international market for the local producers to market fresh vegetables, fisheries, fresh fruits and ornamental fish that bring in foreign remittances. Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt.) Limited Operations Director Shehan Sumanasekara said that plans have been set to promote the MRIA as a cargo transshipment hub in the future linking the airport and seaport via bonded trucking/rail.
