How Frankfurt Airport plans to stay ahead as Europe’s cargo gateways multiply: Denis Duarte

At transport logistic & air cargo Southeast Asia 2025, Denis de Farias Duarte, Vice President for Cargo Development at Fraport AG, sat down with Rajarshi Chatterjee, Assistant Editor at STAT Publishing Group, for an in-depth conversation on the evolving role of Frankfurt Airport in a rapidly changing European cargo landscape.

Duarte shared his perspective on the surge in e-commerce flows from Asia to Europe. He explained how Frankfurt Airport is positioning itself to remain competitive—viewing these airports not just as challengers, but as part of a broader, complementary European cargo network serving diverse cargo profiles.

The discussion also explored Fraport’s CargoHub masterplan, with Duarte outlining key priorities for the next two to three years, including investments in new cargo infrastructure, digitalisation and process innovation. He highlighted the importance of close alignment across the cargo community—airlines, handlers and freight forwarders—to fully realise the benefits of this roadmap.

As Frankfurt strengthens its position as a leading pharma and temperature-controlled logistics hub, Duarte spoke about working closely with pharmaceutical supply-chain stakeholders to meet stringent regulatory, speed and quality requirements.

He also highlighted new strategic partnerships with airports in Shanghai and across India, underscoring Frankfurt Airport’s focus on deepening connectivity with key Asian markets and strengthening long-haul trade corridors.

Finally, Duarte addressed the growing importance of landside connectivity and multimodal integration, detailing how Frankfurt Airport is enhancing road and rail links to support efficient cargo flows and identifying partnerships and modal shifts critical to future growth.

Watch the full conversation for insights into how Frankfurt Airport is shaping its cargo strategy amid shifting trade flows and rising complexity in global logistics.