Freighters Push Changi Airport to December Surge

New freighter services that included the launch of all-cargo connections to China helped Singapore Changi Airport to its busiest month for cargo in three years in December and a strong finish to 2011.

Freight tonnage at Changi grew 6.9 percent year-over-year in December, and the business grew 4 percent from November to December, according to airport statistics.

That sequential gain defied usual seasonal patterns, and was likely helped by the early start to the Chinese New Year that appears to have pushed more goods through Asia’s supply chains in late 2011 and early this year.

Singapore gained freighter connections last year to Chengdu and Chongqing, burgeoning manufacturing centers in central China that are drawing strong technology and electronics factory work. The airport also added freighter services from Emirates, Lufthansa, Cargolux and Cathay Pacific, boosting Changi’s bid to become a stronger regional hub for Asia air cargo.

The strong finish to the year left Singapore Changi air freight up 2.8 percent in 2011 over the previous year.