THE Shanghai Airport Authority would like to double the current air cargo volume being handled at Pudong International Airport by 2015.
Airport officials said in a Xinhua report that the plan calls for the construction of four new terminals and three additional runways. Air freight capacity will also be increased while improvements will be made in passenger and vehicle flows.
"The new plan is aimed at reinforcing the Pudong airport's capacity as an Asia-Pacific hub," said Wu Nianzu, chairman and president of the Shanghai Airport Authority.
"It is also designed to make it easier for international passengers to transfer from one flight to another."
The airport opened in 1999 and has one terminal and two runways.
Airport officials revealed that construction of the airport's 19.7 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion) second phase will begin within the next few weeks.
A 480,000 square metre second terminal is scheduled to be completed in 2007 and it will run parallel to the first one.
All of the terminals will be connected by a moving walkway.
"We also plan to adjust flights between Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong, moving major transfer flights to Pudong and making the process easier," Mr Wu said.
The first two of the new runways will be built by 2015, with a decision about the third being made at a later date.
Airport officials said once all work is completed, the airport will be able to handle upwards of 60 million passengers and 4.2 million tonnes of cargo per year in 2015.
Pudong International handled 1.8 million tonnes of freight last year and is forecast to process 2.2 million tonnes by the end of 2005.
Company Info
Shanghai airport to double cargo handling