The near future of cargo at Schiphol

We are now into the second month of 2019, so there is no better time than the present our focus for the next year, and our plans for the future of cargo at Schiphol.

Our main priority for this year is to move forward with the Smart Cargo Mainport Program (SCMP), focussing on optimal landside logistics, digitization of the supply chain and new innovations such as automated nomination and the development of a trucking app. All projects involve streamlining air cargo processes and introducing digital applications at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which will continue throughout the year as we work towards implementing data driven, Cloud-based, and transparent processes. In order to realise our SCMP ambitions we will continue to work together with the cargo community. Collaboration remains key with our SCMP partners.

Secondly, we also continue to work together with our cargo community and freighter airlines to ensure we maintain freighter volume, which is invaluable for the airport and for a healthy cargo environment.

Thirdly, we are aiming to realise growth in belly volume, and we will continue business development activities in important segments, such as pharma, e-commerce, and flowers.

Great achievement within the Pharma Gateway Amsterdam (PGA) air cargo community is that almost all of their members are becoming IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistic (CEIV)-certified this year. And even some members will become re-certified this year.

The Holland Flower Alliance (HFA), of which we are founding members along with Royal FloraHolland and KLM Cargo, reached new milestones by introducing a new track and trace system on flowerboxes for both freight data and product information, and unveiled the Ideal Flowerbox at Flower Logistics Africa (FLA) in November. This resulted in a 15 per cent increase of weight on airline pallets and boxes on the Nairobi to Amsterdam route.

In 2018, we experienced a year of ups and down, particularly surrounding the ongoing slot restrictions.

All we can say right now is that we are planning for moderate growth for the coming year, and that we will collaborate with the cargo community to implement the strategy.

We also want Schiphol to remain the preferred and smartest cargo hub, and we can do that by optimising quality and by using digital technology through SCMP.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, our readers and Cargo Community, for your support over the past year, and we look forward to sharing our news with you throughout 2019.

Bart Pouwels
Head of Cargo