Freetown airport cargo and freight charges

Who handles cargo at Lungi

The Logistics Cluster names Sky Handling Partner, a private company, as the cargo terminal operator and says ground handling was privatised ¹. A Netherlands Enterprise Agency project record says Groupe Europe Handling took over Sky Handling Partner Sierra Leone Limited, formerly state-owned, in 2010 ⁵. That project, Providing modern cargo services at Freetown International Airport, had a budget of EUR 954,338, payments from 20 December 2011 to 21 February 2017, and is listed as finalised ⁵. It planned a separate joint venture to split cargo handling from passenger handling ⁵.

SLCAA named Sky Handling Partners Limited among the regulated aviation service providers at a workshop at Lungi on 11 February 2026 ⁶. In March 2022 the Sierra Leone Telegraph, as reported by Abdul Rashid Thomas, quoted Dr John Edward Tambi listing a cargo terminal among the planned parts of the Summa project ⁷. Who runs cargo handling under the Summa concession was not confirmed in a published source.

Published handling and storage rates

The rates below come from the Logistics Cluster assessment, which carries no date ¹. Its traffic figures are for 2013 ¹. Treat them as historical and check current rates with the handler before shipping.

Concession fee, tax and aircraft charges

The Logistics Cluster says the cargo rates include a 15% concession fee paid to the airport authority, with GST at 15% added on top ¹. Rates are in US dollars and can be paid in dollars or the Leone equivalent ¹.

The same page lists charges on the aircraft ¹. Landing costs US$35 flat up to 8,000 kg maximum take-off weight, rising to between US$4.625 and US$9.622 per tonne for heavier aircraft ¹. Parking costs US$0.50 per tonne per hour, and approach control US$2.50 per tonne per operation ¹. Night landings carry surcharges of 25% to 75% ¹.

Charges set in law

Section 32(1)(b) of the Civil Aviation Act 2023 funds the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority in part from a safety charge on all air tickets and freight charges ². The Act does not state the rate ². Section 32(2) splits the Authority's funds 80% for its own work, 10% for the accident investigation bureau and 10% for the Consolidated Fund ².

The 2019 Act it replaced gave the Authority 70% of the air ticket and cargo sales charge, under section 32(1)(c)(vi) ³. Section 15(2)(kk) of the 2023 Act lets the Authority authorise, license and certify aviation service providers, including ground handling service providers ².

Customs release and liability

SLCAR Part 9, Facilitation, in force from 5 February 2024, sets a goal of releasing goods that need no examination within three hours of arrival once correct documents are lodged ⁴. It calls for risk management in place of routine physical checks, advance electronic cargo information, release of export cargo up to departure, and priority for live animals and perishable goods ⁴. Personal effects sent as unaccompanied baggage get simplified clearance ⁴.

Under the Montreal Convention, a complaint about damaged cargo must be made within 14 days of receipt ⁹. ICAO lists the cargo liability limit as 26 SDRs per kilogram from 28 December 2024, and lists Sierra Leone as a party ⁸.