Dnata Cargo’s relocation to its new €70 million automated facility at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport continues to cause major disruption across the air cargo supply chain, with airlines, forwarders, and handlers still adjusting to ongoing instability.
The state-of-the-art Cargo City Amsterdam terminal, designed to handle up to 850,000 tonnes annually, was expected to streamline operations through advanced automation and digital systems. Instead, repeated failures of the automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) have created widespread operational challenges since the phased move began in mid-2025.
Delays and Technical Setbacks
Originally scheduled for completion in July 2025, the relocation has been delayed several times after system breakdowns triggered misplacement of cargo, tracking outages, truck congestion, and storage overflows. Schiphol Airport has since granted multiple extensions, allowing Emirates Cargo, China Cargo Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines to continue operating partly from Dnata’s old terminal until at least January 2026.
The fallout was immediate: Schiphol’s cargo volumes dropped by 11% year-on-year in July, with Europe-bound freight seeing the sharpest decline. Forwarders reported long waiting times, while some carriers temporarily embargoed belly cargo into Amsterdam due to handling delays.
Stabilization Efforts Amid Lower Volumes
By mid-August, Dnata announced that it had cleared its cargo backlog at the new hub and improved system reliability, claiming shorter truck queues and more predictable workflows. Industry insiders, however, caution that part of this improvement stems from reduced traffic through the facility. Several carriers have diverted flights away from Schiphol, lowering throughput and easing congestion artificially.
Logistics professionals remain wary of the peak season ahead, questioning whether the system can withstand higher volumes. “Stability at low volumes is not the same as resilience under pressure,” one forwarder noted privately.
Airlines Seek Alternatives
Airlines are increasingly hedging against further disruptions by shifting to competitors. On August 6, Singapore Airlines Cargo moved its import operations from Dnata to Swissport Cargo at Schiphol, citing “major disruptions.” Industry observers expect this to trigger more realignments, especially if Swissport expands its handling capacity.
Swissport has already absorbed Singapore Airlines’ volumes and is positioned to attract further business as Qatar Airways Cargo transitions to WFS, freeing space at Swissport’s terminal. Handlers like Menzies and WFS are also benefiting from airlines and forwarders seeking contingency solutions.
A Shifting Logistics Landscape at Schiphol
Swissport’s gains highlight a broader reshuffling within Schiphol’s logistics sector. The company has emerged as a safe haven for carriers seeking reliability amid Dnata’s turbulence, while Dnata’s struggle has left the airport’s wider cargo ecosystem on edge.
Forwarders are diversifying their handling strategies, no longer relying solely on Dnata for high-volume operations. Some describe the situation as a “test of resilience” for Schiphol’s cargo community, with the airport’s competitive position in the European market under scrutiny.
Facility Complexity at the Core
The new Cargo City Amsterdam facility, spanning 61,000m², was envisioned as a showcase of automated efficiency. Yet, insiders point to the complexity of integrating advanced robotics and IT systems as the main source of its troubles.
Teething problems are common in highly automated terminals, but the scale and persistence of issues at Schiphol have set off alarm bells across the industry. Until the old terminal is fully closed and operations centralized—a milestone unlikely before early 2026—the airport will operate in a fragmented and uncertain state.
