Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) said it moved a "record" air cargo volumes in the first half of the year — as its passenger numbers recover.

In a statement, it said between January and June, the hub processed 1.73 million tonnes of air cargo, registering a 23.45% rise compared to the year-ago level seen for the same period.

The world's sixth-largest cargo hub noted that it is anticipating the strong air cargo traffic to continue for the remainder of the year, particularly as “air cargo is about to enter its peak season.”

“E-commerce ‘tech-celeration,’ port delays and low product inventories are causing a significant increase in air cargo activity,” commented Jim Szczesniak, the ANC’s airport director. “Our central location on the trans-Pacific trade lane, coupled with our efficient infrastructure and special transfer rights, have resulted in greater utilisation of ANC by shippers to maximise their air-cargo potential.”

Shift to air cargo from shipping

With ongoing shipping disruptions, shippers and forwarders are also shifting to air cargo.

“We are seeing a continued shift in supply chains from periodic, container-sized shipments via ocean cargo to more regular, pallet-sized shipments via air cargo. With more than US$1 billion in private sector cargo developments in the pipeline at ANC, we expect this growth trajectory to continue,” Szczesniak said.

Meanwhile, passenger volumes at the Anchorage International Airport rose by 348% in the first six months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic grounded most of the world's passenger fleet.

“Compared to 2019, ANC has recaptured 83% of its pre-pandemic passenger traffic,” ANC said in its release.