A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) and Sjømatterminalen AS to operate a new Seafood Center at Oslo Airport. The facility will handle up to 250,000 metric tons (MT) of seafood annually and has been designed to meet industry requirements for cool chain logistics and innovation.
Martin Langaas, director of cargo at Avinor Oslo Airport, said the center was a “unique opportunity” to define the future of cool chain logistics for seafood as air cargo, and that the airport was confident in WFS’ experience in perishable cargo to operate the project.
“The Seafood Center at Oslo Airport will increase the competitiveness of Norwegian seafood globally and industrialize the handling. With an experienced international handler as WFS, we believe Oslo Airport will increase its competitive advantage as the preferred cargo hub in Northern Europe,” said Langaas.
Øyvind Hasaas, executive vice-president of Oslo Airport, highlighted that the airport had listened to the exporters and their needs to ensure quality and time to market.
“I believe the dedication from the seafood exporters in this project is an acknowledgement of the project itself,” he said.
Construction of the airport’s dedicated seafood facility is expected to commence in April 2019, with a view to opening in 2021.
”Our terminal will be a game changer in the handling of seafood as air cargo and be an important part of ensuring the future growth of one of Norway’s most important industries,” said John Batten, executive vice-president cargo EMEAA at WFS.
In 2017, Oslo was the fastest growing cargo airport in Europe with a 36 percent increase in volume. Some 185,000 MT of freight was flown in and out of the airport, with seafood making up 90,000 MT.
In 2018, Norwegian seafood as air cargo is expected to reach 230,000 MT.
