Qatar’s much delayed Hamad International Airport began its first cargo operations with Qatar Airways Cargo carrying a shipment for Qatar Petroleum from Europe to Doha on 1 December. The new cargo terminal, which is one of the largest in the world, has the capacity to move 5,700 shipments simultaneously and to handle 1.4 million tonnes of cargo per annum by 2015, representing a 75 per cent increase from the current airport. Passenger operations are slated to begin in January 2014.
“Today marks a historic moment not just for Hamad International Airport but also for Qatar Airways Cargo,” said the Qatar Airways spokesperson. “The cargo terminal complex at HIA will play a significant role in expanding our global cargo business and propels Doha as the preferred cargo hub in the region, as a result of its sophisticated cargo infrastructure and capacity.”
The new cargo terminal is built over 77,000 square metres across two levels and comprises a separate aircraft parking apron with 11 wide-body aircraft stands, as well as 42 loading docks, a live animal centre, a dangerous goods area and a perishable storage area. The landside area of the cargo terminal contains 32 truck-loading facilities to ensure the efficient transfer of cargo in and out of Qatar, with full X-ray screening systems in place to support the airport’s important focus on maximum security in the transportation of people and cargo. The terminal is also highly automated for increased cargo efficiency. HIA’s Cargo Terminal has an automated storage and retrieval system to swiftly locate and process up to 1,000 Unit Load Devices (ULDs) at a time.
