Global airport cargo volumes rise 2.3 percent in 2015

Airports Council International attributed the modest growth during the year largely to subdued growth in emerging markets and developing economies, in addition to a more modest recovery in advanced economies.    Cargo volumes at airports throughout the world in December rose 1.9 percent year-over-year, according to preliminary statistics released by Airports Council International (ACI).
   For the full year in 2015, airfreight volumes grew 2.3 percent from 2014. ACI attributed the modest increase in 2015 largely to subdued growth in emerging markets and developing economies, in addition to a more modest recovery in advanced economies.
   Airfreight volumes in the Asia-Pacific region, the largest air cargo market, rose 1.5 percent year-over-year in 2015. China, which accounts for nearly one third of airfreight traffic in the region, saw airfreight volumes grow 3.3 percent compared to the prior year.
   In North America, airfreight volumes rose 2.4 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. Airports such as Chicago-O’Hare, Anchorage, Los Angeles and Cincinnati posted substantial increases in airfreight volumes in 2015, while Houston posted a decline. In addition, the two major cargo hubs in the region, Memphis and Louisville, posted modest growth of 0.9 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively, in 2015.
   Airfreight volumes in Europe inched up 0.7 percent from 2014. ACI attributed the modest increase to weak growth of 0.9 percent in international freight and a 3.9 percent drop in domestic freight.
   In the Middle East, airfreight volumes jumped 10.7 percent year-over-year in 2015. The United Arab Emirates experienced a 4.4 percent bump in airfreight volumes in 2015, while Qatar saw airfreight volumes surge 47.3 percent for the full year.
   Airfreight volumes in Latin America increased 1.2 percent in 2015, despite its largest airfreight market in the region, Brazil, experiencing a 9.1 percent decline in airfreight volumes from the previous year. However, Colombia and Mexico, which were the two key airfreight growth drivers in the region for the full year, posted year-over-year growth of 4.9 percent and 7.8 percent, respectively.
   In Africa, airfreight volumes rose 3.2 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. In 2015, the region’s major airfreight markets of South Africa and Egypt saw volumes grow 11.3 percent and 6 percent, respectively. However, the region’s growth was hindered by a 5.1 percent decline in Kenya’s airfreight volumes and the 2.6 percent drop in Nigeria’s volumes.