Malta has highest e-booking usage for Lufthansa Cargo

Across the Lufthansa Cargo network, Malta occupies the top position worldwide for its usage of e-bookings - a staggering 78 per cent of bookings. Lufthansa Cargo's regional manager for Malta, Tony Mifsud, told the 14th Lufthansa Cargo Awards ceremony at Villa Arrigo, Naxxar, on Monday.

Every year Lufthansa Cargo rewards forwarding agents and exporters who reach pre-determined sales targets and qualify for bronze, silver and gold awards. Lufthansa Cargo shows appreciation to the person who, in its judgment, has been most creative in coming up with new ideas, and has shown special loyalty and commitment to Lufthansa Cargo.

The winner this year was Marco Spiteri, general manager of MAL Cargo Services. ST-Microelectronics also received a gold award. BAS Malta Ltd received a silver award. SMS Air Cargo, Thos Smith & Co. Ltd and Keuhne & Nagel Malta received bronze awards.

The awards were presented by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, in the presence of German Ambassador Carl Andreas Von Stenglin. Dr Gonzi spoke about the three pillars of local society: the economy, education and training, and the environment. The German Ambassador elaborated on the increasing co-operation between the two countries.

Mr Mifsud said Lufthansa Cargo had given Maltese customers 28 years of continuous, efficient, reliable and stable service from Malta. Despite Malta's small size, it made a disproportionate contribution to Lufthansa Cargo's value creation index.

The different and profitable product mix, which is characteristic of the Malta-Frankfurt route, make it attractive to maintain and provides an opportunity for the Maltese operation to render value to the company. It is important to maintain a balance between standard cargo, special cargo and flash cargo, he stressed.

So it is vital for companies to be set up in Malta that produce certain high value-added goods to contribute to the economy. These goods in themselves create a snowballing effect that is vital to local industry. He also praised the investment in highly sophisticated local IT infrastructure.

Lufthansa Cargo together with Air Malta have embarked on a project under which paperless documentation for exports and imports is envisaged in a few years' time. Since Malta is a front-runner in IT in Europe, Lufthansa Cargo would like that, come next year, Malta would be in a position to have this paperless freight in place.

The expertise, efficiency, creativity and commitment of Maltese staff are attributes that are noted by Lufthansa Cargo. The company has a budget of €6 million to train all staff this year. This will result in an increase of value to the employees, who will become more efficient and committed to their jobs.

Thilo Schaefer, regional director, Italy and Malta of Lufthansa Cargo touched on the corporate social responsibility the company has embarked on. Lufthansa Cargo is committed to protect the environment. Its goal is to help safeguard the climate and provide a pristine environment for future generations.

Lufthansa Cargo is also extending a helping hand to children in Kenya under the Cargo Human Care Organisation, where a new hospital is being built.