8 February 2008

Airports Approved for International Air Cargo Transshipment Program

The following notice was issued by Transport Canada on 7 February 2008.

The government announced the approval of the Greater Moncton International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, and Abbotsford International Airport, to participate in the international air cargo transshipment program. The program simplifies air carrier access to the airport for air cargo transshipment, allowing the airport to seek new market opportunities and further develop its air cargo transshipment activity.

The international air cargo transshipment program allows air cargo to be moved through Canada for shipment to third countries. For example, cargo could be flown from the United States into Moncton, stored temporarily, and then flown to a European destination. Similarly, international air cargo could also arrive from overseas and then be shipped by rail or road from Moncton to the United States.

The program enables the Canadian Transportation Agency to authorize any Canadian or foreign air carrier to use these three airports to transship international air cargo, even if these rights are not  provided in Canada's bilateral air transport agreements. In addition, air carriers will be able to combine such cargo transshipments with other services for which they may be licensed.

Cargo security is addressed during the application process, and on an ongoing basis, in the context of broader security monitoring by Transport Canada and the operational activities of the Canada Border Services Agency.

The international air cargo transshipment program was introduced in 1982 at Mirabel Airport as part of a larger effort to improve the use of Montreal area airports. It has since been expanded to other airports, including Hamilton (1987), Windsor (1993), Gander (2000), Winnipeg (2004), Edmonton (2006) and Calgary (2007).