RIOgaleão, the international airport of Rio, is readying new infrastructure as the devalued Brazil currency fuels an export boom looking likely to continue well into next year. The company’s cargo division has decided to refurbish an 8,000 sq m facility which would then allow it to offer its users scope for value adding activities such as labeling, sorting and checking, RIOgaleão director of strategic development and cargo business, Patrick Fehring, tells Air Cargo Week.
“We think that’s something that gives us a unique edge,” Fehring says.
The new facility will be inaugurated in the first half of next year, he adds.
This will be useful, as despite some shadows over Brazil in the form of elections due at the end of the year, a revival is producing a strong export boom.
RIOgaleão was already growing off the back of its capacity and service but the weak Brazilian real especially against the US dollar is seeing eyebrow-raising levels of growth.
“Exports are picking up,” says Fehring adding “exports have grown over imports this year.”
In the first half of 2018, RIOgaleão Cargo handled more than 46,500 tonnes of cargo at its import and export terminals. The result was a 41 per cent growth in activity compared to the same period in 2017, the facility said in a press release.
“RIOgaleão Cargo continued to record export records in 2018, receiving more than 6,400 tonnes in June alone, surpassing its own record of 28% in March of this year,” a translated version of a statement from RIOgaleão said.
Imports registered from January were 19,100 tonnes, a 30 per cent increase compared to the previous year. Particular drivers were the air transport, pharmaceutical and oil and gas segments. Manufacturer GE has a large maintenance facility in Brazil, requiring the import of large numbers of bulky aircraft engines.
