Implement a phased automation upgrade in the Cargo City to cut dwell times in icra and elleçleme by 25% within 12 months, focusing on uçaklarının handling and ramp operations, and align havalimanının hizmetlerine with international benchmarks.
The Cargo City at IGA Istanbul Airport consolidates terminalleri and a substantial binası that supports cross-docking, rapid sortation, and secure storage, pushing operations toward the haline of streamlined throughput. In mart, the plan outlined a push to lift haftada throughput by 20–30% through smarter icra and elleçleme, while expanding capacity to accommodate yerli and international carriers.
Coordinate with the şirketi and yerli providers to ensure alignment across icra and elleçleme. Adopt a common IT stack, enable real-time monitoring, and establish service-level agreements that tie to hizmetlerine outcomes and on-time delivery.
Operational governance centers on measurable targets: reduce customs clearance time by 15–25%, cut equipment idle time, and improve verimlilik by double-digit percentages within two years. Implement weekly reviews (haftada) led by the şirketi’s logistics leadership to track progress and adjust the binası and yard layouts as needed.
Globally, cargo centers emphasize seamless data exchange, secure facilities, and flexible space. For IGA Istanbul Airport, aligning with dünyada benchmarks means integrating with hizmetlerine ecosystems, expanding the mart-driven roadmap, and ensuring the havalimanının complex remains competitive while preserving reliability for uçaklarının cargo operations and domestic suppliers (yerli) alike.
Site Layout and Interterminal Cargo Flow at IGA Istanbul Airport
Adopt a six-zone (altı) cargo layout around a central spine to minimize truck mileage and accelerate interterminal transfers. Başta, position the largest zone near the havalimanının core to serve high-frequency freighter cycles. The canlı operations model links the interterminal corridor with packaging, palletization, and deconsolidation zones, while yöneticileri coordinate from a control room adjacent to the spine.
The layout integrates near-term regional demand and airport governance. In planning terms, it accounts for africa connections and nearby markets (yakın ve Afrika routes) while keeping the orta-term growth path aligned with the şehrinin logistics ecosystem. This approach supports verimlilik targets for the projesinin cargo component and keeps the facility responsive to evolving needs, especially inside (içinde) the airport complex.
Site scale and metrekare planning emphasize scalability and safety. The interterminal cargo footprint spans about 360,000 metrekare across six zones, with a 120,000 metrekare cross-dock and 40,000 metrekare cold storage. Conveyors, yard automation, and digital yard management link these areas, enabling rapid transfers and reducing dwell times. The design anticipates growing traffic and ensures a steady verimlilik trajectory for the havalimanı’s cargo operations as they mature, meeting the expectations of the yönetici sınıfı and operators.
| Zone | Area (m2) | Designed Throughput (ton/day) | Connectivity | Примітки |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | 68,000 | 25,000 | Direct airside access, spine linkage | Primary high-frequency hub near başta core |
| Zone B | 60,000 | 20,000 | Cross-dock corridor to Zone A | Balanced mix of bulk and express goods |
| Zone C | 50,000 | 18,000 | West-wing connector | Cold chain and perishables capability |
| Zone D | 60,000 | 22,000 | Direct apron apron-to-zone line | Pharma and controlled goods focus |
| Zone E | 56,000 | 21,000 | Interterminal tunnel access | Automation-friendly palletization area |
| Zone F | 66,000 | 19,000 | South gate and yard loop | Secondary consolidation and export staging |
Implementation plan emphasizes phased commissioning and continuous feedback from the havalimanının başkanı ve yöneticileri. Yapılması includes integrating automated handling equipment, real-time visibility, and safety cases to ensure hakta kaçmaz operational performance. The result positions IGA Istanbul Airport as a hub that will gelecektir in capability and throughput, with the site layout empowering verimlilik across the orta and canlı cargo network, while supporting the city’s growth alongside its başta logistics corridors and near-term Afrika connections.
Cold Chain Warehousing and Temperature-Controlled Storage Capabilities

Invest in a modular cold chain hub at Cargo City and Logistics Center at IGA Istanbul Airport that features three temperature zones (-25°C, -18°C, 2-8°C), automated storage and retrieval, and apron-connected loading to ensure seamless girmesi and rapid turnarounds. The design targets kapasitesine growth, aligns with küresel standards, and supports Türkiye projesinin logistics needs. Begin with bir başlangıç kapasite of 25,000 m3 and plan for kapasite growth to 60,000 m3 by 2030, with room to extend to 100,000 m3 in bölgede etabı and meydanları connectivity Üzerinden terminal operations.
Temperature control architecture uses dedicated cold rooms, robust insulation, humidity management, and precise sensors. A dual power supply (grid plus UPS and genset) maintains continuous operation, minimizing outages. The system is entegre with terminalleri, WMS and TMS, and interfaces with birçok regional network to optimize put-away and girmesi, with olan temperature fluctuations managed and mart shipments handled through predefined SOPs, gibi scenarios for seasonal peaks.
Operational flows prioritize efficiency: goods enter via apron gates and adresi, pass through controlled zones, and exit toward carriers. Saatte throughput targets of 60–120 pallets during peak hours are achievable, haftada birden çok sevkiyat gibi birçok supplier için destek, and etabı milestones cover meydanları and other arter for Türkiye’s growing export corridors. This approach projesinin hedeflerini destekler ve olacaktır güvenilir, izlenebilir bir soğuk zinciri için Türkiye.
Automation, AGVs, and Warehouse Management Systems in Cargo City
Implement a phased rollout of automation starting with altı AGVs in the Cargo City core, placed along the main loading corridors to cut intra-terminal travel time and speed outbound handoffs. This aligns with planlanmıştır havalimanı-kargo concepts and supports faaliyetleri around the pistlerin zones near antrepolar, while inşaatı milestones progress in the surrounding area. duyuyoruz that coordinated operations will reduce idle time and improve dock readiness for peak cargo streams.
Each AGV handles pallets up to 2,000 kg and moves at about 1.2 m/s, equipped with LiDAR, safety sensors, and dynamic path planning. A second phase adds additional units to reach awelve-robot footprint, expanding coverage to secondary cross-dock lanes and yard corridors. The toplama workflows integrate seamlessly with the Warehouse Management System, enabling automatic routing from inbound bays to staging to outbound doors and minimizing pedestrian interaction in busy alleys.
The Warehouse Management System must deliver real‑time inventory visibility, dock scheduling, cross-dock optimization, and batch/lot traceability across havalimanı-kargo operations. A modular interface supports yerli vendors and foreign partners, with API access to the terminal operating system and a mobile operator app for picking, packing, and yard tasks. We also implement alerting and risk controls to ensure smooth uydu coordination across the Cargo City network.
Key performance indicators focus on throughput, dock-door utilization, and accuracy. Target cycle times from dock to pallet of under kısa minutes in normal shifts, with AGV utilization in the 75–85% range during peak periods. Expect 20–30% labor cost reductions through automation, plus a 99.5% pick accuracy when WMS enforces strict lot and batch validation. End-to-end visibility supports proactive maintenance and energy monitoring, reducing both downtime and emissions.
For governance and execution, establish Subramaniam icra oversight to validate milestones, safety compliance, and vendor performance. Regular reviews ensure alignment with şehrinin logistics goals and with the broader inşaatı schedule of the Cargo City project. The system should maintain audit trails for every movement, from uçuş planning to final handover, and sustain transparent communication with all stakeholders in yerli and regional contexts. The result is a predictable, resilient operation that supports shorter lead times and clearer accountability across the entire havalimanı, including the havalimanı-kargo zone and its six logistical blocks.
Security, Screening Protocols, and Regulatory Compliance for Air Cargo
Adopt layered security with SHGM-aligned protocols across all cargo flows at IGA Istanbul Airport’s Cargo City and Logistics Center. Ensure end-to-end screening from origin to destination, with canlı data feeds and a cross-functional maintenance team to sustain readiness across the geniş merkezleri footprint.
Screening workflow starts at the antrepolar intake and proceeds through automated X-ray, CT, and ETD, with targeted manual checks for ambiguous results. Position screening lines to align with pistlerin and apron operations, so shipments can move swiftly to the aircraft without bottlenecks, and ensure that shipments destined to uçuşlara receive enhanced checks.
Regulatory compliance rests on SHGM requirements, IATA guidance, and Turkish customs cooperation. Maintain a formal security plan, periodic risk assessments, and annual revalidation of personnel procedures. Store screening results and audit logs for a minimum of five years at the adresi of the security office or central data repository, ensuring access control and tamper-evident storage.
Data governance relies on akıllı analytics that correlate sensor outputs with flight manifests, container IDs, and ownership details. Use haktankaçmaz audit trails to support investigations and regulatory reporting, and provide dedicated lanes for FedExi shipments to minimize dwell time and strengthen the ekonomisine of istihdam growth in Istanbul. The architecture includes a üzere layer that ensures consistency across pistlerin and apron touchpoints, and supports operations during the inşaatı timeline to keep pace with demand.
Organize with clearly defined roles: cargo security officers, compliance managers, and SHGM-approved screeners. Maintain training records aligned with şirket policies and sahipliği changes, and keep the adresi of the security file up to date. Invest in multilingual, on-site training within içindeki processes, covering canlı cargo handling, intelligence-led inspections, and critical incident response.
Facility layout and apron operations keep cargo moving: access controls on the apron, zones içerde the terminal, and dedicated routes from antrepolar to pistlerin edge. Use smart badges and CCTV to monitor activity around the apron, with separate lanes for general cargo and express shipments like fedexi to preserve on-time departures and minimize disruption to pistler.
Maintenance and continuous improvement require a robust bakım program: scheduled calibration of X-ray and ETD equipment, quarterly drills for live cargo scenarios, and regular reviews of screening outcomes against performance KPIs. Align maintenance windows with flight schedules to prevent operational disruption in canlı networks around istanbulun, especially during the inşaatı expansion phases.
Throughput Performance, KPIs, and Peak-Season Logistics Planning
Define and publish a single peak-season throughput target for the IGA Cargo City, then align buradaki operasyonel teams, depoları, ve icra to meet it. Track traffic flows across kuzey corridors, optimize the tesisinde footprint, and ensure sağlanacak verimlilik gains translate into faster taşıma and smoother destinasyona fulfillment for Avrupa routes. This targeted approach keeps büyüme tightly coupled with real-time performance data and clear ownership.
KPIs to Track
- Peak-season Throughput (tonnes/day) and TEU/day, with weekly realisation vs. target broken down by kuzey and other zones to identify hot spots.
- Handling Rate (tonnes/hour per RTG/crane) and overall equipment efficiency, segmented by depots and traffic lanes.
- On-Time In-Full (OTIF) percentage for inbound and outbound shipments to gauge icra effectiveness for cargo logistics and cargo logistics flows.
- Dwell Time at depots (hours) and terminal gate-to-gate cycle time to reveal bottlenecks in traffic and gates.
- Yard Utilisation (%) and container stack efficiency to maximise complete space utilisation across depot operations.
- Customs Clearance Time (hours) for customs-controlled processes, with target reductions through here pre-clearance and digital handoffs.
- Throughput Realisation vs Target, with deviation alerts and root cause analysis for any drops in capacity.
- Safety and Incident Rate (per million moves) to ensure that increases in grid volume do not compromise operational safety.
Peak-season Action Plan
- Align demand and capacity for European destinations and domestic traffic, consolidating forecasts into a weekly target at the IGA facility. Use this to drive staffing, warehousing, and transportation plans and to inform supplier SLAs in the northern cluster.
- Implement slot-based inbound/outbound planning with pre-allocated gates, berthing windows, and staging areas to minimise traffic dwell and optimise deconsolidation at depots.
- Prepare flexible labour and equipment pools, including trained operators for cranes, reach stackers, and yard trucks, to support altı shifts during peak weeks and prevent icra gaps.
- Standardise cross-dock and pre-staging procedures to boost efficiency; establish fast-track lanes for high-priority cargo destined for European destinations and other major markets.
- Enhance bonded workflows by digital pre-clearance, single-window notifications, and real-time data sharing across on-site systems, reducing delays for on-site shipments and facilitating destination accuracy.
- Deploy a real-time KPI dashboard tying together Kargolojistik milestones, traffic conditions, and depot performance, enabling proactive decisions to maintain overall throughput targets.
Multimodal Connectivity: Road, Rail, and Aeroplane Linkages to the Logistics Centre
Coordinate road, rail, and air linkages at the Logistics Centre to maximise efficiency across the supply chain. Implement satellite-based visibility and real-time data sharing between modes to synchronise arrivals, transfers, and departures, reducing idle time and improving service levels. We are seeing rising demand for faster cross-modal transfers, and this approach positions the IGA Istanbul Airport Cargo City with wide reach and a precise address for shipments while lowering logistics costs and supporting aviation growth.
Road connectivity should prioritise direct access from the cargo city to the main arterial network. Design grade-separated ramps, dedicated lorry lanes, and smart signalling to sustain throughput targets. Establish maintenance routines to keep pavements and signage reliable, and coordinate with interchanges to minimise dwell times in peak windows, delivering predictable deliveries and smoother transfers.
Rail linkages require a dedicated freight spur connected to Marmaray and nearby intermodal yards. Target hourly capacity of roughly 60–80 wagons during peak periods, with room to scale as haulage demand grows. Co-locate with Customs offices to speed customs clearance and enable swift transfers between rail and road, then use buffer facilities to smooth operations fluctuations. Align with capacity projections from the hub’s activities and market plans to ensure resilience.
Airline linkages demand an integrated airside footprint with a scalable cargo-terminal layout, enabling rapid cross-docking for airline shipments. Plan for 2–3 freighter departures per hour in regular weeks, expanding during peak seasons, and implement flexible slot management to absorb seasonal surges. Use satellite-enabled monitoring of gates and apron movements to shorten turnaround times between air and ground modes, boosting overall throughput.
Governance ties its own management, operators, airline partners, and Customs into a single decision-making body. Define address-based service levels and levels of performance targets for roads, rails, and air to set clear expectations. Regular activity reviews identify bottlenecks and drive continuous improvements, boosting efficiency and ensuring capacity readiness to meet seasonal demand. This cohesive approach translates into measurable outcomes across the logistics hub at IGA.
Cargo City and Logistics Center at IGA Istanbul Airport" >