Record cargo year for Singapore’s Changi airport

Singapore Changi Airport recorded a 6.3% rise in airfreight throughputs versus prior year to reach 1.97m tonnes in 2016.
The Asian hub, the world’s 15th largest cargo hub by volumes in 2015, ended 2016 with a strong December, handling 177,360 tonnes, up by 8.4% on the same month in 2015.
Changi Airport welcomed two freighter carriers — Neptune Air and Silkway West Airlines — to its family of over 100 passenger and cargo airlines last year, while freighter airline K-Mile Air resumed operations to Singapore.
A spokesperson for the airport authority said: “In terms of airfreight throughput, growth was recorded across imports, exports and transhipments.
“Perishables and pharmaceuticals were segments that performed well, contributing a significant portion of Changi’s total cargo throughput.”
The top five country markets for airfreight were China, Australia, Hong Kong, the US and India.
To strengthen its pharma cargo handling capabilities, Changi Airport last year formed a community of cargo partners to attain IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators on pharmaceutical handling (CEIV Pharma) certification.
Said the airport spokesperson: “Under a community approach, at least one company from each of the supply chain nodes ─ airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders ─ will undergo the CEIV Pharma certification.”
The group of companies consists of Singapore Airlines Cargo, dnata Singapore, Global Airfreight International, Expeditors Singapore, CEVA Logistics Singapore, and Schenker Singapore.
Beyond the establishment of a CEIV Phama certified community, Changi Airport Group also joined Pharma.Aero, an organisation focused on achieving reliable end-to-end air transportation for pharma cargo.
In October 2016, the DHL Express South Asia Hub, a 24-hour express hub facility located within Changi Airfreight Centre, was officially opened. This has tripled DHL Express’ cargo handling facility in Singapore and allows shipments to be processed six times faster.
Together with SATS’ upcoming e-commerce AirHub, expected to open later in 2017, “these developments will boost Changi’s position as a leading air cargo hub in Asia”, added the spokesperson.
Changi Airport Group chief executive Lee Seow Hiang said: “2016 was a record-breaking year for Changi Airport, with passenger traffic and cargo throughput both registering new peaks.
“Despite a backdrop of economic and socio-political uncertainties, we maintain a positive outlook for the year ahead. We see opportunities in emerging markets within Africa and Eastern Europe.
“At the same time, we will continue to grow our long haul routes to Western Europe, and strengthen our connectivity within the region to secondary cities in South East Asia, China and India.”