Copenhagen Airport to Develop New Cargo Facility

Copenhagen Airport has announced plans to develop a brand new, 20,000sq m cargo centre in a €40million project that is expected to take two years.

Currently, the airport handles cargo transported by passenger aircraft, known as belly cargo. It has been an important mission for the airport operators, who realise that cargo is a big part of the business model. According to Peter Krogsgaard, chief commercial officer for the airport, ‘This cargo can make up more than 10% of revenue on a route. Today, belly cargo accounts for 40% of the total tonnage at CPH and is up 7% this year.’

The new cargo facility will be sited within the current cargo processing centre at the airport, which will be redeveloped over the next two years to ensure minimum disruption. Plans for the facility include implementation of the latest airport technology, supporting both manual and automated processes to increase efficiency and create a robust platform for future cargo handling.

A refrigeration area, which the airport’s pharmaceutical clients will find particularly attractive, is planned for the facility, amongst other separate areas to address safety and storage issues.

As the European region approaches major changes over the next few years with the Brexit process, the airport operators also realise that cargo handling will also change, and they want to make sure they are ready. ‘We see huge potential in developing air cargo at Copenhagen Airport. In the coming years, there will be an even greater need for good air cargo facilities for handling the growing cargo volumes to and from China and other places.’

It is not just the airport that understand the need for improvement, as noted by Claus Lonborg, CEO of Copenhagen Capacity, the official organisation for Greater Copenhagen’s investment and business potential, when he said ‘Greater Copenhagen is increasingly popular amongst international logistic companies. The new €40 million air cargo centre will not only strengthen the competitiveness of Nordic and international import and export companies, it will also create a platform for further growth.’

The airport is also working to attract new business already to the new facility, with plans to add more long-haul routes as part of a wider strategy.