Fraport Cargo Services (FCS) hasopened a truck dock at its FrankfurtAirport facilities to facilitate the quicktransfer of aircraft pallets and containersfrom trucks to airside transportunits.

In a statement, FCS said that thenumber of ready-built units is continuouslyincreasing, so it prepared forthis market trend by building the newtruck dock. The units are now handledadjacent to the current warehouse ata separate building, which has directaccess to the apron, where units canbe accepted shortly before departureof the aircraft.

The same applies to import units,which after arrival of the aircraft allowsthe pallets and containers to be readyfor delivery, as they do not pass thenormal process inside the warehouse.Initially, FCS said it uses the newtruck dock as an extension to theexisting infrastructure and for the deliveryof import units only. A high rackwarehouse with a capacity of 225 unitsprovides backup storage space. Thetruck dock itself has a roofed storageis for another 25 units. Up to 40 unitscan be loaded on trucks hourly.

The next step will be the full automationof the high rack warehouse.It will enable the self-acting deliveryat arrival time of the customer. Amanual control will be available in caseof emergency.