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Last week, SF Airlines opened the Abu Dhabi route for the first time using Boeing large cargo aircraft. (Photo: Etihad Cargo)
Etihad Airways and express carrier SF Airlines have launched cargo flights for the first time to each other’s respective bases in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Wuhan, China, under a new arrangement aimed at expanding their global cargo network.
Etihad Airways’ logistics arm opened a second all-cargo destination in China with twice-weekly flights to the city as a Boeing 777 freighter arrived at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport on Saturday. A Boeing 747-400 all-cargo plane operated by SF Airlines, the cargo airline with the largest fleet in China, took off from Wuhan two days ago and landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the hub of Etihad Airways, carrying express mail, e-commerce packages and normal goods.
With the new Wuhan route, Etihad Cargo operates 10 weekly cargo flights to China, and can fly to another 25 cities in China, including Shenzhen, Dongguan and Chengdu, via SF Airlines’ road feeder network. Etihad Airways operates eight cargo flights to Shanghai. Shippers can also take advantage of the capacity of five passenger flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to move cargo.
Wuhan and Abu Dhabi are located in a strategically important trade zone. Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, is a sprawling commercial and manufacturing center along the Yangtze River with a population of 11 million. Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as a tourism and trade gateway between Asia, Europe and Africa, alongside rivals Dubai, Qatar and, increasingly, Saudi Arabia.
“These flights will provide Etihad Cargo’s customers with improved connectivity, market access and cargo capacity, further strengthening the relationship between the UAE and China, and positioning Abu Dhabi as a global logistics and express hub,” Martin Drew, Etihad’s vice president of global sales, said and the goods, in a press release.
Etihad Cargo said it would increase the frequency of flights to China in the coming months to meet demand from UAE and Chinese customers. It operates five 777 Freighters.
Abu Dhabi government last year Transfer of ownership of Etihad Aviation Group to state-owned holding company ADQ, which also owns Abu Dhabi Airport. The government wants to create an aviation hub that will provide services such as maintenance and logistics.
SF Airlines, a subsidiary of the courier company SF Express, plans to travel to and from Abu Dhabi twice a week, using Kerry Logistics to distribute express items in the Middle East. SF Express acquired a majority stake in Hong Kong-based Kerry Logistics, which is now SF’s international logistics arm.
SF Airlines has a fleet of 81 all-cargo aircraft including 3 747-400s, and is accelerating its international deployment. In addition to Abu Dhabi, recently opened international routes from Ezhou and Qingdao in China to Liege in Belgium; from Ezhou to Chennai and Delhi in India; from Changsha in China to Tel Aviv in Israel.
On April 1, SF Airlines opened a base at Ezhou Huahu Airport, which is equipped with a dedicated apron for cargo planes and an operation command center. The facility also provides ground support, training and equipment maintenance.it also has Invested in a new airframe repair facility Built at the airport by ST Engineering in Singapore.
The carrier operates the Changsha-Tel Aviv route twice a week with a Boeing 767 freighter with a capacity of approximately 55 tonnes.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
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