ECS Group and Air Senegal are celebrating seven years of partnership, with a cooperation that has focused on expanding the Senegalese carrier’s cargo business across France, Europe and international markets.
The partnership dates back to February 2019, when ECS Group, together with its French subsidiary and contract-holder Aero Cargo International France, signed a GSSA agreement with Air Senegal. The agreement was concluded less than a year after Air Senegal launched its commercial operations.
A key element of the partnership is the Paris-CDG–Dakar-DSS connection. Air Senegal resumed direct services between the two airports in February 2025 following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline now operates the route daily, providing approximately 15 tonnes and 70 m³ of cargo capacity per day.
Paris-Dakar remains the backbone of the network
The Paris-Dakar service is the main route in Air Senegal’s network and also serves as an important gateway to several destinations across the region.
From Dakar, the network connects onward with Abidjan, Cotonou, Conakry, Bamako, Accra, Lagos, Libreville and Banjul, allowing cargo arriving through Paris to reach a wider range of West and Central African markets.
Air Senegal operates its network using a fleet that includes Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and ATR aircraft. Its cargo portfolio covers a broad range of commodities, including express freight and e-commerce shipments, postal mail, perishables, pharmaceuticals and general cargo.
The latter category includes industrial goods, textiles and IT equipment.
French freight forwarders provide most Paris-origin cargo
ECS Group plays a central role in developing Air Senegal’s cargo activity in France. French freight forwarders account for approximately 80% to 90% of the cargo volumes departing Paris, making the French market particularly important to the carrier’s cargo strategy.
At the same time, the airline’s network is fed by European and other international markets through ECS Group’s commercial representation and interline arrangements.
The partnership brings cargo into the Paris hub from a number of international origins, including the United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Germany and India, with occasional volumes also originating in Nordic countries.
The UAE is one example of how these flows operate. Several tonnes of goods are shipped from the UAE to Paris-CDG every week before being forwarded onward to Senegal. European cargo, meanwhile, can reach Paris through pre-carriage by road or by air, supported by interline agreements between airlines.
A cargo bridge between France and Senegal
Jean Ceccaldi, Chief Executive Officer of ECS Group, highlighted the longstanding relationship between the two countries as an important foundation for the partnership.
“Senegal and France have particularly strong historical, economic and cultural ties, and therefore a long-standing tradition of cooperation,” said Ceccaldi.
He said Air Senegal Cargo and ECS Group contribute to strengthening those links through the daily Paris-CDG–Dakar service, describing the route as a bridge between the two countries that facilitates trade and cargo movements.
The cooperation also extends beyond the airline and freight forwarders. ECS Group works with local freight forwarders, postal operators and express carriers, while continuing to develop interline solutions for Air Senegal.
Digital tools remain part of the cargo strategy
Alongside its commercial representation, ECS Group is promoting its CargoTech digital solutions to support Air Senegal’s cargo operations. These include e-booking, dynamic pricing and the Wallet solution.
The objective is to combine the airline’s growing cargo network with digital tools that can make the booking and commercial process more efficient for cargo customers and partners.
Looking ahead, ECS Group says it intends to remain involved in Air Senegal’s expansion and growth.
“ECS Group congratulates Air Senegal on the tremendous efforts it makes every day and will continue to support its expansion and growth in every way possible. Thank you for the first seven years of partnership,” Ceccaldi added.
