In the UK, air cargo is focused around London’s Heathrow Airport due to its international links but regional airports are increasingly embracing air cargo to provide an alternative to congestion in London.
Teesside opened the doors to its £2.5million cargo facility at the end of August. Its 21,000 square-foot hangar provides cutting edge security technology, and handling, freight forwarding, customs clearance and storage services.
It has land and airside access, and being a one-stop service where landing fees, parking, handling and screening fees are included in an all-in package.
Net zero and helping airlines with their ESG credentials is very important to the airport through its handling services and the use of SAF.
Since the facility opened, the Teesside team have been having productive conversations and spreading the word about what the airport can offer.
Managing Director Phil Forster says, “There have been many active enquiries that we’ve been dealing with in different sectors whether it be airlines, freight forwarders and brokers. The main thing is getting the airport out there, looking where we are in the UK; if you look at where Teesside sits, we are in the middle of the UK.”
Gaining licences, such as for handling perishables, is an immediate task, so conversations are ongoing with DEFRA and APHA.
Discussions are positive for scheduled services and there have been enquiries about charter opportunities.
Active discussions are ongoing with three airlines, and if the deals come off, Teesside would be handling one flight a day. One is looking at five a week and the others are looking at three a week.
The mix is for short- and long-haul services with one of them serving Europe, another flying transatlantic and the other coming in from Africa.
Forster says, “The big thing is making airlines aware of where we are and the operation we can offer, and making people aware that we can get things into a distribution centre in London within 7-8 hours because we are not slot constrained.”
The right place
With the A1 and A19 roads running parallel to the airport, a runway measuring 2,291 metres, 800 acres of developable land available, much of which is in the Freeport, Teesside has much to offer.
Walter Jones has joined from Doncaster Sheffield Airport as Head of Cargo, bringing with him extensive experience and contacts.
“Everything is in place, we are just waiting to start moving,” says Forster.
Cargo was not a big part of Teesside’s business but it saw the opportunity due to strong demand for freight during the pandemic.
The runway can cater for large aircraft such as Antonov AN-124s and Boeing 747s. Air Force One has even paid a visit.
“When you look at all of those things, and being in the Freeport, you put all of these things together and joining the dots, freight is a huge opportunity that we should be looking at,” he says.
The cargo facility is not the only major investment at Teesside, it complements the £200 million Southside Business Park.
“When we are speaking to businesses, making them aware of where Teesside is and the credentials we can offer, we are also speaking to a number of companies who are looking at putting their distribution centres here at the airport. We are in active discussions with a number of companies, whether it is logistics partners, those who deal in the world of perishables or other goods who might want to put their warehouses at the airport site,” he says.
Perishables are a big thing that Teesside is pushing, and it has gone through the process of getting border control posts and speaking with APHA.
They are not the only cargo of interest, dangerous goods and clothing are other products. With the Novavax vaccine manufacturing facility nearby, pharmaceuticals have a lot of potential.
In the long term, raising awareness of Teesside will be key to establishing it as an important cargo hub.
“We need to establish Teesside as a recognised, well-functioning operational cargo facility. We want to be seen as supporting the UK so this isn’t just about people wanting to bring because they want goods to get into Teesside, we want to be seen as the UK’s most effective, best operational freight facility,” adds Forster.
This article was published in the October issue of Air Logistics International, click here to read the digital edition and click here to subscribe.