Pittsburgh and Anchorage team up to bolster US air cargo supply chain
23 / 06 / 2021
The new Cargo 4 facility will expand PIT's cargo footprint
US hubs Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) have partnered to “better streamline the air cargo supply chain”.
The agreement, which will establish airfreight and passenger services between the hubs, is also expected to boost their sales and marketing efforts for cargo.
PIT said cargo is already a key part of its business plan as officials look to build the airport into an international logistics center, “capitalising on its abundant space and ideal geographic location”.
The hub plans to expand its air cargo operations with a 75,000 sq ft cargo processing facility and an adjacent parking area (pictured). The project will be funded through an $18.69m Build grant awarded to the airport by the US Department of Transportation.
Scheduled to open in 2024, PIT’s new Cargo 4 facility will serve as a distribution hub throughout the eastern US, “making the Western Pennsylvania region more competitive in a growing industry and positioning the airport as a gateway for international logistics”.
PIT said Cargo 4 will feature dedicated areas to process valuable, hazardous and temperature-controlled goods.
Meanwhile, ANC — which processes more than 3.2m tonnes of cargo each year — said it can be reached by 90% of the industrialised world within 9.5 hours by plane.
It was ranked as the fourth busiest cargo airport in the world in 2020 and currently serves 28 widebody air cargo carriers.
Christina Cassotis, Pittsburgh International Airport chief executive, commented: “We are continuing to build Pittsburgh International Airport into an international logistics center and growing cargo is a key driver for that.
“We’re excited to partner with one of the busiest cargo airports in the world as we continue to sell Pittsburgh as a convenient — and speedy — cargo destination.”
Jim Szczesniak, ANC’s airport manager, added: “ANC provides access to major markets in Asia, North America and Latin America, and is looking to grow its air cargo network by adding new destinations. With its strategic location providing access to the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast, Pittsburgh has great potential to capture future growth.”
