newstodate.aero
Sep 13, 2016 (newstodate): The Faroe Islands' air cargo volumes through January-July 2016 show a markedly negative trend, dropping 25.4 percent, y-o-y, to only 243 tonnes.
The year-on-year comparison is, however, deceiving as 2015 was an unusual year - and volumes in 2014 were actually almost identical to 2016 at 255 tonnes after growing two percent, y-o-y.
-There are actually at least three factors to take into account when evaluating the cargo performance of Vagar Airport in 2016, says Jakup Sverri Kass, Vagar Airport CEO since April 10, 2012.
-First, it is an obvious fact that the competition from maritime transport alternatives is very strong. There are undeniably excellent ferry line options connecting to UK ports within only 24 hours at cargo rates that outbid the air cargo alternative on certain parameters.
-Next, 2015 was indeed an unusual year in air cargo at Vagar Airport in connection with off-shore drilling activities that generated many large one-off cargo shipments. Finally, passenger volumes at Vagar Airport have been rising significantly, with our national carrier Atlantic Airways seeing a growth by 13 percent in 2015. That means that increasing passenger loads on the flights are reducing the cargo capacity on the Airbus A319 aircraft operated on the routes.
-This does not mean, however, that Vagar Airport does not have a focus on air cargo. Air cargo is definitely a business case for us, and we remain convinced that there is a need for cargo services to lift, among other items, seafood exports to the market places in Europe and beyond.
-On one hand we would very much like to see the arrival of more scheduled traffic by foreign carrier into Vagar Airport, increasing also the cargo capacity in the market, and we would of course be happy to see also a freighter service connecting to other cargo hubs.
-The problems remains the imbalance of the cargo operations due to the limited size of the country. We are working hard to find solutions and partners to develop air cargo at the Faroe Islands, and I would expect this to require cooperation with other North Atlantic markets to find a sustainable solution to our needs, says Mr Kass.
The year-on-year comparison is, however, deceiving as 2015 was an unusual year - and volumes in 2014 were actually almost identical to 2016 at 255 tonnes after growing two percent, y-o-y.
-There are actually at least three factors to take into account when evaluating the cargo performance of Vagar Airport in 2016, says Jakup Sverri Kass, Vagar Airport CEO since April 10, 2012.
-First, it is an obvious fact that the competition from maritime transport alternatives is very strong. There are undeniably excellent ferry line options connecting to UK ports within only 24 hours at cargo rates that outbid the air cargo alternative on certain parameters.
-Next, 2015 was indeed an unusual year in air cargo at Vagar Airport in connection with off-shore drilling activities that generated many large one-off cargo shipments. Finally, passenger volumes at Vagar Airport have been rising significantly, with our national carrier Atlantic Airways seeing a growth by 13 percent in 2015. That means that increasing passenger loads on the flights are reducing the cargo capacity on the Airbus A319 aircraft operated on the routes.
-This does not mean, however, that Vagar Airport does not have a focus on air cargo. Air cargo is definitely a business case for us, and we remain convinced that there is a need for cargo services to lift, among other items, seafood exports to the market places in Europe and beyond.
-On one hand we would very much like to see the arrival of more scheduled traffic by foreign carrier into Vagar Airport, increasing also the cargo capacity in the market, and we would of course be happy to see also a freighter service connecting to other cargo hubs.
-The problems remains the imbalance of the cargo operations due to the limited size of the country. We are working hard to find solutions and partners to develop air cargo at the Faroe Islands, and I would expect this to require cooperation with other North Atlantic markets to find a sustainable solution to our needs, says Mr Kass.