By GRAHAM HICKS
Two weeks ago this column told the story of how the Edmonton International Airport (EIA), in the late-’90s, overcame internal conflict (consolidating two airports into one) and the indifference, if not outright hostility, to its very existence from the airline industry itself.
Courageous decisions made 20 years ago are being splendidly reaped today. The EIA is Canada’s fifth biggest (in total passengers) airport. Our “Airport City” has become a powerful wealth generator/economic driver for all Northern Alberta.
Today, in more supportive circumstances, similar long-sighted EIA decisions are being made.
Worldwide air cargo has magnificent growth potential. Customers around the world demand faster delivery of high-value products.
Readying for the next 20 years, the Edmonton airport authority sees itself ideally positioned as a major distribution hub for North American/Asian air cargo.
Today, 100 jets a day fly the Pacific polar route back-and-forth from Asia to North America. A good portion of the cargo-only jets stop in Anchorage, Alaska, to refuel before heading to mega-distribution centres in the American mid-west and Eastern Seaboard.
The EIA has a better idea. Why not fly the polar route to Edmonton, where cargo jets can not only re-fuel, but pick up/drop off cargo?
There’s a strong business case.
Geographically, Edmonton is the closest major North American city — in flying distance — to China’s major airports. In the aviation world, time is money, shorter distances mean less fuel.
Other North American airports — including Vancouver and Calgary — are running out of land, are expansion-constrained by crowded roads and railways and by surrounding urban development.
Edmonton Airport has few such problems, can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.
As an east-west transfer hub, the Edmonton airport has year-round road, rail and air connections. Rosenau Transport moved its trucking headquarters to Airport City for that very reason. Other transport companies are following suit.
This air cargo vision is being realized at a tremendously fast clip.
The airport authority has greatly expanded its freight-handling capabilities, investing in state-of-the-art cargo-handling equipment. It offers extremely quick and efficient turnaround times for freight-carrying jets. Time is money!
In anticipation of growing cargo-jet activity, the Shell Aerocentre at the airport is installing two, new, one-million-litre aviation-fuel tanks — big enough to refuel about 60 Boeing 737s. Availability of aviation fuel is no problem — we make the stuff here, at Imperial Oil’s Strathcona Refinery.
A huge Chinese cargo agent, logistics giant EHL, has declared Edmonton to be its #1 North American cargo hub. Four or five other national/international logistics companies have recently set up shop at the EIA.
Logistics companies do not necessarily own air-cargo planes, hangers, warehouses etc. They are the brains of freight transport; the brokers, managers and facilitators that make things happen.
Logistics companies tend to use freighter aircraft on a demand basis. Once EHL Logistics has enough cargo in Edmonton, it would summon a cargo plane. That plane could start with a load from China, to be unloaded in Edmonton and distributed through trucks, trains or other planes to cities across the northwest.
Since EHL Logistics set up shop at the EIA weeks before Christmas, three China-bound cargo loads have been dispatched — a promising start.
Frequent, easy air-freight access to Asia and beyond has profound implications for our regional manufacturers, food-processors, high-tech oil-field equipment makers etc.
New markets can be developed throughout Asia, with the promise of reliable delivery within days. Let’s not forget faster and more frequent access to American cargo hubs. The freight jet originating in Hong Kong, heading to Chicago via Edmonton, is flying both ways.
Forward-looking manufacturers in the region, encouraged by the EIA’s growing status as an easy-to-use Pacific Rim cargo hub, are now exploring reaching out to international markets.
Air transport was a factor in Amazon’s decision to build a 400-employee distribution hub across the highway from the airport.
Aurora Cannabis built its enormous marijuana-growing operation on airport land, knowing air shipment for its cannabis products was minutes away.
The airport itself has built massive coolers to facilitate air transport of perishable goods — meats, honey, other specialty foods grown and processed in Northern Alberta.
“It’s tremendously important to the region’s economic future,” says Edmonton lawyer, community leader and international commerce specialist Carman McNary.
“Plenty of challenges remain,” says McNary. “But Greater Metropolitan Edmonton is ramping up its international exports. The EIA’s air-cargo vision is a huge part of the equation.”