Tashkent International Airport — the main international airport of Uzbekistan and the third busiest airport in Central Asia —  is enhancing its air freight capabilities with the announcement of a new 5.2-hectare cargo terminal with a throughput capacity of 120 thousand tons per year.

Uzbekistan Airports announced that the design of the cargo terminal has been finalized, and construction will be carried out in two stages.

In the initial stage, a new cargo terminal spanning 8,000 square meters will be launched before the end of 2024. This facility will feature 500-square-meter refrigeration and freezer rooms. A new administrative building covering an area of 3,000 square meters will also be constructed.

In the next phase, a new 12,000 sq m cargo warehouse will be constructed and expected to be finished by the end of 2025. It will feature modern cooling and freezing rooms with various temperature conditions.

The company noted that the existing cargo terminal's buildings and structures—built in 1994-2000—are "about 20 outdated small and medium-sized warehouse and administrative premises with a total area of about 3 hectares."

"The capacity of the cargo terminal is currently 30,000 tons per year. However, in 2024, approximately 67,000 tons of cargo and mail are expected. All this indicates the need to expand and modernise the cargo terminal," said Uzbekistan Airports Cargo.

"The new terminal will be equipped with modern equipment, which will reduce cargo handling time and provide quality service to air carriers in accordance with generally recognized international standards," it added.