CARGO operations at heathrow Airport have been disrupted following a power outage that has seen the airport shut down for the day.
As well as the impact of the power outage on cargo operations on the ground, the cancellation of all flights means that cargo cannot be transported as planned, affecting supply chains and potentially causing cargo backlogs.
IAG Cargo advised LondoN Air Cargo News (ACN) that it had begun accepting cargo bookings again.
IAG Cargo had declined to comment on the extent of the operational disruption currently and how it plans to handle any cargo backlogs but further told ACN: 'Our colleagues are actively working to minimise disruption and will be in contact with our customers.'
The company's hub at London Heathrow Airport handles over 500,000 tonnes of cargo every year.
Commenting on the impact of a lack of power at cargo facilities and handling areas at the airport, supply chain management company Woodland Group said: 'As Europe's busiest airport, significant disruption is to be expected over the coming days for travellers and global consignments.
'This outage is expected to impact cargo shipments, forcing airlines and logistics companies to divert freight to alternative airports such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris and Madrid.'
Angus Hind, director of Europa Air & Sea, agreed that the closure is 'going to have a profound impact on supply chains for days, and potentially weeks, to come'.
Further commenting on potential disruption, he said: 'For us in the industry, I would expect this disruption to continue throughout the next week. Due to Ramadan, poised for the end of March, we are operating at higher volumes of trade to and from the Middle East currently.'
Tim van Leeuwen, vice president and head of consulting at Rotate, said that the company's Live Capacity and Air Demand data shows that more than 10 per cent of European cargo is directly impacted by Heathrow's shutdown, with transatlantic capacity most affected. Twenty per cent of cargo capacity on the transatlantic lane is to/from Heathrow.
Meanwhile, the British International Freight Association (BIFA) said that disruption to cargo and supply chains has been overlooked in coverage of the Heathrow shutdown and that the flow of goods at the freight hub had been 'severely disrupted'.
'As expected, most reporting has focused on the immediate impact on flights, terminals and passengers. Regrettably, cargo has been largely overlooked, and the impact will be significant on both import and export movements.
'Supply chains work based on a consistent flow of goods and this has been severely interrupted - for exports the immediate concern will be that airline sheds will fill up rapidly and be unable to accept fresh freight deliveries, which will then affect other parties. For imports, freight will not arrive at or be diverted from its original final destination.
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As well as the impact of the power outage on cargo operations on the ground, the cancellation of all flights means that cargo cannot be transported as planned, affecting supply chains and potentially causing cargo backlogs.
IAG Cargo advised LondoN Air Cargo News (ACN) that it had begun accepting cargo bookings again.
IAG Cargo had declined to comment on the extent of the operational disruption currently and how it plans to handle any cargo backlogs but further told ACN: 'Our colleagues are actively working to minimise disruption and will be in contact with our customers.'
The company's hub at London Heathrow Airport handles over 500,000 tonnes of cargo every year.
Commenting on the impact of a lack of power at cargo facilities and handling areas at the airport, supply chain management company Woodland Group said: 'As Europe's busiest airport, significant disruption is to be expected over the coming days for travellers and global consignments.
'This outage is expected to impact cargo shipments, forcing airlines and logistics companies to divert freight to alternative airports such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris and Madrid.'
Angus Hind, director of Europa Air & Sea, agreed that the closure is 'going to have a profound impact on supply chains for days, and potentially weeks, to come'.
Further commenting on potential disruption, he said: 'For us in the industry, I would expect this disruption to continue throughout the next week. Due to Ramadan, poised for the end of March, we are operating at higher volumes of trade to and from the Middle East currently.'
Tim van Leeuwen, vice president and head of consulting at Rotate, said that the company's Live Capacity and Air Demand data shows that more than 10 per cent of European cargo is directly impacted by Heathrow's shutdown, with transatlantic capacity most affected. Twenty per cent of cargo capacity on the transatlantic lane is to/from Heathrow.
Meanwhile, the British International Freight Association (BIFA) said that disruption to cargo and supply chains has been overlooked in coverage of the Heathrow shutdown and that the flow of goods at the freight hub had been 'severely disrupted'.
'As expected, most reporting has focused on the immediate impact on flights, terminals and passengers. Regrettably, cargo has been largely overlooked, and the impact will be significant on both import and export movements.
'Supply chains work based on a consistent flow of goods and this has been severely interrupted - for exports the immediate concern will be that airline sheds will fill up rapidly and be unable to accept fresh freight deliveries, which will then affect other parties. For imports, freight will not arrive at or be diverted from its original final destination.
SeaNews Turkey
