[photopress:baiyunairport.jpg,full,alignright]Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, in the Huadu District of Guangzhou, came into service in 2004. It is now one of the major airports of China. Baiyun Airport has seen a 100 percent growth in international air cargo volume. Partly this is because FedEx has chosen this area to build its Asia Pacific region transition center.
Long Yongtu, General Secretary of Boao Forum for Asia, who might be a tad biased on the subject of this airport, said:
Compared with the other two major airports of China, Capital Airport in Beijing and Pudong Airport in Shanghai, Guangzhou New Baiyun Airport may be the best.
The key to airport economy is logistics. As we know, logistics cost in China accounts for 20 percent of GDP, while in west countries only 4 percent.
If logistics cost could be reduced in China, then 10 percent of GDP might be saved, which could represent about RMB1,800 billion RMB.
Liu Zijing, President of Guangdong Airport Management Group and ex-president of Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, said:
In 2005, the New Baiyun Airport handled 601,000 tons of cargo with an increasing rate of 20 percent year on year, which included a doubled amount of international cargo volume, 120,000 tons.
We expect, in 2010, our air cargo throughput at Baiyun Airport will be two million tons, as we break into the top 15 busiest airports in the world.
With a transfer rate of 30 percent, half of which is international cargo, we are evolving into a comprehensive air cargo hub of the Asia-Pacific.
We will establish an international neutral terminal with a surface area of 800,000 square meters. The construction will be completed with ten cargo stands available at the same time. Designed annual throughput of air cargo is 520,000 tons.
He also said the airport logistics bonded area will come into service soon, with eight square kilometers in the plan of the first phase, and 20 square kilometers in the future plan.
Source: Air Cargo News