Airport Codes

IATA Code Finder & ICAO Code Lookup

Recommend：

LAX

ORD

PVG

SIN

AMS

Total 1 airports of POL

POL Pemba Airport
Pemba Airport (IATA: POL, ICAO:FQPB) is located in the the city of Pemba, Mozambique. It is the primary international airport serving Pemba and its surrounding metropolitan area.

Show details

IATA Code

POL

ICAO Code

FQPB

Name

Pemba Airport

Type

Main Airport

Country / Region

Mozambique (MZ)

City

Pemba

Latitude

-12.9917622

Longitude

40.5240135

Time Zone

UTC+02:00

Phone Number

Est. Unit Price

Get Free Quotes

Click to display the map

Airport Overview

Pemba Airport (POL), also identified by ICAO code FQPB, serves Pemba in northern Mozambique. It is a small international airport operated by Mozambique Airports Company and functions primarily as a regional passenger and belly-cargo gateway rather than a dedicated cargo hub. Its location on the Cabo Delgado coast makes it relevant to project supply chains, commercial replenishment and selected time-sensitive shipments serving Pemba and surrounding areas. Our service team treats the airport as a capacity-sensitive regional gateway: airline acceptance, aircraft type, cargo terminal handling and customs arrangements should be confirmed before the shipment is released. The airport operates on Mozambique time, UTC+02:00.

Airport	Pemba Airport
Codes	IATA: POL \| ICAO: FQPB
Location	Pemba, Mozambique
Coordinates	12°59′30.34″S, 40°31′26.45″E
Time zone	UTC+02:00
Logistics profile	Regional international airport with limited, schedule-dependent cargo capacity

Key Highlights

Regional gatewayPemba Airport is best assessed as a regional gateway for northern Mozambique, not as a high-frequency intercontinental cargo hub.

Belly-cargo dependencyAvailable uplift may depend on passenger aircraft capacity, aircraft changes and seasonal operating conditions.

Limited redundancyForwarders should prepare an alternative routing through another Mozambican gateway or a nearby regional airport when space or handling is constrained.

Pre-clearance disciplineAdvance confirmation of customs, airline acceptance and consignee collection arrangements is important for urgent or controlled cargo.

Cargo Facilities & Services

Publicly available airport descriptions do not establish a dedicated cargo terminal specification for Pemba Airport. Our service team therefore verifies the following capabilities shipment by shipment rather than assuming that a particular facility or certification is available.

Acceptance and breakdown: Confirm the handling agent, cargo acceptance window, screening process, shipment cut-off and availability of build-up or breakdown handling.
Customs and controlled storage: Establish whether cargo can remain under customs control, the permitted storage period and the process for inspection or release.
Temperature-sensitive cargo: Obtain written confirmation of cool-room access, transfer protection, temperature monitoring and contingency arrangements before booking pharmaceuticals, seafood or other perishables.
Dangerous goods: Verify whether the operating carrier and local handler accept the relevant UN number, packing instruction, quantity and aircraft limitation; acceptance is not implied by the airport’s international status.
Last-mile collection: Confirm truck access, consignee identification requirements, delivery appointment procedures and whether weekend or after-hours collection is possible.

Routes & Transit Times

The supplied airport profile identifies scheduled passenger services by LAM Mozambique, EWA Air and Airlink. Actual cargo acceptance, available capacity and operating dates must be reconfirmed with the carrier or handling agent.
International cargo may require a regional connection, commonly through a larger Southern African gateway, followed by onward uplift to Pemba. The practical routing depends on the origin, airline interline arrangements and current schedules.
Transit time is affected by connection availability, aircraft payload restrictions, customs release, screening, weather, public holidays and the timing of the next onward flight. Our team quotes a planning window only after space and handling are confirmed.
For urgent shipments, we compare direct passenger-belly options with routing through a larger gateway and, where operationally suitable, surface transfer from an alternative airport. No alternative should be used without checking border, customs and road-security requirements.

Planning rule: Do not dispatch cargo to the airport solely on the basis of a passenger schedule. Obtain a confirmed air waybill allocation, acceptance instruction and receiving-agent confirmation first.

Hinterland & Key Cargo

Pemba Airport primarily supports Pemba and the surrounding Cabo Delgado service area. Demand can be linked to local commerce, public-service supply, tourism, industrial activity and project-related procurement. Cargo profiles should be validated against the consignee’s sector and current local conditions.

Time-critical replenishment: Spare parts, tools, maintenance items, documents and small commercial consignments may be suitable for air freight when stock-out risk is high.
Project and industrial cargo: Non-dangerous equipment, instruments and replacement components may move by air when dimensions and aircraft payload permit; oversized or heavy pieces may require sea or road alternatives.
Perishables: Seafood, food products and other temperature-sensitive goods require confirmed cold-chain handling, packaging validation and rapid consignee collection.
Healthcare and relief supplies: Medical products and emergency materials require product-specific documentation, temperature controls where applicable and prior regulatory review.
Regional distribution: Pemba delivery should be planned as a complete door-to-door movement, not merely as airport arrival, because onward transport and local collection conditions can determine final lead time.

Operations & Compliance

Cut-off control: Airline and handler cut-offs can be earlier than the passenger departure time. Our team confirms cargo acceptance, screening and documentation deadlines for the specific flight.
Documents: Prepare a complete master or house air waybill set, commercial invoice, packing list, accurate HS classification and any import, export, sanitary, phytosanitary or product-specific permits required by the shipment.
Dangerous goods and special cargo: Lithium batteries, chemicals, dry ice, vaccines, live animals and perishables require advance pre-advice and carrier approval under the applicable IATA and local requirements. Acceptance is subject to the actual operator.
Customs and delivery: Cargo may be held for document review or physical inspection. The consignee or appointed broker should be ready with tax, permit and identity documentation, while the delivery team confirms storage and collection arrangements.

Shipping Tips

Send dimensions, gross weight, package count, commodity description, HS code, origin, destination and required delivery date to our service team before requesting a final routing.
For fragile or high-value cargo, use impact-resistant outer packaging, clear piece markings and a packing list that matches the physical cargo and air waybill exactly.
For temperature-sensitive shipments, select qualified packaging based on the expected door-to-door exposure time and arrange consignee collection immediately after customs release.
Keep a contingency plan through a larger regional gateway or alternative airport. The appropriate option depends on carrier space, road conditions, border formalities, security controls and total landed cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pemba Airport handle international air freight?

Pemba Airport is described as a small international airport, but international passenger status does not guarantee acceptance of every cargo type. Our service team confirms the operating carrier, local handling agent, customs process, aircraft capacity and shipment-specific acceptance before dispatch.

Can I book a fixed transit time to Pemba?

We can provide a planning estimate after checking the origin, connection, carrier space and handling requirements. Transit time remains subject to flight changes, payload restrictions, customs inspection, weather and onward collection, so a fixed delivery promise should not be made without an airline and destination-agent commitment.

Are dangerous goods accepted at Pemba Airport?

Acceptance depends on the airline, aircraft type, UN number, packing instruction, quantity, declaration and local handling capability. Send the Safety Data Sheet and complete cargo details to our team for a pre-check; do not tender undeclared dangerous goods.

How should I ship pharmaceuticals or other temperature-sensitive cargo?

Use validated packaging, provide the required temperature range and arrange pre-alerts to the carrier, handler, customs broker and consignee. Cold-room availability, transfer protection and collection timing must be confirmed for the actual movement.

What is the best alternative if space to Pemba is unavailable?

Our team compares a connection through a larger Southern African gateway with routing through an alternative Mozambican airport and controlled surface transfer. The choice is based on total transit time, customs feasibility, road conditions, cargo sensitivity and available capacity.

Data Sources & Provenance

Airport name, codes, location, coordinates, country, city, time zone, operator description and listed airline information are based on the supplied airport reference record. Operational statements in this module are professional planning guidance and are intentionally qualified where facilities, schedules, acceptance rules or handling availability can change.

For independent code and aviation-reference checks, consult iata.org and icao.int. Carrier schedules, cargo acceptance, customs procedures, special-cargo approvals and ground-handling arrangements must be verified for the shipment date with the relevant airline, handler, broker and authorities.