Top 100 – Airport spotlight

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Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): 2.150 million tonnes (-6.5%, 8th)

At the end of last year, Aéroports de Paris (ADP) delivered a new multi-user cargo facility with direct airside and parking-stand access. Already hosting Kuehne + Nagel and WFS, a further international handler was expected to join by the end of August to fill the building’s 18,000 sqm capacity. ADP has also led – in partnership with cargo associations – a working group aiming to optimise transfers at CDG. Meanwhile, preparations to receive the Boeing 747-8F have included three dedicated parking stands, while other initiatives include reinforcing security within the cargo area. The animal station at CDG has also started a programme to renovate and increase its capacity.

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS): 1.511 million tonnes (-2.4%, 17th)

Recent examples of Schiphol’s efforts to facilitate efficiency improvements include the E-link project, which uses smart cards to grant trucks access to the secure cargo areas, book door slots and enables upload of data to the handling agents; and its partnership in NLIP (Neutral Logistics Information Platform), a Dutch initiative to share supply-chain data among all stakeholders using a common platform and existing technology, regardless of mode. Schiphol has also continued to build links between the Amsterdam logistics community and industry markets, to help find new trade lanes and commodities and ensure processes, standards and resources at the airport meet their requirements. Having made major inroads into the pharma industry, it is working on food and flowers and is about to commence the same ‘cluster marketing’ approach in the global fashion industry.

Development of the Schiphol Trade Park starts next year – the third element in the ‘Amsterdam Connecting Trade’ initiative. This will provide space for logistics, light industry and offices, seeking to bring supply chain elements closer together on a major site adjacent to the airport.

Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ): 864,000 tonnes (+13.7%, 25th)

Growth has continued in 2013 thanks to the continuing expansion of DHL Express. Meanwhile, recent initiatives include introducing an incentive package for charter flights, in order to position LEJ as a hub for general cargo charters. Meanwhile, the outsize aircraft operator Ruslan Salis still bases two AN-124 freighters at LEJ, and will continue to do so at least until the end of 2014.

Other initiatives have included developing handling products for perishables and other temperature-controlled goods, such as investment in cooling facilities; investment in an ‘all-weather capability’ to limit airport closures and delays; and the closing of an options contract with a property development company for another air cargo facility.

Doha International Airport (DOH): 844,000 tonnes (+14%, 26th)

The opening of the new Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha has been delayed several times since 2009 and now looks set for the end of this year or some time in 2014. The Cargo Complex at HIA will consist of several cargo buildings when complete. The first of these, CT1, is finished already has a capacity of 1.4m tonnes a year, a 75% increase from the current airport’s capacity. The complex also includes a dedicated AVI facility as well as a cargo agents’ building. With Doha’s air freight volumes currently averaging 14% annual growth, areas have also been planned to accommodate the expected volumes and milestone dates for the future.

Houston International Airport (IAH): 438,375 tonnes (-1.8%, 46th)

Whereas ACI’s figures include mail, volumes of freight excluding mail at IAH increased 2.3% last year to 407,000 tonnes, thanks to 4.7% growth in the airport’s international cargo, to 217,000 tonnes. The catalyst was the increased need for oil and gas equipment and machinery around the world, with the Houston area serving as a manufacturing base for this kind of equipment. For the first quarter of 2013, cargo volumes were flat.

Brussels Airport (BRU): 414,000 tonnes (-3.8%, 50th)

Having established a five-person cargo team last year, Brussels has been working with customs, the federal agency for the food chain, IATA, handling agents, trucking companies, cargo agents, and security companies to establish a platform to improve the processes involved in the logistical flows of different types of commodities. One initiative that is now being finalised before implementation in 2014 is the ‘BRUcargo secured gateway’, a project by The Brussels Airport Company, the cargo sector and the Flanders Institute for Logistics to position Brucargo as Europe’s most efficient and secure cargo airport. Investment in facilities and real estate has included updated apron facilities, new warehouses, refurbishment of the administration building, additional security facilities, and temperature-controlled facilities.

Outside the top 100:

Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS): 103,000 tonnes (+4.4%)

Volumes in the first half of 2013 were up around 13% compared with the first half of 2012, mainly due to increasing capacity due to bigger aircraft and forwarders using the airport more and more. Recent initiatives include a new border inspection post, currently under construction, and a second x-ray machine (180x180cm), with double-view technology.

Berlin (TXL + SXF): 76,000 tonnes (+3%)

Growth has continued in the first half of 2013 (+3.8%), driven largely by new intercontinental flights from airberlin. Recent initiatives include additional x-ray scanners and a new truck-booking system. The delayed opening of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) is now expected next year, although the cargo centre on the new airport site is already operational and since August, UPS’s and FedEx’s cargo handling and belly freight loading for flights at SXF is being performed via the BER cargo centre.

Lambert St Louis (STL): 69,000 tonnes (-1.3%)

Origin freight grew by 2% last year, but the combination of weak mail and lower inbound volumes contributed to an overall slight drop in volumes. The airport cargo facilities are currently operating at around 40% of capacity and the airport has a new carrier incentive programme and is looking at introducing incentives for forwarders to route freight through STL. It is also currently evaluating the opportunity to convert an existing cargo building into a temperature-controlled facility.

Marseille Provence Airport (MRS): 53,000 tonnes (+0.0%)

Volumes were flat in 2012 but declined 5.3% in the first half of this year due to the European economical crisis and political troubles in northern Africa. But the airport expects volumes to grow again in 2014 by around 5% due to increases in express cargo. It plans to modernise its cold-room facilities in 2014 and build two additional cargo stands, with a goal of developing charter flights from Africa to Europe for perishables.

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