Air freight volumes to grow by 3.2% from 2024 to 2050 – ICAO
Air freight volumes are expected to grow by 3.2% each year from 2024 to 2050 as by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) forecast.
ICAO Secretary General, Juan Carlos Salazar, revealed this in his keynote address at the just concluded ICAO’s inaugural Global Air Cargo Summit in Türkiye.
At the summit, representatives from some 80 State Members of ICAO agreed to cooperate towards more efficient air cargo operations, digital integration, and emissions reduction.
The Summit provided a unique forum for collaborative discussions amongst stakeholders from across the air cargo value chain, including regulators, airlines, airports, freight forwarders, customs authorities, and international organizations.
ICAO Secretary General, Juan Carlos Salazar, said “Today, air cargo remains the top choice for the transport of high-value goods. While only half a percent of international trade moves by air in volume, this represents over one-third of the total value of all shipped goods. Companies choose air transport when they need speed and reliability for their products.”
“We expect this trend to continue, with ICAO forecasts showing that air freight volumes could grow by 3.2% each year from 2024 to 2050. Meeting this growth will require updating our economic regulatory framework. We need to remove barriers that limit air cargo operators and restrict global trade,” added Secretary General Salazar.
Speaking at the summit, World Customs Organization Secretary General Ian Saunders underscored the importance of collaboration between aviation and customs authorities, saying “Security, resilience and efficiency of air cargo are, without question, essential to the global economy, and this will continue to be the case as trade volumes, consumer expectations and threats to the system grow.”
The Summit featured comprehensive sessions covering essential topics, including market access liberalization, e-commerce integration, infrastructure development, cargo release and clearance processes, automation, unmanned aircraft, dangerous goods safety, and sustainability.
Related Posts
Key themes emerging from the discussions included:
The critical importance of digitalization and innovation to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security across the supply chain
The need for harmonized regulatory frameworks to align security requirements, customs procedures, and facilitation measures
The imperative of sustainability, with strategies presented for reducing the industry’s environmental impact while meeting growing demand
The requirement for a robust safety culture throughout the air cargo supply chain, particularly for dangerous goods transport
The potential of unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility to transform cargo delivery operations
Participants also examined the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, when air cargo served as a global lifeline for delivering essential medical supplies and vaccines.
The Summit concluded with calls for enhancing international cooperation to ensure that air cargo continues to drive global trade and economic development while making progress toward achieving the industry’s long-term environmental goals.
The Summit’s outcomes will inform State deliberations at the upcoming ICAO Assembly in Montréal this autumn, where ICAO’s 193 Member States will convene to decide on the strategic development of all aspects of civil aviation.
