As Hamburg Airport Cargo Centre, or HACC, celebrates its one-year anniversary, it has been announced that a total of 71,031 tonnes of cargo has been handled at the facility since operations commenced on May 30 last year - representing an increase of 28.6% from the 55,255 tonnes handled in the 12 months prior.
Over the last year, flown cargo increased, from 32,887 tonnes to 35,623 tonnes, equating to an 8.3% rise. The strongest growth was reported for road-shipped freight at Hamburg, which rose to 35,408 tonnes from 22,367 tonnes the year before – an increase of 58.3%.
The 60,000 square metre site can handle a total of 150,000 tonnes of freight per year. Director of Cargo at Hamburg airport, Alexander Mueller, said: “Today, it is more important than ever that the infrastructure of a logistics facility ensures rapid, efficient processes, from the truck ramp to goods-in and security checks all the way to loading onto the aircraft.”
Reasons behind the robust growth of the cargo operation are believed to include the return of Lufthansa Cargo’s road freight to Hamburg airport, (handled in Norderstedt before HACC opened), the development of the Emirates route to Dubai and the deployment of larger aircraft on the United Airlines route to New York’s Newark International airport, generating additional cargo capacity with the airlines.
