Page 35 - The STAT Trade Times September 2022 Issue

70% of that cargo is coming so close to handling warehousing space, the airport is
Philadelphia International Airport and going also looking at how best it optimise cargo
north to airports in New York. It's a two and operation and thereby attract new airlines
a half hour truck ride. Plus who knows how and increase frequencies of main deck op-
long the processing time at airports that are erations by the existing cargo airlines.
really congested? Well, think about it, if we “The big thing about diversification
could capture 20% of that leakage. Just think is most of our passenger activity takes
of the benefit not only to the airport, but I'm place during the hours of like 6am to 8pm.
thinking of those regional manufacturers and Most of our cargo activity takes place
regional businesses that will save millions of outside of those hours. So we have this
dollars in shipping and processing. Think of I think our cargo huge infrastructure that goes essentially
how beneficial that would be to our region." unused during the rest of the day. If we
The fact of the matter is even now PHL operation could have can increase our cargo activity, especially
does not have the facility. But it has an am- that activity that will take place during the
bitious $1.2 billion cargo expansion plan. It grown significantly time that passenger airlines are not flying,
has set short, mid and long term vision to beyond where it is it just goes to maximize the utilization of
create cargo facilities that attract shippers that wildly expensive infrastructure that re-
and forwarders. today. But we just didn't mains unused during those evening hours.
PHL wants to make a change. It aims to So it just makes sense for the airport to
become a preferred air cargo hub in the east have any facilities or pursue that kind of activity,” explains Tyr-
cost of the US. Rochelle Cameron, the chief any opportunities rell, who has been with the airport for over
executive of the airport, wants to make PHL 35 years heading different departments.
as a regional economic engine. “In 2022, we to expand our PHL is also anchoring an air cargo com-
look forward to the advancement of our air munity system to integrate various stake-
cargo development programme, which will capacity. holders at the airport using digital, easy to
establish Philadelphia as a logistics centre use and secure digital tools to transform
Jim Tyrrell
and translate to thousands of new jobs— Philadelphia International Airport cargo operations to meet the growing
further augmenting PHL’s role as a regional demands of customers and to match the
economic engine. led us to develop the phases of our cargo expectations of the digital era or global
Tyrrell says the cargo redevelopment redevelopment programme.” trade and commerce. The Airport Cargo
programme has a very clear agenda with “So our cargo redevelopment pro- Community System (ACCS) is to be
short, mid and long term goals and they are gramme that will enable us to increase the implemented and rolled out by Kale
designed in such a way that the annual cargo volume of cargo activity is currently in its Logistics Solutions.
throughput at the airport, over the years, will design stage. So the timing of that may “Because we want to be a better
increase considerably. not impact volumes over the next partner to our cargo community; we
The airport now has just under half a year. It might be a little bit outside of know how important this is not only to
million square feet of cargo warehouse that. But we also have early phase the airport, but to the region. We have
space. According to Tyrrell, majority of that development plans that will great discussions about how we can bet-
warehouse isn't necessarily used for cargo enable us to increase our cargo ter improve and make Philadelphia morph
throughput. “We are a huge passenger hub. throughput,” he says. into a more efficient logistics centre,” Tyrrell
And a lot of the warehouse space is used to Besides the investment explained a few reasons for creation of an
support passenger activity. And that actually into building more cargo ACCS at PHL.
An annual throughput of one million
tonnes of cargo is neither an unachievable
goal nor far-distinct given the directions of
PHL’s cargo expansion programme. It will not
be a surprise at all if the airport closes 2022
with a record of 700,000 tonnes of cargo. 

UPS operates a large hub at
Philadelphia International Airport