airBaltic Celebrates Milestone in Construction of Baltic Cargo Hub at RIX Riga Airport

On May 10, 2024, airBaltic, Latvia's national airline, celebrated a significant milestone in the construction of the Baltic Cargo Hub at RIX Riga Airport. The hub, set to be completed within 12 months, will be the largest dedicated air cargo handling center in the Baltics, covering an area of 6,895 square meters and handling up to 45,000 tonnes of cargo annually.

Why this matters: The development of the Baltic Cargo Hub will have a significant impact on the region's economy, creating new job opportunities and increasing trade volumes. As a major air cargo hub, it will also play a critical role in facilitating the movement of goods between Europe and other regions, further solidifying Latvia's position as a key logistics hub.

The Baltic Cargo Hub will feature direct apron access for swift and seamless cargo import, export, and transit operations. It will include dedicated zones for cargo operations and offices, state-of-the-art semi-automaticMaterial Handling Systemsfor optimized efficiency, and specialized areas for temperature-controlled rooms, dangerous goods, live animals, and valuables. The facility will also integrate essential services, including the Food and Veterinary Service and a Customs checkpoint.

The construction of the Baltic Cargo Hub demonstrates airBaltic's commitment to innovation and development. Martin Gauss, CEO and President at airBaltic, stated, "This state-of-the-art facility will handle up to 45,000 tonnes of cargo annually and cover 6,895 m2, making it the largest in Latvia and a leader in the Baltics... The Baltic Cargo Hub represents our commitment to innovation and development, ensuring a prosperous future for airBaltic and the region."

In 2023, airBaltic delivered over 9,400 tonnes of cargo and mail, maintaining its position as the largest air cargo and mail carrier at RIX Riga Airport. The construction of the new Baltic Cargo Hub marks an important development, as the existing cargo hangar will be replaced by theRail Baltica railwaytrack.

RIX Riga Airport has seen a resurgence in passenger traffic, serving 547.2 thousand passengers in April and 1.9 million passengers since the beginning of the year. The airport has experienced a 3% increase in direct passengers compared to April 2023, returning to pre-pandemic levels. airBaltic has expanded its route network, offering flights to Ljubljana, Tirana, Sofia, Skopje, Chisinau, and Pristina, while Norwegian is increasing its network of direct flight routes from Riga this summer, offering flights to Tivat, Corfu, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Trondheim.

The Baltic Cargo Hub is set to revolutionize cargo handling in the region, with its eco-friendly construction using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and a goal of attaining BREEAM certification. The completion of this state-of-the-art facility within the next 12 months will solidify airBaltic's position as a leader in air cargo transportation in the Baltics and contribute to the economic growth of Latvia and the surrounding region.