Fraport announced that it building a new airfreight warehouse at Frankfurt's (FRA) CargoCity South — further expanding its cargo facility in the major European hub.

The owner and operator of FRA said the new facility will be used by DHL Global Forwarding.

It noted that construction starts in mid-2023 and the new warehouse will be located next to access gate Tor 31 at CargoCity South (CCS). 

The construction site covers an area of around 60,000 square meters. Once complete, the warehouse including office spaces will measure around 28,000 square meters.

Fraport noted that this latest addition will further put its CargoCity South as one of the world's leading hubs for airfreight shipments.

Fraport said it will be responsible for the construction of the cargo warehouse and retain ownership of the facility, after the completion of the construction.

Following the conclusion of a lease agreement, DHL Global Forwarding will use the new warehouse to further expand operations from Frankfurt Airport. The company intends to develop the FRA location into its European airfreight hub. 

"The overall design of the warehouse was developed based on our many years of experience in the construction of logistics and airfreight facilities at Frankfurt Airport. Together with the outdoor facilities, the finished layout will perfectly meet the needs of the present tenant. However, the building's design plan and specifications make it attractive to potential future tenants as well," said Jan Sieben, who heads Real Estate Development at Fraport AG.

Fraport noted that the warehouse will have 56 gates and truck docks, with plenty of space for driving and maneuvering, along with additional separate truck parking spaces. The warehouse will also meet environmental requirements.

"Frankfurt Airport has become a vital and highly successful logistics hub," said Max Philipp Conrady, VP of Cargo Development at Fraport AG.

"We are delighted that DHL Global Forwarding – one of the world's leading air freight companies – is expanding its presence here at FRA. This high-profile partner will contribute to further strengthening Frankfurt Airport as an airfreight location, underscoring our position on the global air cargo market."

Tobias Schmidt, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Europe, for his part, noted that Frankfurt Airport plays a key role in DHL's international airfreight services.

"Thanks to Frankfurt's central location in the heart of Europe, we have been connecting our customers from here to many destinations worldwide for about 20 years now. We are expanding our capacities at FRA in response to the increasing demand for freight shipments. And we are pleased to have Fraport as the right partner at our side," Schmidt said.

Expansion of dedicated charter business

Thomas Mack, Global Head of Air Freight at DHL Global Forwarding, said the expansion at Frankfurt Airport will allow DHL to grow its dedicated charter business.

"We are seeing rising demand particularly from Asia, and in e-commerce. Frankfurt provides the ideal preconditions for serving this demand. The new infrastructure will enable us to further enhance and streamline our process management, and thus provide even more efficient services," Mack added.