Emirates SkyCargo increases services to China

The Emirates SkyCargo presence was certainly felt at Air Cargo China 2008 with the award winning carrier’s spectacular, new, double-storey exhibition stand. Next week Emirates SkyCargo’s presence in southern China will also be felt with the launch, on 1st July, of six direct Guangzhou-Dubai services a week.

The cargo arm of Emirates Airline already offers nearly 3,000 tonnes of bellyhold and freighter cargo capacity a week through its double daily services to Beijing and Shanghai and 11 weekly flights to Hong Kong. It also operates eight dedicated freighter services to Shanghai and 15 to Hong Kong.

The new Guangzhou service will provide Chinese shippers with an additional 80-plus tonnes of weekly belly-hold cargo capacity in each direction.

Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo, said, “The addition of Guangzhou to our network will offer shippers to and from southern China even better connections to their trading partners around the world.”

With only one stop at its 1.2 million-tonne-capacity, state-of-the-art Cargo Mega Terminal in Dubai, Emirates SkyCargo can connect cargo with more than 100 cities in 60 countries on six continents through its expanding flight and trucking network.

“Asia, and China in particular, is a key market for Emirates SkyCargo. More than 40 per cent of our revenue comes from the East Asia and Australasia region,” added Mr Menen.

“Emirates SkyCargo has worked hard to gain its reputation as the leading premium cargo airline serving China. We will continue to achieve customer satisfaction through innovation, flexibility, and the continual refinement of service.”

China is commonly referred to as “the factory of the world” because of its huge manufacturing industry. The country’s export market is valued at US$1.2 trillion. Emirates SkyCargo transports a wide range of commodities from China, including IT products, mobile phones, textiles and electrical goods.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, trade between China and the UAE alone in the last financial year hit US$20 billion, a 41 per cent year-on-year increase. From January and April 2008, exports and imports between China and the UAE reached a record US$5.67 billion and US$1.54 billion respectively, increases of 30 per cent and 92 per cent.

Despite the global slowdown in airfreight volumes, IATA has forecast that China will still record an average annual growth of 10.8 per cent in international freight tonnes until 2011, making it the largest growth area in the world.

Prakash Nair, Manager Network Cargo Sales Development, said, “Air Cargo China is the premier industry event in this country which is so integral to not only Emirates SkyCargo’s business, but to the international air freight industry. As such, we have invested a lot in our Chinese operations from the modern, highly fuel-efficient aircraft we deploy in this market right through to the talented and experienced air cargo specialists who make up our team here.”

Emirates’ modern fleet currently operates 10 freighters – four Boeing 747-400Fs, three Boeing 747-400ERFs and three A310-300Fs – plus bellyhold capacity on 106 Emirates’ passenger aircraft criss-crossing the world.

For more information, visit Skycargo.com.