That potential starts from a relatively modest base, despite Shenyang's long-standing reputation as an industrial center in China. In 2015, the airport handled 142,000 tonnes, up 2.7 percent from the previous year.

“While we have seen some growth in volume for Shenyang over the past year, the annual growth of 2.5 to 2.8 percent is still behind other developing airports in China, such as Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Hongqiao, Chongqing Jiangbei and Zhengzhou, with growth figures of more than 6 percent,” noted Li Wenjun, head and senior vice-president of air freight for DHL Global Forwarding, Asia-Pacific.

One strong suit for the capital of Liaoning Province is its automotive industry base, with a clutch of local manufacturers besides General Motors and BMW and their respective tier-one and tier-two suppliers in the area. Forwarder DB Schenker has this vertical in its sights.

In May, it started construction of a dedicated logistics facility in the city, having signed a joint-venture agreement targeting this sector with Jinbei Automotive at the end of 2014. With a footprint of 45,000 square meters, the two-story building is the German logistics firm’s second-largest cargo facility in China.

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