Glasgow Prestwick invests £1m in cool chain facility for seafood exports to Asia

Glasgow Prestwick Airport has launched a new seafood export service, backed by a £1m investment in equipment and a dedicated cool chain team.

The Scottish gateway has invested in high-volume metal detectors, temperature exposure and tracking systems, and four chillers with a capacity of 87 tonnes in a facility that will support seafood exports to China and mainland Europe.

Describing the new cool chain solution as “a game changer”, Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) chief executive Ian Forgie said: “PIK’s facilities make it an attractive destination for Chinese freighters, and the benefits of eight weekly flights to Asia make exporting perishables from PIK, rather than from London airports, an easy decision for the Scottish seafood industry to make.”

Furthermore, the airport is located close to fish farms, providing seafood producers with faster ‘farm-to-flight’ transit times – which mean lower trucking costs and reduced CO2 emissions.

“Our in-house expertise coupled with our significant investment makes PIK a standout hub for the Scottish seafood industry and we are prepared to meet growing demand,” Forgie added.

The value of Scottish salmon exports reached a record £844m in 2024. The Chinese market grew by 60% in value to £76m and 107% in volume; with just over 8,175 tonnes exported, China was the third-largest market for Scottish salmon in 2024.

“The new dedicated service from Glasgow Prestwick Airport strengthens our ability to meet growing demand in China and across Asia, while supporting jobs and communities in Scotland’s coastal and rural areas,” said Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland.

Earlier this year, the airport announced it had won a new regular Air China Cargo freighter service.

The three times a week scheduled freighter service flies in from Guangzhou, China and the frequency of the service is expected to increase in the future.