Inside CIAL’s Cargo Playbook: Building Speed, Scale, & Sea-to-Sky Connectivity

Summary

S. Suhas, IAS, Managing Director of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), explains how Kochi is positioning itself as a strategic air cargo gateway for South India, the Middle East and Africa. Speaking at the International Cargo Business Summit 2026, he outlines CIAL’s focus on strengthening cargo infrastructure, multimodal links (the “Sea-to-Sky” model), regulatory coordination and technology adoption. Key initiatives include expanded warehousing, improved cold-chain and pharma handling, faster clearance for express and e-commerce shipments, and deeper integration with seaports, road, rail and inland waterways. CIAL aims to evolve from an airport operator into a logistics enabler that supports Indian exporters with predictable, compliant and speed-focused cargo services.

Key Points

CIAL handles about 60% of Kerala’s air cargo and operates ~250,000 sq ft of dedicated cargo warehousing.
Sea-to-Sky model: leveraging proximity to seaports to shift cargo between ocean and air for time-sensitive shipments.
Investments in scanning, express clearance, advanced reefer infrastructure and specialised handling zones to support perishables and pharma.
Digital and process improvements — real-time visibility, reduced dwell times and mobile/e-certification — are central to speeding cargo flows.
Close stakeholder coordination: nearly 250 cargo agencies, 20+ airlines, customs and regulatory bodies work with CIAL to balance facilitation and security.
CIAL is pursuing pharma-handling certification and upgrading cold-chain capabilities to capture higher-value, temperature-sensitive exports.
Express/e-commerce focus: faster clearance, better digital visibility and closer logistics partner collaboration to reduce transit time and uncertainty.
Long-term vision (5–10 years): phased capacity expansion, automation, data analytics and deeper multimodal integration to serve South Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Context and relevance

The interview comes at a time when global trade patterns and supply chains are shifting: e-commerce growth, higher-value and time-sensitive goods, and nearshoring trends increase demand for agile air hubs. CIAL’s strategy is a practical example of how regional airports can combine infrastructure, digital tools and port-air integration to capture new trade flows. For exporters, cold-chain operators and logistics planners in India and nearby regions, Kochi’s approach shows tangible steps to reduce friction and improve predictability.

Author style

Punchy. The interview highlights concrete moves — not vague promises — and reads like an operations roadmap. If you care about where India’s cargo gateways will actually gain competitive advantage, this piece shows what matters: infrastructure, certification, digital workflows and multimodal links. Read the detail if you’re planning capacity, cold-chain investment or export routing that depends on speed and compliance.

Why should I read this?

Look — if your job touches export routing, perishables, pharma logistics or airport planning, this is a neat, no-fluff briefing. Suhas lays out what CIAL is fixing (and why), so you can quickly judge whether Kochi could be a faster, safer route for your shipments — or a model to copy elsewhere.