Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport triples handling capacity with new cargo facility 

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) unveiled its new US$33 million cargo facility today. The new facility is intended to support the airport’s ability to handle domestic and international freight. 

The new cargo facility consists of a 110,000 square foot warehouse and a 17-acre cargo apron. The new space triples GSP’s handling capacity and enables it to accommodate three 747-8Fs simultaneously. Half of the facility will be leased by Germany-based freight forwarder Senator International and the rest by South Carolina-based ground support services provider Cerulean Aviation.  

Senator International’s space in the facility will support its “Senator Atlantic Bridge (SAB)” flights connecting GSP to Frankfurt-Hahn (HHN) and its twice weekly connection to Johannesburg (JNB). 

The new location also offers overhead crane capabilities with lift capability up to about 18 tonnes and cold-chain facilities for specialized healthcare equipment, according to the press release. The new design and setup will enable Senator to serve their international clientele by optimizing processes and guaranteeing faster lead times. 

At GSP, Cerulean Aviation offers a variety of air cargo services, including on-airport cargo facilities, build-up and break-down of cargo, bulk unitization program (BUP) transfer, bulk and containerized aircraft loading and unloading, on-call charter cargo handling, customs documentation processing and aircraft refueling. In 2018, Cerulean Aviation supported more than 1,400 cargo flights at GSP.  

“The opening of our new air cargo facility will begin a special new chapter for GSP,” said Dave Edwards, the airport’s president and CEO. “GSP’s ability to be a hub for cargo has attracted many companies to the Upstate since the 1960s. This new facility allows GSP to take the region’s logistics infrastructure to new heights.”  

In 2018, GSP handled 53,977 tonnes of cargo, including automobiles, automotive parts, and healthcare equipment. GSP has also served as an entry point for more than 550 horses competing in the World Equestrian Games in Mill Spring, N.C. GSP’s 2018 economic impact study found that the airport has a $2.9 billion impact on the Upstate economy and that cargo operations at GSP contributed $478 million to the region’s economy.  

Despite a slight decrease of 1.1% y-o-y in the airport’s tonnage for the first six months of 2019 to 26,308 tonnes of cargo, the airport is preparing for future growth.  

“As we work to retain and build upon our position on the global industrial stage, we must continue to provide companies with access to international markets,” South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette said. “Moving cargo is an essential step in the supply chain and having the capacity to handle varying types of freight is an invaluable resource for business growth. This new cargo facility at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is one more step in our ongoing efforts to provide unmatched connectivity, ensuring that South Carolina continues to soar into the future.”