Swissport expands flower logistics capacity ahead of Valentine’s Day peak demand

Swissport International AG has announced a significant expansion of its ‘Flower Corridor’ infrastructure to key European air cargo destinations, enhancing its capacity to handle fresh flower shipments ahead of the Valentine’s Day peak demand. This initiative ensures a fully temperature-controlled, end-to-end process for transporting fresh flowers from Kenya to Europe, extending their shelf life by up to a week. Swissport expects to handle over 250 million flowers at its air cargo center in Nairobi, Kenya, with 35 additional freighter flights scheduled to meet the surge in demand.

To accommodate the growing demand and maintain high-quality logistics during peak seasons, Swissport is investing in capacity and technology to handle perishable and sensitive freight within a predefined temperature range throughout the entire ground handling process. The ‘Flower Corridor’ concept, first implemented in Kenya two years ago, has now been extended to key European air cargo destinations in Amsterdam and Liège. This expansion includes additional temperature-controlled space, improved intra-logistics within air cargo centers, more loading bridges for pallets and containers, and a fast lane for speedy transport through the warehouse from aircraft to delivery trucks.

Dirk Goovaerts, CEO of Swissport’s CEMEAI region and Global Cargo Chair, stated, “Our Flower Corridor is an important link in the overall cool supply chain for fresh flowers in Africa and Europe, ensuring seamless, temperature-controlled transport.” He added that the latest investments in Amsterdam and Liège strengthen Swissport’s position as a trusted end-to-end partner for forwarders, shippers, and airlines providing flower logistics in Africa and Europe. These efforts aim to ensure that end customers can enjoy the beauty of fresh flowers for much longer.