CAL Cargo Air Lines (Tel Aviv Ben Gurion) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Offer Gilboa has confirmed the Israeli freight specialist has proceeded with its plans to secure a European AOC through the establishment of ACE Air Cargo Europe (Liège).

Speaking to AirCargoNews, Gilboa said the Belgian carrier would be based out of Liège, the site of CAL's European hub, and would see one of CAL's four B747-400(F)s transferred to its AOC, which it is in the process of securing.

“Only one of the B747-400Fs will be registered in Belgium to start with. The idea is to grow both companies, as soon as we get an aircraft, and I hope to be in a position to do that in the next six months," he said. “We have been working on this project for the past 18 months, preparing all the paperwork, and we are now recruiting teams and the post holders that are required for an airline.”

Gilboa sees ACE complimenting CAL's operations. Its parent carrier's Liège hub operations currently focus on serving Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, Larnaca, New York JFK, and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion. He also sees potential for the carrier to serve India.