newstodate.aero
Mar 05, 2019 (newstodate): The Norwegian company Pole Position Logistics is pushing hard to realize the project aiming at launch of Boeing 777F or Boeing 747-400F operations at Evenes Airport in the county's northernmost part, close to the major whitefish and redfish production sites.
Earlier, ambitions were to start the freighter service already from spring 2019, but reality on ground has called for more time for preparations.
-Customer commitments are in place, talks with potential Chinese carriers to operate the flights are in place, but holding back the process now is the issue of pertinent infrastructure at Evenes Airport, says Stig Winther, Pole Position Logistics.
-GSE equipment including hi-loaders must be sourced, acquired and transported into Evenes Airport. We are working with Wideroe on these issues, and close to formalizing a contract with this provider.
-A vital part of the infrastructure is a terminal for handling and palletizing of the seafood shipments, but we will be leasing some 1,000 sq m of existing terminal space and train own staff to perform this job.
-The terminal will not offer temperature-controlled handling but will be insulated to keep temperatures down. However, the seafood production sites are less than three hours' drive from the airport, so with effective trucking slot management this will still compare most favorably with today's overly long trucking times from northern Norway to Oslo or continental airports.
-So, to sum it up: issues of infrastructure including GSE are now determining the actual start-up date of the twice-weekly freighter service from Evenes Airport to destinations in China, long and strongly in demand among seafood exporters, says Mr Winther.
A qualified guess, confirmed by Mr Winther, would be a start of services after the coming summer season.
Earlier, ambitions were to start the freighter service already from spring 2019, but reality on ground has called for more time for preparations.
-Customer commitments are in place, talks with potential Chinese carriers to operate the flights are in place, but holding back the process now is the issue of pertinent infrastructure at Evenes Airport, says Stig Winther, Pole Position Logistics.
-GSE equipment including hi-loaders must be sourced, acquired and transported into Evenes Airport. We are working with Wideroe on these issues, and close to formalizing a contract with this provider.
-A vital part of the infrastructure is a terminal for handling and palletizing of the seafood shipments, but we will be leasing some 1,000 sq m of existing terminal space and train own staff to perform this job.
-The terminal will not offer temperature-controlled handling but will be insulated to keep temperatures down. However, the seafood production sites are less than three hours' drive from the airport, so with effective trucking slot management this will still compare most favorably with today's overly long trucking times from northern Norway to Oslo or continental airports.
-So, to sum it up: issues of infrastructure including GSE are now determining the actual start-up date of the twice-weekly freighter service from Evenes Airport to destinations in China, long and strongly in demand among seafood exporters, says Mr Winther.
A qualified guess, confirmed by Mr Winther, would be a start of services after the coming summer season.