Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) has officially opened for business, with inaugural commercial freight flights having officially taken off from its 24-hour Cargo Precinct on 24 July.
The event marks a major milestone for Australia’s supply chains, domestic producers and manufacturers, Western Sydney’s economy, and the state’s wider air cargo capacity.
WSI’s Cargo Precinct offers dedicated access via a recently upgraded Northern Road, as well as close proximity to key freight and logistics hubs in Kemps Creek and Wetherill Park alongside industrial sites across the Aerotropolis – with said connectivity also set to be bolstered by the recently opened M12 and M7 integration, which aims to provide access to Sydney’s motorway network.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said:Air freight underpins many of NSW’s highest-value industries including fresh meat and seafood products, pharmaceuticals, agricultural exports, electronics, advanced manufacturing and more.
These industries rely on rapid international connections that can only be serviced by air freight, with our 24-hour Cargo Precinct initially capable of moving about a quarter of a million tonnes of freight per year, which is a massive boost to Sydney’s overall air cargo capacity.
This means that a fish caught in Forster can be served fresh at a restaurant in Singapore the next day, or that patients in the Pacific will benefit from access to critical but perishable medicines, while consumers across Sydney will also receive their coveted e-commerce packages more swiftly.
At the same time, our Cargo Precinct and the broader logistics and supply chain industries will create thousands of great new job opportunities for Western Sydney workers, closer to their homes and families.
The first stage of the Precinct stands at approximately 733,000 square metres, and will be able to cater for up to eight 747/777 or 16 737/A320 domestic freights at any one time.
Thus far, partners Qantas Freight, Menzies Aviation, dnata Cargo, dnata Catering & Retail, and Texel Air have signed on to WSI’s Cargo Precinct, which, over time, is expected to grow to become the major centre of air freight for the region – with capacity to service up to 1.8 million tonnes of air cargo annually.
