Cargo hub project begins at Riga Airport
13 / 02 / 2024
Photo: Jaromir Chalabala/ Shutterstock
Latvian airline airBaltic has partnered with building company UPB Nams for the construction of a new cargo hub at Riga Airport.
The Baltic Cargo Hub will dedicate approximately 5000 m2 to air cargo handling facilities and will be equipped with semi-automatic cargo handling equipment.
This equipment is expected to improve cargo handling efficiency for both passenger aircraft and freighters.
The facility, with direct access to the apron, is also designed to have full special cargo handling capabilities with dedicated temperature-controlled rooms for pharmaceuticals and perishables, premises for dangerous goods, live animals and valuable shipments.
Martin Gauss, president and chief executive of airBaltic, commented: “In 2023, airBaltic delivered over 9 400 tonnes of cargo and mail, maintaining its status as the largest air cargo and mail carrier at RIX Riga Airport to date.
“However, our existing cargo hangar, fundamental for our operations, will soon be replaced by the Rail Baltica railway track. The upcoming Baltic Cargo Hub will significantly increase our handling capacity at Riga hub, allowing to handle up to 45,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
“This development will not only boost the airport’s cargo volume, but also bring substantial benefits for airBaltic. Overall, this project represents a significant milestone for our airline and Latvia’s aviation sector, setting a new standard in air cargo handling and logistics in the region.”
Laila Odiņa, chairperson of the Riga Airport’s board, said: “Our national airline, airBaltic, is currently the largest aviation cargo and mail carrier at Riga Airport. We are confident that the new cargo handling center will optimize and enhance cargo service processes, providing additional benefits to both the airline and its customers.”
Currently, the volume of air cargo transportation in Latvia consists of four main areas of activity – the export and import of high-value goods, the transportation of mail and e-commerce items, transit air cargo services, and the transit of non-military goods.
Kaspars Briškens, Minister of Transport of the Republic of Latvia, added: “The Baltic Cargo Hub marks an important milestone for Latvia’s aviation sector, strengthening our position on the regional airfreight and logistics map.”
In 2022, Riga Airport announced a new strategy that aimed to see it handle over 48,000 tonnes of air cargo a year by 2027.
