Uzbekistan Airports has inaugurated a new cargo terminal at Tashkent International Airport, significantly enhancing the country’s capacity to serve as a key air cargo transshipment hub between China, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. With an annual handling capacity of 120,000 tonnes, this facility is a substantial upgrade from its predecessor, which could process only 30,000 tonnes per year. This investment is set to reinforce Uzbekistan’s role in global trade, supporting its Silk Road in the Air initiative to modernise and expand air logistics corridors across Eurasia.
Digitalisation and customs
A critical factor in Tashkent’s air cargo competitiveness will be the successful implementation of digital customs clearance systems and smart logistics solutions. The Uzbek government has introduced electronic queue systems, automated document processing, and AI-driven cargo tracking technologies to streamline trade facilitation.
Additionally, the expansion includes a 3,000 sq.m administrative complex housing customs authorities, freight forwarding services, and airline representatives. This centralised approach aims to accelerate import-export processes and minimise bureaucratic inefficiencies, ensuring seamless cargo movement through the hub.
Regional trade
The hub is strategically positioned to alleviate congestion at overburdened European and Middle Eastern gateways, offering a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative for air cargo flows.
The 5.2-hectare terminal is equipped with an 8,500 sq m warehouse, including 500 sq m of refrigerated and frozen storage for temperature-sensitive cargo, such as pharmaceuticals, fresh produce, and biological materials. Additional facilities include specialised storage for high-value goods, perishable items, and live animals, ensuring compliance with international air freight handling standards. The integration of automated cargo management systems, real-time tracking, and streamlined customs procedures will further reduce turnaround times and improve supply chain efficiency.
Strategic advantage
With cross-border e-commerce growing at an annual rate of over 20 percent, logistics hubs capable of handling express cargo efficiently have become critical. Alibaba’s Cainiao, Amazon, and European online retailers increasingly rely on fast and flexible airfreight solutions to meet consumer demand for rapid deliveries.
The Tashkent terminal’s enhanced processing speed and connectivity make it an attractive transshipment hub for time-sensitive e-commerce shipments moving between Asia and Western markets.
The fast fashion sector, with brands such as Zara, H&M, and Shein, depends on just-in-time manufacturing and rapid replenishment cycles. Tashkent’s proximity to major textile production centres and its integrated multimodal logistics infrastructure could provide a faster, more efficient supply chain route to European and Middle Eastern retail markets.
Competition with established hubs
While Frankfurt, Dubai, and Istanbul remain dominant in Eurasian air cargo movements, these hubs are increasingly congested and facing high operational costs. Tashkent’s modernisation aims to position the airport as an alternative hub, reducing delays and cost burdens for freight forwarders and airlines.
Uzbekistan Airports Cargo (UzCargo), which manages the new facility, is working to expand partnerships with major international airlines and logistics providers to increase air connectivity. With direct air cargo services expected to link Tashkent with major logistics centers in China, Europe, and the United States, the airport is poised to play a larger role in global supply chains.
