Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport saw a more than threefold increase in cargo-only transits from May 1 to May 18 2020 compared with the same period in prior month April.
The key Russian hub’s freight handler, Moscow Cargo, processed more than four thousand tonnes of medical cargo from international airlines in the first half of May.
Air transport has played a critical role in the delivery of medical supplies during the pandemic and were a significant portion of imports handled at Sheremetyevo during April and May. The supplies consisted of masks, ventilators, medical equipment and medications, said an airport spokesperson.
The equipment was transported both on freighters and, increasingly, on passenger aircraft cargo-only charter flights. About 35% of medical supplies handled at the Moscow Cargo terminal in April was delivered by cargo-only passenger aircraft.
Added the spokesperson: “Cargo-only flight service requires a number of additional handling operations. Depending on the instructions of the air carrier, cargo can be placed not only in the luggage compartment, but also in the cabin, which requires special preparation.
“All surfaces of the aircraft cabin must be carefully covered with a protective film, and the cargo must be fastened securely.
“Loading and unloading of the passenger cabin is done only manually. In addition, the servicing of each flight is carried out according to individual algorithms, which depend on the nature, quantity and dimensions of the cargo, the placement of the cargo in the cabin, and the type of aircraft and the pattern of loading and unloading of the cabin approved by the carrier.”
The need for prompt delivery of medical supplies also contributes to an increase in transit traffic. Currently, the demand for air shipments from China to Europe is at the same level as before the pandemic.
The transit cargo is transported primarily by cargo airlines, but the number of cargo-only flights “has increased significantly”.
Added the spokesperson: “This kind of cooperation with air carriers has been possible due to the modern infrastructure and tariff policy at Sheremetyevo Airport.
“Today, Moscow Cargo regularly serves the cargo-only flights of Aeroflot, Russia, iFly, Royal Flight, Air Astana, China Eastern, Nordwind Airlines, Pegas Fly, Mahan Air, Uzbekistan Airways, Air Algerie and others.”
Some of these transits via Sheremetyevo were a refuelling stop only.
Moscow Cargo, which opened in 2017, is a high-tech terminal and a primary handler at Sheremetyevo, serving 72.5% of the airport’s cargo and mail volumes.
Moscow Cargo terminal, with a total area of 42,300 sq m and designed to handle 380,00 tonnes of cargo per year, is the largest in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe.
In 2019, Moscow Cargo handled more than 275,000 tonnes of cargo and mail, reflecting a growth of 12%, outpacing the average indicators of the global airfreight market.
