Bengaluru International airport is winning at handling perishables

February 24, 2020: Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB or BLR Airport), in its commitment to enable faster and seamless processing of cargo shipment, has incorporated cutting-edge technologies and built cargo infrastructure that also provides finest and rapid distribution of perishable cargo.

Air India SATS and Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore terminal operators along with the 15 freighter connecting global destination play a key role in BRL Airport’s efficient logistics solutions and safe delivery of products.

The cargo facility is powered by tech assets such as: Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS), Elevated Transfer Vehicles (ETVs), Very Narrow Aisle Trucks (VNAs) and high rise racking systems, lift and run systems (for ULD movement), reach stackers with bar code readers, and handheld devices.

The logistics solutions ensure that all farm-fresh commodities such as Mango, Capsicum, Baby Corn, Papaya, Sweet Corn, Pomegranate, Chilly, Gourds, Cabbage, Cauliflower, exotic vegetables such as Zucchini and Celery reach their destinations within 24 hours of harvest.

The cargo infrastructure provides rapid distribution of perishable cargo, making KIAB the most-preferred cargo airport in South India. BLR Airport has a dedicated cold zone- AISATS Coolport- with the capacity to handle 40,000 MT per annum and temperature zones ranging from -25 to +25 degrees Centigrade under the same roof. Menzies Aviation Bobba Bangalore, too, has cold zone, measuring 8,500 sft with the capacity to handle 20 ULD Pallets from 15 to 25 degrees Centigrade and 2 ULD for 2 to 8 degrees Centigrade.

The timely delivery of perishable items with a limited shelf life to consumers presents complicated challenges in terms of maintaining quality and freshness. To retain the freshness, all perishables at both the terminals are received, stored, cleared and moved to the aircraft within the required temperature on priority, reducing dwell time at terminals without any temperature excursion at the cold chain facilities. The required temperature is maintained not only in storage, but also in the pre-loading area, right up to the time the cargo is loaded onto an aircraft.

South India exports 51,428,000 MT of both fruits and vegetables (excluding onions) of which 35% accounts for farm fresh produce. With facilities to process temperature-controlled products, BLR Airport accounts for 27% of the total South India & near- 90,000 MT agricultural air exports, and these exports are largely to Asian and European countries. Of the 27%, 70% of the exports are produced within Karnataka.

BLR Airport Cargo Terminal is the first in India to become IATA e-freight complaint and also the only airport in India to have both terminals compliant with the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO). The cargo facilities are also TAPA and ACC3 certified.

BIAL has invested substantially to develop world-class cargo infrastructure with advanced cargo terminals to enable faster processing of consignments. The current capacity of the BLR Airport’s combined cargo terminals is 570,000 MT with scope to further expand capacity up to 850,000 MT.
During the Financial Year 2018-19, BLR Airport processed 386,780 Metric Tonnes of cargo, more than tripling its throughput from the initial year of operation.

The dedicated on-airport perishable handing centers - AISATS Coolport and the Cold Zone at Menzies
Aviation Bobba Bangalore - handles 60,000 MT per annum. The airport has incorporated additional space for the development and building of an integrated air cargo and logistics hub in the future.

In addition, BIAL is in the process of setting up a truck parking facility over five acres within the campus. The facility, along with Truck parking, would offer amenities like fuel stations food & beverage outlets, service stations and resting spaces for drivers. On an average, the Airport receives shipments from over 1,000 trucks each day, from cities like Hyderabad, Tirupur and Visakhapatnam.

BLR Airport aims to be the gateway of choice for trade connectivity and bolster the regional economy through infrastructure development and innovation.