SATS opens BUP Handling Centre to boost cargo ops at Changi Airport

SATS, one of the world’s leading providers of air cargo and ground handling services, has announced the opening of a new facility at Changi Airport by SATS Singapore Hub (SG Hub), the BUP Handling Centre, which will enhance and optimise airfreight operations, according to an official release from SATS.

The BUP Handling Centre is named after BUPs, or Bulk Unitisation Programme shipments, which are cargo packages assembled by freight forwarders or shippers and delivered to SATS to be loaded onto flights. It covers an area about half the size of a soccer field at SATS Cargo’s Airfreight Terminal. This dedicated and sheltered facility resembles the clearance lanes for cargo trucks at Singapore’s Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints.

Operated by SATS Cargo, the BUP Handling Centre is designed to boost efficiency by reducing the minimum processing time for air cargo shipments by 20%, from two-and-a-half hours to just two hours. This improvement allows for greater flexibility and faster response times, especially for time-sensitive shipments. The facility also offers multiple operational advantages, such as easing roadway congestion and freeing up space at existing airfreight terminals. It supports the resolution of acceptance issues on-site, including documentation checks, weight verification, and ensuring BUP dimensions are compatible with aircraft cargo holds. Once accepted, cargo can be towed directly to the airside for loading, streamlining the cargo flow and enhancing overall handling efficiency.

“In the air cargo logistics network where every minute counts, the BUP Handling Centre’s enhanced processes are a game-changer for SATS Cargo operations at Changi Airport. The new facility will allow faster, safer, and more efficient processing and handling of air cargo shipments, by day and by night and in all-weather conditions,” says Kuah Boon Kiam, Senior Vice-President, Cargo Services, SG Hub.

“This facility also allows SG Hub to test and refine processes as we nurture future-ready capabilities in airside and cargo handling ahead of the opening of Changi Airport Terminal 5 and the Changi East Industrial Zone. We thank our partners from Singapore’s aviation ecosystem, the freight forwarding community as well as shippers for contributing to the successful launch of the BUP Handling Centre,” adds Kuah.

The new facility will also serve as a testbed for SATS Cargo to trial advanced systems and processes for air cargo operations, which could later be implemented at Changi Airport’s upcoming Terminal 5 and the Changi East Industrial Zone.

SATS established SG Hub on 1 October 2024 as a dedicated business division to support airport operations at Singapore’s Air Hub, which groups Changi Airport, Seletar Airport and the aviation industries at these gateways. The division strengthens SATS’ position as Changi Airport's leading solutions provider, powered by a future-ready workforce and systems that drive the global competitiveness of Singapore's Air Hub. SG Hub provides ground handling services such as passenger handling, baggage services, aircraft handling, security services and cargo handling services that are critical for safe, efficient and timely airport operation, the release added.