© Mollynz Dreamstime.com.
One of many main gateways for worldwide air cargo is about for a sweeping overhaul of its cargo infrastructure.
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has invited proposals for the modernisation of its cargo amenities at LA Worldwide (LAX).
Different main US gateways like Miami, Dallas/Fort Price and Chicago have made latest upgrades to their cargo infrastructure, or are within the strategy of doing so, whereas aspiring second-tier airports like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh are additionally investing in new cargo buildings.
For forwarders in Los Angeles, LAX has been a long-standing supply of frustration, each by way of entry to the cargo areas and the cargo amenities themselves.
Kent Hindes, senior director of world business actual property companies agency Cushman & Wakefield, famous that lots of the airport’s cargo buildings have been nicely previous their prime. Essentially the most trendy have been constructed within the mid-Eighties, whereas a lot of the infrastructure dates again to the 50s.
An evaluation LAWA carried out final 12 months concluded that many amenities have been “not suitable with present trade working requirements” and there have been various “roadway and airside points which will restrict optimisation”.
LAWA additionally must broaden capability. Final 12 months the airport dealt with over 2.97m tons. Air cargo within the area is forecast to rise at 2.6% CAGR to achieve 7.7 m tons in 2045.
One trade govt famous that the amount that handed by means of LAX final 12 months was twice as a lot as that of New York’s JFK airport, whereas 20 years in the past, their volumes have been at parity, he stated.
LAWA is now getting ready for a sweeping overhaul. It’s ‘request for proposal’ (RFP) says: “The chance is a globally unprecedented, campus-wide redevelopment to rework LAX right into a state-of-the-art cargo centre.”
The redevelopment will begin with a restricted part one, however ultimately a lot of the present infrastructure will probably be changed.
One of many main aims candidates have to handle is LAWA’s want to optimise land footprint. The present set-up includes three main cargo areas, with 27 buildings with a mixed footprint of about 2.6m sq ft of constructing area and three.5m sq ft of ramp area for 37 widebody freighter positions.
LAX is at present served by 23 cargo airways, along with the armada of passenger carriers flying out and in.
LAWA desires the modernisation to consolidate cargo amenities and shrink the cargo footprint, which suggests the airport could find yourself with fewer cargo areas. The RFP additionally expresses a want to co-locate suitable amenities (‘to the extent possible”), presumably by service kind – stomach service, freighter airline and specific operations.
It additionally requires the usage of superior know-how, which will probably be essential to marry the aims of shrinking footprint and boosted capability. “LAX is land-constrained,” stated Mr Hindes.
Miami Airport, which has the identical predicament, has opted for a vertical idea – the primary in North America. The idea is on the advance in off-airport areas, Mr Hindes stated, pointing to a few such amenities Prologis has in-built Seattle. The developer is at present finishing 4 multi-storey amenities within the Inland Empire, he added.
However he has reservations in regards to the idea on-airport, including: “The principal facet for cargo at an airport is pace. How a lot congestion goes to happen in a three- or four-storey facility?”
Along with the overhaul of the cargo areas and buildings, there additionally must be an idea for truck staging and metering.
