The former Air Cargo Terminal, now re-named Skyport has a designed 100,000 tonnes annual capacity and handled 44,000 tonnes in 2007. In the fourth quarter of 2007, Prague airport posted 11 per cent growth over 2005, Slavik said. According to market analysts at Frost & Sullivan, the Eastern Europe market is set to show considerable growth in the next few years, based on the trend of the past few years.
Chairman of both CEH and Skyport, Kamil Slavik, said expansion plans for the terminal include a new agent building to be operational by 2010. Presently Asian carriers serving the Prague airport include China Airlines which operates a B747 freighter and Korean Air which operates an A330 five times a week. Other airlines operate offline with frequent road feeder service (RFS) and ad hoc charters, according to Slavik, who is a former CSA executive. The cargo terminal, which has an annual turnover of around CZK180 million (US$10.7 million), has an automatic RFS centre which serves customers.
CEH’s cargo terminal purchase
The terminal, a unit of state-run Czech Airlines (CSA), was sold to CEH following approval of the deal at CSA’s extraordinary general meeting in August 2007 and renamed Skyport. According to press reports, CSA received CZK763 million (US$45.3 million) for the sale.
Having completed the terminal purchase, Slavik said the main priority now, “is to provide handling services in the sphere of air cargo to the highest European standard.’
“We would like to attract new clients to Prague and we want to increase the effectiveness of our state-of-the-art cargo terminal.”
Slavik said he would like to find partners for new projects, namely in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
State-of-the-art facility
Situated on a five hectares site, the terminal’s total covered area is 14,500 square metres and 3,000 square metres makes up office space. offices of important forwarding agents and airlines, including Czech Post and DHL are under one roof. He explains that the state-of-the-art facility utilises technology such as the X-ray system Rapiscan.
Its capabilities include moving transport vehicle, elevator transport vehicle and automatic storage system of ULD with a maximum of 100 containers or pallets. It has three work stations for 10” ULD and one for 20”.
The facility has roller track for containers, 11 truck loading platforms, mobile dock levelers and fork-lifts with lifting capabilities of up to 12 tonnes. Skyport, which employs 130 staff , is one of the most modern cargo terminals in Europe, according to Slavik. It operates a ramp for two 747s and has one stand with front wheel dock.
Special storage
Skyport terminal also has a special perishables storage facility which can provide temperatures from 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and freezer facilities from -8 to -25 degrees Celsius.
Skyport also provides storage for live animals, radioactive material, dangerous goods and human remains. Skyport also off ers warehouse security via a professional security agency and using more than 100 cameras, all activities within the terminal are monitored through closed-circuit television.
Looking ahead
Slavik says the terminal will cooperate with Prague Airport and EuroControl based on a new incentive program for freighters from 1 April 2008.
Skyport plans to select and implement new neutral handling and operation software at the terminal.
Aside from building a new Cargo Agent building for freight forwarders and customs, Skyport will also extend cargo handling activities to Eastern Europe.
