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The sea-air cargo business has hitherto been dominated by two places – Dubai and Singapore. But success breeds imitation, and while there is no immediate threat to the Middle Eastern and south-east Asian hubs, especially given their separate statuses as hub airports and hub container ports, competition is emerging.
However, creating competition in this particular niche is no easy task – it requires the coordination of a whole host of players: ports, shipping lines, airlines, airports, hauliers and forwarders, as well ...
Comment on this article
Michael
June 08, 2012 at 4:17 pmI believe there is still some sea-air through Panama, as ocean containers of electronics from Asia arrive in Colon and then are flown short distances to consumers in Colombia & Venezuela. But on the whole, that niche does not negate the message here.
Alex Lennane
June 08, 2012 at 4:31 pmGood point, Michael. Although Colon’s not far from Colombia, there’s no overland route. But I’m wondering why they’d arrive in Colon, rather than Balboa on the Pacific side? Does anyone know?
Also, from my personal experience of Colon (admittedly, a few years ago), I’m not altogether sure I’d leave many high-value shipments there. A well-worn local taxi driver and Vietnam vet once asked me:”What’s the difference between Colon and ‘Nam? Colon’s only 16 blocks…”
It’s shaped my opinion of the place ever since (possibly unfairly).
Michael
June 08, 2012 at 4:42 pmNot heard that line about Vietnam & Colon but had a good chuckle about it. There were studies years ago to develop the airstrip serving Colon to rival PTY for all-cargo operators, just as there were studies for the former Howard AFB. With two commercial length runways and a major regional presence for DHL & critical belly capacity provided by Panama’s hub carrier COPA, trying to prop up a rival hub in such a small market seemed like … well, the kind of silly idea one might find in St. Louis. Cheers Alex.