Swissport Opens First Perishables Center in Liège to Strengthen Flower Corridor
Swissport opens its first perishables center at Liège Airport, strengthening the logistics corridor for flowers between Africa and Europe.
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Swissport, a leading global provider of airport ground services and air cargo handling, commenced operations on August 1 at its new dedicated perishable handling center at Liège Airport (LGG), Belgium. This facility, the only one of its kind at the airport, is designed to enhance Liège's role as a European logistics hub and consolidate the company's temperature-sensitive products corridor.
Strategically located airside, the new terminal allows for the direct transfer of cargo from the aircraft to refrigerated storage, a key factor in maintaining the integrity of the cool chain. The purpose-built facility ensures a constant temperature control between 2°C and 8°C and has a capacity for 40 Unit Load Devices (ULDs), the equivalent of a full freighter's cargo.
This investment complements Swissport's third cargo terminal in Liège, inaugurated in April 2024, and increases the company's total operational footprint at the airport to 27,000 square meters.
New Center Key Facts
What did Swissport open in Liège? A dedicated perishable cargo handling center.
What is its capacity? It can hold 40 ULDs, equivalent to a full freighter.
Which market does it target? Primarily the flower market, connecting Nairobi with the Dutch market via Liège.
Wilfried Jans, Managing Director of Swissport Belgium, explained that "this specialized perishable center demonstrates our commitment to tailored cargo solutions that meet the evolving needs of global logistics." He added that the facility positions them "as a key partner for temperature-sensitive products, particularly high-value perishables like cut flowers moving through our growing global network.”
A Strategic Corridor for Flowers and Synergies with Pharma
The new infrastructure is set to play a central role in connecting the origin and destination points of Swissport's cool chain corridor, with a strong focus on import flows destined for the Dutch flower market.
The company aims to replicate its renowned expertise in pharmaceutical handling in the perishables segment. Dirk Goovaerts, Global Cargo Chair and CEO of Swissport's CEMEAI region, commented that this investment strengthens "Liège’s role in our global cool chain network." He also highlighted that by extending its pharma-handling expertise to perishable flows, Swissport "now provides the entire Liège community access to a temperature-controlled flower corridor between Nairobi and Amsterdam," creating a competitive alternative to traditional hubs.
Goovaerts also noted that the investment complements the company's growing role in e-commerce logistics, a sector where Liège continues to attract major global players.
Swissport has been operating at Liège Airport since 2001. During 2024, a team of 300 professionals handled 400,000 tons of air cargo and serviced over 3,850 freighters, figures that, according to the company, underscore its scale and relevance at this strategic hub.
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