SYDNEY AIRPORT MASTER PLAN’S FREIGHT FOCUS A ‘GOOD THING’

The draft Sydney Airport Master Plan contains a number of proposals that have the potential to improve freight efficiency in and around the airport, according to the Australian Logistics Council (ALC). ‘ALC welcomes Sydney Airport’s renewed focus on freight in its Master Plan and commends it for taking a proactive approach to meet rising demand over the coming decades,’ said Michael Kilgariff, managing director ALC. ‘According to the NSW government, freight at Australia’s busiest airport is expected to increase from approximately 650,000 tonnes today to around 1.5 million tonnes by 2035. These figures underscore the need for a long term planning framework that has at its core a recognition that freight is a core part of business at Sydney Airport. The Master Plan takes a number of important steps towards elevating the needs of freight, including its proposal to provide for improved positions for freight services and facilities in the airport precinct. And with 80 per cent of Australian international air freight carried in passenger aircraft, the plan to integrate the domestic and international terminal precincts to improve efficiency is certainly worthy of further consideration. The freight logistics industry looks forward to working with Sydney Airport to ensure its plans for freight on and off the airport are implemented in such a way that improves efficiency and productivity,’ he said. Kilgariff said with nearby Port Botany soon to get a third container terminal, there is a growing need for an integrated long term planning framework to deal with rising freight demand in Sydney, particularly in its east.