September 9, 2020 – Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) celebrated the opening of a $33 million air cargo facility which significantly increases the airport’s ability to handle domestic and international freight. In recent years air cargo volume and demand for freight services in the southeastern United States has increased dramatically. The new facility positions the Upstate and GSP to capitalize on this growth.
“The opening of our new air cargo facility will begin a special new chapter for GSP,” said Dave Edwards, the airport’s president and CEO. “GSP’s ability to be a hub for cargo has attracted many companies to the Upstate since the 1960s. This new facility allows GSP to take the region’s logistics infrastructure to new heights.”
The 110,000 square-foot cargo facility and its 17-acre apron allow the airport to accommodate up to three Boeing 747-800 freighter aircraft simultaneously; tripling the airport’s previous handling capacity. Senator International, a German-based freight forwarder, will lease half of the facility to support its Senator Atlantic Bridge (SAB) flights from GSP to Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) with twice-weekly connecting service to Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Senator International is very proud to celebrate this new milestone and together with the South Carolina business community, the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District, all our valued clients and business partners, we will continue to grow the air cargo operation here at GreenvilleSpartanburg International Airport,” said Tim Kirschbaum, Chairman and CEO of Senator International.
Senator’s new location is tailor-made to serve their international client base by offering overhead crane capabilities with lift capability up to 20 tons and a Cyro Farm which can be used to cool specialized healthcare equipment. The new design and setup will enable Senator to optimize its processes and meet the timelines of their clients by guaranteeing faster lead times.
GSP’s efficiency and ability to handle a wide range of cargo services have become well known in the aviation industry. In 2018, the airport handled 119 million pounds of cargo, including more than 550 horses competing in the World Equestrian Games in Mill Spring, N.C. The airport is a hub for automotive parts, vehicles, and medical equipment.
In 2017, GSP assumed all fixed-base operator services at the airport by launching Cerulean Aviation. Cerulean, not only supports general aviation aircraft and fueling, but it also serves as an air cargo service provider. Cerulean’s cargo and aircraft services include on-airport cargo facilities, build-up and break-down of cargo, BUP transfer, bulk and containerized aircraft loading and unloading, on-call charter cargo handling, customs documentation processing and aircraft refueling.
In 2018, Cerulean supported more than 1,400 cargo flights, an increase of 55 percent compared to the previous year. In addition, the airport last year also moved up to No. 59 from No. 84 two years ago on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) list that ranks air cargo volume for airports in the United States.
GSP’s 2018 economic impact study found that the airport has a $2.9 billion impact on the Upstate economy. Cargo operations at GSP contribute $478 million to the region’s economy.
South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette stated, “As we work to retain and build upon our position on the global industrial stage, we must continue to provide companies with access to international markets. Moving cargo is an essential step in the supply chain and having the capacity to handle varying types of freight is an invaluable resource for business growth. This new cargo facility at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is one more step in our ongoing efforts to provide unmatched connectivity, ensuring that South Carolina continues to soar into the future.”
Haskell, based in Jacksonville, FL, designed and the built the facility’s warehouse. WK Dickson, based in Charlotte, NC, was the engineer for the cargo ramp. McCarthy Improvement, Inc., based in Davenport, IA, was the contractor for the cargo ramp.
About Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is conveniently located between Greenville and Spartanburg, along I-85. More than 2.4 million passengers per year are served by six major airlines offering 100 total daily flights to 19 destinations and one-stop connections to hundreds of cities across the globe. The airport is also a hub for air cargo, including automotive parts and other goods regularly flown to and from Europe and Mexico as well as throughout the United States. Learn more at gspairport.com.
