All Nippon Airways will consolidate cargo operations scattered about Tokyo’s Narita International Airport into a single area next year and increase efficiency after the airport operator completes construction of a large warehouse with modern features.

The new two-story facility will have 409,000 square feet of cargo transfer and storage space and open for business in October 2024, the Japanese airline and Narita International Airport Corp. announced Wednesday. It will be built adjacent to an existing cargo building, allowing ANA to centralize import and export activity.

ANA uses six warehouses at Narita Airport. Consolidating them into one location will shorten connection times for pickup and delivery of international shipments, the carrier said. The expanded facility will use automated guided vehicles to transfer containers to and from storage racks, which will further reduce handling time as well as labor. It will also have refrigerated sections for pharmaceuticals and fresh foods, as well as sections for animals and valuables. 

A cargo gate will be constructed to provide direct access to the new cargo terminal. 

ANA has made cargo business a new strategic focus. It finalized an agreement in July with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) to acquire Nippon Cargo Airlines in a stock transaction scheduled for Oct. 1. ANA operates nine Boeing 767 widebody freighters and two large 777 cargo jets in addition to 225 passenger aircraft. 

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