SINGAPORE's Changi Airport Group (CAG) is adopting an intermodal approach to business in an operating environment where capacity and demand have become a difficult balancing act, reports London's Air Cargo News.
Managing director for air hub development Lim Ching Kiat said the airport works with seaport operator PSA International at the Port of Singapore to optimise cargo flow in Singapore based on supply and demand.
'For us, the advantages are Singapore is a busy air cargo hub, but also has one the busiest ports in the world. We are looking at this area of intermodal cargo - air-sea transshipment or sea-air transshipment,' said Mr Lim.
'Depending on the economic cycle, if the supply is tight, shippers tend to go for air-air more, but when the market softens price conscious shippers may choose a slower but cheaper sea-air shipment. We are keen to grow our intermodal business to give customers different options for moving their goods,' he said.
CAG's drive to improve capacity management efficiency bodes well for several freighter operators that have invested in the airport since the start of the pandemic.
These include India-based Spice Express, Australian Tasman Cargo Airlines, and US-located Atlas Air.
Last year also saw a new DHL Express and Singapore Airlines (SIA) partnership that will increase cargo volumes at the airport.
The partnership was established last March to deploy five B777Fs with SIA on a crew and maintenance agreement (CM) in order to secure capacity out of Singapore.
Then in August, SIA began operating a B777 freighter between Singapore and the US via South Korea three times a week.
'All of these are good developments for us,' Mr Lim said.
Resource management is especially important with the increase in traffic for the year end passenger and cargo peak.
'In January and February, when our partners' manpower moves closer to pre-Covid levels. I think that we can move back into normalcy,' he said.
While economic pressures and staffing are the biggest challenges for Changi, the airport has big ambitions for the next five years and aims to ensure its cargo network is robust.
'The target is to get into the top 10 international cargo volume by global standards,' said Mr Lim.
SeaNews Turkey
Managing director for air hub development Lim Ching Kiat said the airport works with seaport operator PSA International at the Port of Singapore to optimise cargo flow in Singapore based on supply and demand.
'For us, the advantages are Singapore is a busy air cargo hub, but also has one the busiest ports in the world. We are looking at this area of intermodal cargo - air-sea transshipment or sea-air transshipment,' said Mr Lim.
'Depending on the economic cycle, if the supply is tight, shippers tend to go for air-air more, but when the market softens price conscious shippers may choose a slower but cheaper sea-air shipment. We are keen to grow our intermodal business to give customers different options for moving their goods,' he said.
CAG's drive to improve capacity management efficiency bodes well for several freighter operators that have invested in the airport since the start of the pandemic.
These include India-based Spice Express, Australian Tasman Cargo Airlines, and US-located Atlas Air.
Last year also saw a new DHL Express and Singapore Airlines (SIA) partnership that will increase cargo volumes at the airport.
The partnership was established last March to deploy five B777Fs with SIA on a crew and maintenance agreement (CM) in order to secure capacity out of Singapore.
Then in August, SIA began operating a B777 freighter between Singapore and the US via South Korea three times a week.
'All of these are good developments for us,' Mr Lim said.
Resource management is especially important with the increase in traffic for the year end passenger and cargo peak.
'In January and February, when our partners' manpower moves closer to pre-Covid levels. I think that we can move back into normalcy,' he said.
While economic pressures and staffing are the biggest challenges for Changi, the airport has big ambitions for the next five years and aims to ensure its cargo network is robust.
'The target is to get into the top 10 international cargo volume by global standards,' said Mr Lim.
SeaNews Turkey