Cargo at Changi Airport has grown 6.3 per cent to the new high of 1.97 million tonnes with growth coming from imports, exports, transhipments, perishables and pharmaceuticals.
Airfreight volumes were up 8.4 per cent 177,355 tonnes and the top markets were China, Australia, Hong Kong, the US and India.
Changi Airport strengthened its pharmaceutical capabilities by forming a community of cargo partners to undergo International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Handling certification, with Singapore Airlines Cargo, dnata Singapore, Global Airfreight International, Expeditors Singapore, CEVA Logistics Singapore and Schenker Singapore participating.
SATS Coolport was the first facility in the world to undergo certification and Changi Airport Group joined the Pharma.Aero organisation to achieve end-to-end air transportation for pharmaceutical cargo.
The DHL Express South Asia hub was officially opened in October 2016, tripling the handling facility and allowing shipments to be processed six times faster, and SATS will be opening its eCommerce AirHub later this year.
Changi Airport Group chief executive officer, Lee Seow Hiang says: “2016 was a record-breaking year for Changi Airport, with passenger traffic and cargo throughput both registering new peaks. We are also pleased with the introduction of many new city links, including to Europe and Oceania, as well as the launch of non-stop services to the United States.”
Changi welcomed two new freight carriers, Neptune Air and Silkway West Airlines, and K-Mile Air resumed operations.
