Dubai-based air services provider dnata is set to invest more than $224.91m (€200m) in a completely automated cargo facility at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
The facility, named dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, will increase cargo capacity in the Netherlands and generate new job opportunities.
The 61,000m² centre will be located at Schiphol South-East and will feature an expanded 19,000m² warehouse space.
It will have the capacity to handle more than 850,000t of cargo annually, including perishables, pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, aircraft engines, mail, live animals and vehicles.
dnata Cargo City Amsterdam is projected to open in 2024.
Schiphol Commercial managing director Jan Willem Weissink said: “Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is Europe’s best-connected airport, with the most direct air destinations. The cargo operation is of critical importance to our airport’s network, which became even more evident during the Covid pandemic.
“Together with dnata and other partners, Schiphol is working on a highly successful, efficient and sustainable cargo operation. We are delighted to have started the construction of dnata Cargo City Amsterdam for one of our most important partners in the cargo operation at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.”
Schiphol Commercial Real Estate will develop the cargo centre. It will include new technologies that will be provided by Lödige Industries.
The centre will feature two separate automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) with 12 stacker cranes. It will have space to store up to 2,500 pallets.
Furthermore, around four elevating transport vehicles (ETV) will provide services for separate storage for unit load devices (ULDs).
Nearly seven automated guided vehicles (AGV) will also be deployed for ULD transport within the terminal.
The facility will be equipped with smart gates that will scan all incoming consignments in 3D to automatically register their volume and weight.
Additionally, all elements will be unified into a ‘comprehensive high performance’ warehouse management solution, which will allow dnata to expand its operations and service at Schiphol.
In November last year, dnata signed a concession agreement to manage the operations of the newly developed international Terminal 3 of Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) in Tanzania.
