This article is from page 6 of the 2011-09-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
SHANNON is ideally located to become a global air freight hub – the first stage of which was signaled with the signing of a Heads of Agreement between Dublin Airport Authority and the Lynxs Cargo Group, which proposes building a new cargo facility at the airport.
That’s the message from Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar this week as Clare’s international airport gears up to cash in on the emerging air cargo market that could yield hundreds of jobs in the short and longterm.
“I see great scope for the development of the air cargo business in Shannon,” Minister Varadkar said. “I hope it will lead to a dynamic business partnership to develop and expand the air cargo business through Shannon. This would benefit the airport, the entire mid-west region and the national economy’
“The airport has a significant industrial hinterland, with a large volume of high-value products transported by air. But a very significant proportion of air cargo, around 80 per cent, is currently taken out of Ireland by road and flown onwards from airports outside the country. This is something I would particularly like to see addressed by Shannon airport.
“The signing of this Heads of Agreement confirms the continued commitment of both parties to further develop the valuable air cargo market. Shannon’s lengthy runway means it can take very heavy cargobearing aircraft, unlike many other airports, giving it a unique capacity to exploit air cargo,” he added.
This final agreement between the DAA and Lynxs brings to an end a process that started in 2009 when the a memorandum of understanding was first signed on developing a € 15m cargo facility in Shannon.
“The creation of a logistics centre at Shannon and the development of a marine transportation hub on the estuary could potentially lead to the creation of further employment for 5,000 people in logistics and related high-end manufacturing in the wider region over the next 10 to 15 years,” said SAA chairman Brian O’Connell.
“Lynxs will give Shannon Airport an excellent opportunity to exploit its central location between the major economies of the US, Europe and Asia and to develop as a significant cargo destination,” Mr O’Connell added.