Swissport International has expanded its ‘Flower Corridor’ infrastructure to key European air cargo destinations. It allows for a fully temperature-controlled, end-to-end process for the transport of fresh flowers from Kenya to Europe, extending shelf life by up to a week.
This Valentine’s season, Swissport expects to handle more than 250 million flowers at its air cargo center in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the key origins for fresh flowers globally. The extra loads of flowers from Kenyan farms via Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO) are transported to global destinations by 35 additional freighter flights, a surge of over 50% compared to average volumes due to Valentine’s Day on 14 February.
To meet the growing demand and to ensure high-quality logistics especially during peak seasons, Swissport is significantly investing in capacity and technology, to handle perishable and sensitive freight within a pre-defined temperature range, which must be maintained throughout the entire ground handling process: from the arrival of trucks with fresh flowers from regional farms, through the high-speed vacuum cooling process during acceptance, to the loading of pallets onto the aircraft. This concept, known as “Flower Corridor”, which Swissport first rolled out in Kenya two years ago, has now also been implemented at key European air cargo destinations in Amsterdam and Liège.
“Our Flower Corridor is an important link in the overall cool supply chain for fresh flowers in Africa and Europe, ensuring seamless, temperature-controlled transport,” says Dirk Goovaerts, CEO of Swissport’s CEMEAI region and Global Cargo Chair. “With our latest investments in Amsterdam and Liège, we are strengthening our position as a trusted end-to-end partner for forwarders, shippers, and airlines providing flower logistics in Africa and Europe. The high levels of quality, strictly monitored by Swissport as well as independent industry watchdogs, are proof of our strategy – and ultimately lead to more happy end customers who can enjoy the beauty of fresh flowers for much longer.”
Improved intra-logistics
Besides investing in additional temperature-controlled space in Amsterdam and Liège, Swissport has also improved intra-logistics within the air cargo centers. More loading bridges for pallets and containers, over 140 caster deck positions in Amsterdam alone, as well as a fast lane for speedy transport through the warehouse from the aircraft to the delivery trucks, help triple the facilities’ loading capacity and speeds up the overall delivery time. These upgrades ensure that flowers arrive fresh and on time for major floral events, including Valentine’s Day and International Women’s Day.
This advanced logistics process also takes sustainability to the next level. Extended shelf life and reduced waste improve the position of Kenyan growers compared to flowers from less sustainable greenhouse farms in Europe, benefiting both consumers and the planet. With its strategic investments and ongoing development of the Flower Corridor, Swissport is well-positioned to lead the global flower logistics market, ensuring fresh, high-quality flowers reach consumers across Europe during peak demand and beyond.
