Meet the new player in our aviation sector. With an initial investment of $10 million, Gryphon AIR CARGO wants to help Georgian exporters crack global markets.
The development of cargo aviation gives Georgia new opportunities to establish itself as a logistics hub on the global market. Georgia will connect the countries of Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union strengthened these new prospects. The document allows airlines registered in Georgia to expand into the European market without hindrance.
The founders of Gryphon AIR CARGO used this opportunity to kick-start the company in 2022 with an initial investment of ten million dollars. In addition, BasisBank made a significant financial contribution to the project. It should be noted that all shareholders of the company are Georgian citizens.
“The signing of the Association Agreement brought Georgia’s aviation safety regulations closer to EU regulations. This is a huge opportunity for airlines. Only a few countries in the region have such opportunities, with Georgia boasting an ideal location. Georgia geographically connects the countries of Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and South Asia (i.e., India and Pakistan). That is why the airlines with whom we negotiated the aircraft purchase showed interest on their part. Georgia has the opportunity to connect many regions, and it is necessary for a large air carrier to operate here,” states the CEO of Gryphon AIR CARGO, Giorgi Marr.
Gryphon AIR CARGO initially acquired one aircraft – a Boeing 737 manufactured by the British company World Star Aviation. According to company representatives, the carrying capacity and flight distance are ideal for regional shipments. The aircraft is currently undergoing technical inspection and will land at Tbilisi Airport in a few days.
“We spent quite a long time looking for a suitable plane. We decided to buy, rather than lease, our first aircraft to speed up the certification and licensing process,” Giorgi Marr explains. The company expects to obtain a license from the Civil Aviation Agency at the beginning of May. “We hope our expectations will be met, and we can start operating in May.”
After acquiring the license, Gryphon AIR CARGO plans to expand and acquire two additional planes soon. Further plans include the development of warehouse and logistics infrastructure.
“For Georgia to truly become an air transportation hub, it needs to develop its warehouse and technical infrastructure in and around the airport. We want full aircraft maintenance services to be available in this country,” states the CEO of Gryphon AIR CARGO. Although Enterprise Georgia is already working towards this goal, the company wants to make its own contribution.
The development of cargo aviation in Georgia will help advance other areas of the economy. For example, it will be easier for entrepreneurs to export agricultural products from Georgia. They currently have to use passenger airlines for this purpose, which leads to restrictions regarding the amount of cargo. The services of Gryphon AIR CARGO will primarily benefit such entrepreneurs. The company is conducting negotiations with the Export Association and producers working in the field of agriculture.
Gryphon AIR CARGO promises to provide end-to-end shipments with guaranteed flights, timely delivery and a sound logistics system. Gryphon AIR CARGO already employs 30 people. Along with the addition of aircraft and the growth of the company, the demand for qualified staff will also increase. According to the goals of the company, a three-year personnel development plan has been developed, which involves the training and employment of pilots and technical personnel.
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