Pharmaceutical and medicine export shipments are helping Puerto Rico grow its air cargo operations, but additional infrastructure improvements are required, a new study has found.
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, published on 17 February, said that Puerto Rico has been expanding air cargo operations over the past several years.
Healthcare-related goods – including pharmaceuticals and medical devices – accounted for about half of the reported cargo volume leaving the country, according to Census trade data, said the report.
Speaking about Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, the report said: “We found that Puerto Rico’s international airport in San Juan has become increasingly important to air cargo operations.
“The airport has improved its airside infrastructure and has available cold storage space, which is essential for the island’s pharmaceutical exports.
“Puerto Rico’s expansion strategy has included working with industry to improve cargo handling and identify facility investments.”
Air cargo volume handled by Puerto Rico’s three international airports fluctuated between 2015 and 2024, hitting a low of 501m pounds in 2019 before increasing to 621m pounds in 2024, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ air carrier data.
The largest of these airports, SJU, increased cargo volumes over this period. Meanwhile, volumes declined at the second largest airport, Rafael Hernández (BQN) in Aguadilla. Mercedita Airport (PSE) in Ponce is not regularly used as a cargo airport.
The Puerto Rico Life Sciences Air Cargo Community has previously reported steady growth of life sciences exports.
Improvements needed
However, according to the air cargo stakeholders GAO interviewed, while some conditions at Puerto Rico’s international airports, particularly SJU, can support existing air cargo operations, improvements are needed for growth.
Stakeholders noted recent improvements to airport infrastructure in San Juan, including expanding access roads.
Though they also identified additional improvements needed, such as enhancing warehouses and cold storage space at all airports. They also identified that airports needed operational improvements.
For example, agency officials, including those from US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Agriculture, noted that there were limited staff available to inspect cargo, which could affect the speed of handling should operations increase.
That said, Puerto Rico has pursued several initiatives to promote growth in air cargo operations, including seeking expanded authority for some air carriers to transfer cargo, found the report.
In addition, Puerto Rico has developed an air cargo strategy and worked with health care manufacturers and the logistics sector to increase collaboration and standardise pharmaceutical handling practices at its international airports.
