Guangzhou Baiyun International, one of the country’s three busiest airports, is expanding its efforts to become an international air cargo and logistics hub in the prosperous southern Chinese region the China Daily reported.

International logistics companies will play a bigger part in reaching the goal, according to Liu Zijing, president of the Guangdong Airport Management Group Co Ltd. Liu said that the airport would soon introduce a safety and credit cargo agent system to offer better services to companies from around the world.

Liu made the pledge after the airport signed agreements with two international cargo giants late last month. Schenker China Ltd will ship more than 20,000 tonnes of cargo through the facility from 2007 to 2008, some 5 percent of the airport’s total.

BAX Global, which together with Schenker is part of the new global logistics powerhouse of DB Logistics, said it will also increase its volume. The two cargo companies said they will also assist Guangzhou airport to expand its logistics business by encouraging foreign airlines to increase international cargo fl ights.

The airport is now talking with local customs, frontline police, quarantine and inspection departments to further simplify entry and exit procedures and offer better service to attract more overseas airlines and cargo transport companies. The airport signed a similar agreement in May with Hong Kong-based U-Freight Holding Ltd to increase its cargo transportation volume. The airport’s international cargo volume reached 76,300 tonnes in the fi rst fi ve months this year, up 41.5 percent year-on-year.

It has also mapped out an ambitious plan for expansion, with a projected annual volume of more than 60 million passengers and more than 3 million tonnes of cargo expected by 2015. The airport projects that it will handle 4 million tonnes of cargo in 2020.