Fraport targets 50% cargo growth by 2040 on community playbook

Fraport wants 50% cargo growth at Frankfurt by 2040, and the airport's newly appointed vice president for cargo development, Felix Toepsch, says the target rests on collaboration as much as concrete. The German hub has no single mega-project behind the number. Instead, it has the CargoHub Masterplan, built on three pillars: site optimisation and development, digitalisation and process innovation, and cooperation across the cargo community — locally and internationally.

Toepsch knows the community part first-hand. Since January 2023 he has served as executive director of Air Cargo Community Frankfurt, working with more than 115 companies and institutions spanning virtually the entire airfreight value chain. "That experience reinforced my belief that successful cargo hubs are built not only on infrastructure, but also on collaboration and trust," he said. He joined Fraport in 2013 after studying Aviation Management in Frankfurt, and has since worked across business development, process optimisation and innovation roles.

Why community matters commercially

Few airports can match Frankfurt's network of airlines, freight forwarders, handlers, authorities and technology providers, according to Toepsch. He argues that infrastructure and capacity are only part of the equation. "The real differentiator is the willingness and ability of stakeholders to look beyond the individual corporate success and collaborate, share ideas and develop common standards that improve the performance of the entire location," he said.

That collaborative model has already delivered digitalisation, process harmonisation and community-wide operational standards in recent years, he notes — the kind of progress that accelerates when all partners share a common vision.

For carriers and forwarders operating at Frankfurt, the plan's three pillars are interdependent. Space alone will not suffice if processes remain inefficient, and digital solutions only reach full impact with the right infrastructure in place.

Digitalisation as a capacity lever

A priority is strengthening digital connections across the community. Fraport, the cargo community and the 'allivate' joint venture are developing the FAIR@Link Cargo Community System, aiming to increase automation, cut administrative effort, improve visibility and enable smoother cooperation along the supply chain. "Efficient operations depend on fast, secure and transparent data exchange across organisational boundaries," Toepsch said.

Digitalisation also functions as a capacity tool. "Better information flow often creates more capacity than additional physical infrastructure alone," he argues, with Fraport combining smart technology use with targeted infrastructure development, including further development of CargoCity South and additional logistics areas.

Can Frankfurt stay Europe's leading cargo hub?

Unlike many established cargo gateways, Frankfurt still has room to grow — within already designated logistics areas. "Unlike many established cargo gateways, we still have room to grow," Toepsch said. The airport is focusing on better use of existing sites rather than expansion beyond approved boundaries.

But he warns that competitiveness cannot be created by the industry alone. Other airports are growing faster, partly because they face less complex regulation and greater planning certainty. "We need greater regulatory harmonisation across Europe and internationally competitive operating conditions," he said, calling for framework conditions that encourage innovation and create a level playing field across Europe.

His diagnosis of the market: global supply chains have grown more complex and vulnerable over the past decade, with geopolitical developments, economic disruptions and shifting trade patterns hitting logistics flows quickly. Pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, high-value goods, biotech and e-commerce now demand greater speed, transparency and process reliability than ever. "Air cargo is no longer just about moving goods from A to B. It is increasingly about enabling global supply chains through smart, connected and efficient logistics ecosystems," Toepsch said.

What about the neighbours?

The masterplan deliberately avoids airport expansion beyond approved areas. It includes measures to reduce operational impacts, notably the Common Pre-Check-In process in CargoCity South, which uses centralised truck management and slot booking to organise truck traffic more efficiently and cut congestion and unnecessary vehicle movements.

Fraport maintains continuous dialogue with political stakeholders, businesses and neighbouring communities. Toepsch stresses that Frankfurt cargo supports thousands of jobs directly and indirectly and connects regional businesses to global markets. "The question is not whether Frankfurt should remain a strong cargo hub or a good neighbour. It has to be both, and that is the standard we set ourselves," he concluded.