SATS, Singapore’s leading provider of gateway services and food solutions at the airport, has opened Coolport@Changi (Coolport), which will be Asia’s newest on-airport perishable handling centre.

Coolport represents SATS’ initiative in providing innovative solutions as a leading gateway services provider and serves to strengthen Changi Airport and Singapore’s standing as an important air cargo and logistics hub.

Built at a cost of S$16.5 million, Coolport is the first dedicated on-airport facility in Singapore for handling of import, export and transit perishable cargo. Located within the Free Trade Zone, it has an annual handling capacity of 250,000 tonnes, with scope for expansion from the current 8,000 square metres to 14,000 square metres. With multi-tiered temperature zones ranging from -28°C to 19°C, Coolport is designed to handle a wide range of fresh produce including chilled meat, live seafood and fresh flowers. More importantly, its secure cool chain logistics process enables Coolport to handle pharmaceutical and biomedical products which require more stringent temperature controls.

Coolport aims to play a larger role in Singapore’s cold chain logistics by offering value-added services to its customers. These include inventory management, pick, pack, labelling and redistribution services for the local and international markets. Among the innovative services offered is a solar-powered mobile ramp solution, which uses green technology, to keep transit cargo cool while it is on the airport tarmac. Additionally, with a dedicated system in place for the handling of urgent medical cargo, Coolport will enable Singapore to become a lead market for perishable supply chains in the biomedical sector.

Coolport is the first Halal-certified air cargo hub for perishables in the Asia Pacific region. It has also received certificates for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), and for Good Distribution Practice for Medical Devices (GDPMDS). Coolport’s staff has undergone specialised training required to meet these standards. While the facility is entirely managed by SATS, Hellmann Perishable Logistics was appointed to provide their expertise on facility design, cold chain standards and value-added services.