UAE’s dnata invests over EUR200m to operate cargo facility at Schiphol airport

UAE’s dnata has invested over EUR200m in a fully automated cargo centre at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).

The 61,000 sq m dnata Cargo City Amsterdam facility located at Schiphol South-East is scheduled to become operational in 2024.

It will be capable of processing over 850,000 tonnes of cargo annually, and is expected to create new direct jobs with dnata.

It will be able to handle all types of cargo, including perishables, pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, mail, live animals, aircraft engines and vehicles.

The new facility will also be equipped with two separate automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) for import and export with twelve stacker cranes. A total of up to 2,500 pallets will be stored there. In addition, a separate storage for ULDs will be serviced by four elevating transport vehicles (ETV).

dnata will also use seven intelligent automated guided vehicles (AGV) to enable scalable ULD transport within the terminal. Also, dnata will introduce smart gates at the facility which automatically record the volume and weight of all incoming consignments by scanning them in 3D.

The dnata Cargo City Amsterdam facility will be developed by Schiphol Commercial Real Estate and equipped with technology by Lödige Industries. The project is Schiphol Real Estate’s largest ever commercial property development at AMS. Furthermore, the project is expected to earn BREEAM excellent certification for sustainability and eco-friendly design.

“We continue to invest in infrastructure, equipment and cutting-edge technologies with a clear focus on sustainability to further enhance our offering and offset our carbon footprint across our global network,” said David Barker, dnata’s divisional senior vice president for Airport Operations.

dnata currently provides passenger, ground handling and cargo services to 29 airlines at AMS. dnata The Netherlands’ team consists of 1,000 aviation professionals, who assist over 1.5 million passengers and ensure the smooth operations of approximately 8,000 flights, while handling 580,000 tonnes of cargo annually.

The Dubai-headquartered company provides ground handling, cargo, catering and retail services at over 120 airports in 14 countries. In March, dnata will open the second phase of the dnata City East project at London Heathrow.

For the six months from April 1 – September 30, 2021, dnata reported revenues, including other operating income, of Dhs3.7bn ($1bn), a 55 per cent increase compared to Dhs2.4bn ($644m) over the same period in the previous year. Overall profit for dnata stood at Dhs85m ($23m), compared to 2021’s loss of Dhs1.5bn ($396m).