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On 22nd September, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) announced that it had signed heads of agreement with US company Lynxs to develop a new global air freight hub at Shannon Airport. Under the agreement, Lynxs is planning to construct a new temperature controlled freight logistics facility at Shannon with infrastructural support from DAA. The Lynxs Group was established in 1994 and is an international air cargo property developer based in Austin, Texas. It has 12 facilities in the United States and four projects underway in Europe. This new state-of-the-art facility will be marketed to both existing freight and logistics companies at Shannon and to potential new customers both domestically and internationally. The signing of the agreement confirms the commitment of both parties to the project and enables Lynxs to move to the next phase of its due diligence process. The new cargo hub will provide significantly improved facilities for Shannon’s existing cargo businesses and will radically reposition the airport’s cargo capabilities. The Lynxs facility will include chilled, frozen and heated areas for cargo which would enable Shannon to bid for more high value, high volume freight business. Shannon Airport has a large industrial hinterland that generates significant amounts of commercial freight. At present, much of this business is transported by road to other airports outside Ireland and the Lynxs facility would aim to repatriate much of that business and also grow Shannon’s overall cargo throughput. The wider region also has a strong manufacturing base with companies transporting large amounts of cargo out of and into Ireland. Earlier reports indicated that the agreement is not legally binding and it could be up to 12 months before a binding agreement is signed. The total investment is expected to be around €16-17 million with about €5 million coming from the DAA. Shannon’s position on all the major trade routes, its profile as a well-established entry point between US and EU customs, the success of the existing CBP facility, and the industrial base in the region were said to be the major attractions for Lynxs.