Munich Airport opens €18.5m facility for forwarders

A new facility for freight forwarders, including an adjacent parking garage, has been officially opened at Germany's Munich Airport. Total investment in the complex will amount to €18.5m.

Located next to the airport's existing freight facilities, the new development is designed to lay the groundwork for smooth cargo handling even with anticipated "massive growth" of that business in the future, stated airport operating company FMG. "With this move, Munich Airport is taking yet another step towards its destination of becoming a Europe-wide logistics centre," it said..

FMG pointed out that an ongoing air freight boom had caused the throughput handled at Munich Airport to quadruple between 1992 and 2006 from barely 100,000 tonnes to more than 400,000.

The first phase of the new cargo development just completed provides total floor space of 15,000 square metres for use by freight forwarding companies. Four forwarders – AHT, Airtruck Befrachtungsgesellschaft, Detzer Aircargo Service and Geis SDV (Future Group) – will set up operations there. "Rapid expansion is possible in the form of a second phase with a total additional area of up to 15,000 square metres," added FMG.

The new building is 230 metres long, 65 metres wide and 12 metres high. More than 50 trucks will be able to dock there simultaneously. The facility is linked to the airport's existing freight terminal by a dedicated track for dolly trains and forklifts.

The parking garage adjacent to the freight forwarders' building has parking spaces on eight levels for approximately 2,300 vehicles.