Mayor Kasim Reed travels to Amsterdam on Tuesday to try to lure more air cargo business to Atlanta.
But he'll be doing so amid new security questions after bombs were found last week on air cargo planes in England and Dubai. The bombs were destined for the United States.
The Transportation Security Administration requires that all shipments leaving the United States be inspected, but experts say inbound cargo examinations are more hit-or-miss. The sheer volume of air cargo makes it difficult to inspect every parcel.
Reed will attend the International Air Cargo Association's Air Cargo Forum and Exposition through Saturday in hopes of creating new jobs and improving the city's ranking in air cargo shipments. Also attending the meeting will be regional and state leaders, including representatives from the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Clayton County.
Hartsfield-Jackson International is the world's busiest airport by passenger count but ranks 11th nationally in air cargo traffic.
"Expanding the air cargo capacity of our airport is a top priority of the mayor’s and a critical component to the long-term success of not only Hartsfield-Jackson airport but the entire region," Reed spokesman Reese McCranie said.
"Deals which may be inked or relationships which will get nurtured and developed during this trip will solidify our position to lead the Southeastern region in logistics and transportation," McCranie said.
Reed will meet with Cargoitalia, Etihad Crystal Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and Jade Cargo International, among others, McCranie said.
In addition to the security questions, Reed will make his pitch amid an industry struggling to regain its financial footing after experiencing one of the worst business years on record in 2009.
Atlanta Air Cargo Association President Donna Mullins said Atlanta is No. 11 because the city does not have the freight capacity to carry the cargo once it's brought here, though more companies are investing in that infrastructure.
"We feel so strongly that we also are sending people" from the association, including board member Hector Romero and Vice President Warren Jones. "Anything that could bring us up from notch 11 to notch 1 would be good."
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