Swissport launches 2,694 sq m temperature-controlled facility at LHR, targeting 30,000 tonnes annual capacity for seafood and fresh produce flows
Swissport has launched its first dedicated perishables centre in the UK and Scan Global Logistics has become the first customer to operate from the site.
The perishables centre is part of Swissport's fifth cargo facility at Heathrow Airport (LHR). The cargo facility opened in November 2024.
The three-year partnership between Swissport and Scan Global Logistics will see the companies provide exporters with reliable capacity, controlled handling and faster processing for time and temperature-sensitive goods, including seafood - particulary salmon, fresh produce, and other critical perishables.
Temperature-controlled handling areas within the perishables centre are designed to meet the requirements of fresh seafood logistics. The centre is designed to handle up to 30,000 tonnes of perishables per year.
The site also includes a dedicated Border Inspection Post (BIP), enabling immediate airside inspection and clearance of imported goods. This capability supports faster release times, reduces dwell periods and helps protect product integrity for time- and temperature-sensitive shipments.
“Launching our first dedicated perishables centre in the UK and our partnership with Scan Global Logistics marks a significant milestone for Swissport," said Joe Bellfield, Swissport chief operating officer Cargo UK&I.
“Heathrow is a critical gateway for global seafood flows, and perishables require absolute precision. By bringing our proven cool-chain processes, specialised infrastructure and trained teams to Heathrow Airport, we are strengthening the reliability and predictability that exporters depend on.”
“Producers of temperature-sensitive goods depend on predictable capacity and controlled handling, especially as volumes continue to rise,” commented Steen Søgaard, regional chief executive North Europe at Scan Global Logistics.
“This setup provides a stable platform that supports both daily operations and long-term growth. Swissport’s global cool-chain expertise and operational scale make them a strong partner for the UK market.”
As part of the ongoing investment in the facility, Swissport will install an EMIS machine in the first quarter of this year. It is an automated screening solution that allows dense, palletised seafood shipments to be screened without breakdown.
Processing fully built units in a single pass, the system reduces handling steps, shortens queue times and ensures a more predictable, consistent flow.
For exporters, this means faster processing, improved schedule reliability and better protection of product quality during peak periods, while fully meeting EU security requirements.
“With this technology, we can move perishables through Heathrow more efficiently and with far greater predictability,” explained Colin Wells, global head of perishables at Scan Global Logistics.
“It improves processing times while maintaining the highest standards of quality and freshness and creates a unique and highly reliable solution for which is a high market demand.”
LHR plays a central role in the global seafood supply chain, with an estimated 200,000 tonnes of salmon transiting the airport each year, including Scottish production.
As direct uplift from origin becomes increasingly constrained, specialised hub operations with predictable throughput are becoming essential for exporters across Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the UK.
Farmed Atlantic salmon remains one of the world’s fastest-growing protein categories. Europe and the Americas each consume around 35-40% of global volumes, while industry analysts, including Kontali, project production growth of 15-25% between 2025 and 2030. These trends are driving higher volumes through major hub airports and increasing the need for robust, temperature-controlled handling solutions.
