Changi Airport Group (CAG) has announced the opening of Changi Nexus One, a refurbished air logistics facility within Changi Airfreight Centre (CAC) to boost the hub's logistics warehouse capacity.

Changi Airport — one of the world's busiest cargo gateways — noted that Changi Nexus One spans close to 8,000 sqm of warehousing space and is strategically located with direct apron connectivity.

It is designed as a facility for two tenants, capable of expeditious cargo handling and will serve the special needs of air logistics players looking to expand their global airfreight operations through Singapore.

"This new facility will increase Changi Airport's logistics warehouse capacity, ensuring that Singapore's Changi air cargo hub can meet the growing demand for air cargo services prior to the completion of the Changi East Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in the mid-2030s," CAG said in the announcement.

CAG noted that its investment in Changi Nexus One demonstrates its commitment to providing world-class facilities for air logistics players, augmenting Changi's role as a leading regional air cargo transhipment hub.

The new tenants at Changi Nexus One are expected to bring new air logistics handling capabilities, as well as adopt automation and smart technology in their operations, further enhancing Changi Airport's air cargo management capabilities.

CAG said a key partner taking up space in this facility is Expeditors, the world's seventh-largest air freight forwarding company, which is looking to expand its air logistics activities in Singapore.

"The new facility in Changi Airfreight Centre will enhance our end-to-end efficiency and reliability through fewer touch points, allowing Expeditors to further enhance our specialised cargo handling capabilities for pharmaceutical, aviation, semiconductor and other industries and better serve the in-transit needs of our global customers. We are excited to expand our collaboration with Changi Airport Group to drive further value to our customers," said Barthul Hoefnagels, regional vice president - Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia.

New benchmark for green building practices

CAG noted that Changi Nexus One is the first building within CAC and the first of its kind in Changi to achieve both the Green Mark Platinum and the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy Building (PEB) certifications by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

The Green Mark Platinum PEB certification is issued to buildings with the highest environmental performance. To achieve this, Changi Nexus One has demonstrated that it is a BCA super-low energy building that achieves more than 60% energy savings and generates more renewable energy than it consumes.

Besides the ongoing installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at airport-wide, including at the Cargo Agent Buildings, solar PV panels will also be installed at Changi Nexus One by the first quarter of 2025 to provide on-site renewable energy.

"By 2028, Changi Nexus One will generate enough on-site solar power to offset the total building energy consumption by over 140%. This surplus of renewable energy will be channelled to other airport facilities to sustain Changi Airport’s other operations," CAG said in the announcement.

Additionally, CAG noted that this project is the first in Singapore's private sector to adopt the collaborative contracting method. This new method, recommended by BCA, fosters greater collaboration between project stakeholders, leading to improved efficiency.

Lim Ching Kiat, CAG's executive vice president for Air Hub and Cargo Development, said the opening of Changi Nexus One marks a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen Changi Airport's position as a global air cargo hub.

"Through enhancing our cargo handling capacity and capabilities, we aim to stay at the forefront of the air cargo industry, putting Changi in a good position to capture growth from key cargo players, as well as growth in the region," he said, adding that CAG is also working closely with its tenants to bring in new cargo opportunities and expand into new markets.

"As we strive to maintain Changi's continued success as a thriving air cargo hub, we also constantly challenge ourselves to carry out our development works and operations according to our sustainability goals," Lim Ching Kiat added.