Pakistan’s Airport Authority has started work on a major air-cargo building at the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), marking a key development in the airport’s plan to boost the movement of goods within the country and abroad.
According to officials, the under-construction cargo facility is being designed to handle containerised cargo and will include systems to manage heavy and oversized freight. The layout has been planned while keeping in mind labour costs, cargo volume and the need for secure and sustainable operations.
An NGIA official said the upcoming cargo complex would be “safe, secure, sustainable, automated, connected and smart,” with features such as seamless data sharing, end-to-end visibility, and AI-based operational optimisation. The facility will also include autonomous ground-support equipment, real-time tracking systems and connected infrastructure to ensure efficient cargo handling.
Officials said Pakistan’s air-cargo sector is currently going through a period of change as rising trade volumes, customer expectations and regulatory requirements push the industry towards greater automation, resilience and sustainability. Existing cargo centres, many of which rely on manual operations and old infrastructure, are under pressure to upgrade.
The New Gwadar International Airport is emerging as an important regional outlet, similar to established hubs such as Dubai and Singapore, due to its strategic location. Although smaller in scale, the airport’s significance is elevated by its inclusion in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Beijing has invested around $230 million in the project.
Spread over 4,300 acres, the airport is equipped with modern security, air traffic control and navigational systems. It has the capacity to handle 400,000 passengers annually and can accommodate wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 jets.
Officials believe the new cargo facility will further strengthen Gwadar’s role in regional trade and improve Pakistan’s integration with global supply chains.
