Cargo Airport to be a distribution center
80% of the runway construction at the Anápolis airport terminal has already been completed by the state government. When finished, the terminal will function as a distribution center for the entire country, due to Goiás' strategic location. Currently, only 1% of cargo transport in Brazil is done by air. The cargo airport runway was designed to accommodate any type of cargo aircraft and will be three kilometers long.
Goiás 247_ The State Government has already completed more than 80% of the work on the runway at Anápolis Cargo Airport. At the site, 146 machines are in operation, including 20 compactors. The runway is expected to be completed by the end of December.
According to the superintendent of the Anápolis Dry Port, Edson Tavares, Goiás will give Brazil a cargo airport that will function as a distribution center due to the state's strategic location. “We are in the center of the country; within a 1.000-kilometer radius, we reach 145 to 150 million consumers. This is crucial for aviation. Another important factor is that the government reduced the ICMS (state sales tax) on aviation kerosene, and Goiás is the second largest aircraft maintenance hub,” he states. When completed, the Anápolis Cargo Airport project will have cost almost R$ 200 million. The resources are from the State Treasury, and all the asphalt used is being manufactured locally to facilitate transportation.
The superintendent of the Dry Port reports that currently only 1% of cargo transport in Brazil is done by air; 20% by rail and 60% to 70% by truck. “Today, cargo coming from Manaus crosses our airspace, goes to São Paulo, and then returns to Goiás. This cargo also leaves Manaus by truck, taking 17 days to reach São Paulo, then goes to the large retail chains, and only then arrives in Goiás,” emphasizes Edson Tavares. In the future, the Anápolis Cargo Airport could be integrated with the Goiânia airport so that flights from China, Germany, Sweden, and the United States can come directly to Goiás.
The cargo airport runway was designed to accommodate any type of cargo aircraft. Three kilometers long in a north-south direction, the runway will be 45 meters wide, plus 7,5-meter shoulder lanes on each side, in addition to a 150-meter overrun area on either side, totaling 300 meters for the runway approach strip. The base will be 20 centimeters.
The sub-base, or layer immediately below the asphalt surface, will also be 20 centimeters thick, consisting of a mixture of cement and coarse crushed stone. The asphalt surface will be 12 centimeters thick. The Cargo Airport will allow for the removal of cargo from Guarulhos, Viracopos, and Confins airports by plane.