newstodate.aero

May 13, 2024 (newstodate: Riga Airport will see the opening of the Baltic Cargo Hub, significantly increasing airBaltic's handling capacity at its Riga hub to up to 45,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
  With a cornerstone ceremony last week, the project took a step forward towards the planned opening in 2025 of the new facility located right at the recently built air cargo dedicated apron equipped with underground fuel hydrants.  
  Spanning an area of 6,895 m2 including some 5,000 m2 of cargo handling facilities and another 2,000 m2 of office space, the Baltic Cargo Hub is designed to offer full special cargo handling capabilities, including dedicated temperature-controlled rooms for pharmaceuticals and perishables, premises for dangerous goods, live animals and valuable shipments, while its design integrates essential functionalities for Food and Veterinary Services and a Customs checkpoint.
   The new air cargo terminal will be handling airBaltic's own and growing operations as well as all-cargo and freighter operators, and will especially be targeting an expected steep growth in e-trade shipments as well as mail volumes.
   A new 45,000 m2 facility would seem adequate to handle cargo volumes at Riga Airport for some time to come; the airport exited 2023 with a total volume of air cargo at 19,160 tonnes, down nine percent, y-o-y, and airBaltic itself reported transporting 9,400 tonnes in 2023.