Paragon’s European cargo certification pending

The Namibia Airports Company (NAC) has confirmed that Paragon Aviation Services is yet to receive the necessary certification to handle European-bound exports.

The absence of this certification is one of the reasons why a number of airlines have imposed a cargo embargo on the airport since Sunday.
South African Airways, Airlink, Eurowings Discover and Qatar Airways still have embargoes in place.

Paragon Aviation Services took over the ground handling services at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) on Saturday.

Paragon Investment Holdings spokesperson Lazarus Jacobs has dismissed allegations of a lack of certification to execute ground handling services at the airport.

“Paragon is fully licensed by the relevant authorities to manage ground handling. This issue of certificates and embargoes due to so-called ‘security issues’ are just sideshows and alarmist propaganda,” he has said.

While imports and exports through HKIA continue, NAC spokesperson Dan Kamati says direct exports to the European Union (EU) can only take place once the appropriate certification has been attained.

“These exports can still be processed through alternative routes such as Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Luanda, or Doha for the EU zone,” he says.
Kamati says this accreditation is provided only after actual operations are observed by the person(s) conducting the audit.

He says consultations with Airlink, Eurowings Discover and Qatar Airways about EU accreditation are at an advanced stage.

South African Airways on Wednesday also suspended its cargo operations at the airport.

Toska Sem of the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says the certification is an exclusive demand of the EU and holds no sway over the authority’s own regulatory protocols.

“Our primary focus remains to ensure strict compliance with the relevant EU regulations and the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s standards that fall within our jurisdiction,” she says.

Sem says service providers’ audits are crucial for safety, security and quality standards, promoting a dependable aviation environment.

“The NCAA underscores the significance of service providers undergoing comprehensive audits to uphold these standards, which are integral to fostering a secure and dependable aviation environment,” she says.

While Paragon awaits accreditation for European-specific export cargo, exports for the EU zone will be processed through Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Luanda and Doha.

Meanwhile, NAC chief executive officer Bisey Uirab has acknowledged the ongoing issue with cargo that was previously housed in Menzies Aviation’s warehouse, which was locked at the time of the transition.

“We hope Menzies will positively respond with the necessary urgency by handing over the said cargo to Paragon for it to be appropriately handled by Paragon in keeping with Paragon’s role as the provider of ground handling services at HKIA,” he has said.