newstodate.aero
JAN 27, 2005 (newstodate): Norwegian airport Lakselv Airport Banak, close to the Polar circle, is being targetted as a potential venue for export by air of Norwegian fish products.
The county has opened a tender for a feasibility study of the airport's potentials for becoming a prime export gateway.
-The airport formerly had significant loads of fish exports to Asia by Russian IL-76 aircraft, but this traffic vanished after the implementation of EU's noise ban, says Kim Olav Hansen, consultant, Porsanger County.
-Our main asset is the airport's proximity to the salmon production sites as perishables may take off from the airport within only one or two hours after leaving the water, he says.
-But the airport also benefits from its military operator that provides aircraft and cargo handling equipment for any aircraft type.
-We are being approached by two potential aircraft operators that have already invested in a business plan. Thus we are now following up on this to contribute, from our side, a feasibility study to reveal the market potentials and the measures required to launch Laklselv Banak as a new frish exports hub, says Kim Olav Hansen.
In 2004 Lakselv Airport Banak generated a total of 103 tonnes of air cargo, down 14 percent on the preceding year.
The new projects will compete with another project focussing on Swedish airport Kallax that has been fighting for years, so far without success, to attract operators to lift Norwegian fish to Asian destinations via the new Transsiberian air lanes.
The county has opened a tender for a feasibility study of the airport's potentials for becoming a prime export gateway.
-The airport formerly had significant loads of fish exports to Asia by Russian IL-76 aircraft, but this traffic vanished after the implementation of EU's noise ban, says Kim Olav Hansen, consultant, Porsanger County.
-Our main asset is the airport's proximity to the salmon production sites as perishables may take off from the airport within only one or two hours after leaving the water, he says.
-But the airport also benefits from its military operator that provides aircraft and cargo handling equipment for any aircraft type.
-We are being approached by two potential aircraft operators that have already invested in a business plan. Thus we are now following up on this to contribute, from our side, a feasibility study to reveal the market potentials and the measures required to launch Laklselv Banak as a new frish exports hub, says Kim Olav Hansen.
In 2004 Lakselv Airport Banak generated a total of 103 tonnes of air cargo, down 14 percent on the preceding year.
The new projects will compete with another project focussing on Swedish airport Kallax that has been fighting for years, so far without success, to attract operators to lift Norwegian fish to Asian destinations via the new Transsiberian air lanes.