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De-icing gets ... across


Northern A s one of


The weekly newspaper for air cargo professionals No. 1,353 10 November 2025


AS winter weather patterns grow more erratic


Europe, the


operational demands of aircraft de-icing have become more ...


2 the continent’s busiest cargo hubs, Frankfurt


Airport’s role in shaping the future of airfreight has never been more pivotal. With global trade flows shifting, e-commerce surging and sustainability climbing the agenda, Europe’s airfreight market is in a period of transformation.


The role of airports is no longer limited to moving goods efficiently.


Increasingly, they are expected to function as hubs for collaboration, connecting carriers,


logistics providers and shippers across the


continent. In this context, digital systems are playing a key role, enabling operators to coordinate with partners around the world in real time and optimise complex supply chains. “Back in the past, we were always hearing that we are growing and


we are number one,” Denis de Farias Duarte, Vice President for Cargo Development at Fraport AG, says. “But to be number one, you need all the community together.” Infrastructure alone, while still important, is no longer the sole measure


of a hub’s competitiveness. Flexibility and adaptability are emerging as critical attributes, allowing airports to adjust quickly to changes in demand, such as the growing prominence of small parcels driven by e-commerce. Modular designs, digital


integration, and automated


systems are increasingly being deployed to ensure that cargo hubs can scale efficiently without compromising operational performance. “Airports are meeting points, not only for one person, but for many people from different communities,” he explains. “In the supply chain you have so many people connected without knowing it. Our role is to give space for those voices, those ideas, to connect.” That means offering more than physical


capacity. Digital systems, Duarte says, are vital to link far-flung partners in real time, whether in China, North America or within Europe. “We build infrastructures to enable people to connect,” he says. “We connect people, but we connect also freight to each other — they are not able to talk, so we need systems, we need people to go beyond.”


Automation, adaptability and the future The future of airfreight, Duarte believes, is less about massive new warehouses and more about flexible, modular design. “Formally, we needed bigger space for pallets,” he says. “Now we need smaller spaces for parcels, like in e-commerce. So we have to be adaptable — and adaptability you can only gain when people drive this together.” Drawing on his past experience in Asia, Duarte recalls seeing Shenzhen


airport transform over two decades from a small local hub into a global powerhouse. The lesson, he argues, is clear: embrace technology early and keep evolving. “In the future, air cargo is going to be much more automated,” he says. “Automated vehicles will transport goods directly, without using so much manpower. Many repetitive tasks are well suited for automation.” But while machines will take over routine tasks, Duarte insists that


people remain central. “Automation gives space for people to do more interesting things, to use their time more efficiently,” he says.


Europe’s competitive edge — and the role of sustainability Despite global turbulence, Duarte is bullish about Europe’s prospects, and Frankfurt’s in particular. The secret, he says, is not only infrastructure but also talent. “I was really surprised to see how many family-based, smaller companies here are exporting very large amounts,” he notes. “It’s not just the big enterprises driving growth. Add to that Frankfurt’s location — two major autobahns, rail connections and, of course, the airport itself — and everything is connected.” This dense ecosystem, reinforced by nearby universities and research


hubs, creates what Duarte calls an “innovation hotspot” that supports long-term competitiveness. Yet he insists growth must be aligned with sustainability goals. “We have to listen to our customers, understand their requirements and put everyone together to find solutions,” he says. “For example, recycling cargo plastics, re-using pallets and reducing waste. I don’t see sustainability as a challenge — it’s an opportunity for all of us.”


FOCUS SHIFTS IN FRANKFURT


Behind engine stands ... technically demanding and cost-


AIRCRAFT engine logistics is one of the most


sensitive areas in aviation supply chain management ...


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Having spent his career in airfreight with leading airlines, Giuseppe Tarantini recently became CEO of AIA Cargo and Animal Aircare. Multilingual and ...


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