TNT today increased its air freight capacity between China and Europe with additional B747-400Fflights from Shanghai and Hong Kong to Liege to meet growing demand.
The Dutch express operator now has six flights a week from Shanghai and five flights per weekfrom Hong Kong to its European air hub at Liege. The new services are operated with the company’sthird Boeing 747-400 ERF aircraft, with capacity for 110 tonnes of freight.
TNT said it is responding to the stronger demand in China for its air services, especially fromthe high-tech and fashion industries. Chinese exports to Europe rose almost 50% during the fivefirst months of 2010 from a year before, according to the Chinese General Administration ofCustoms. During the same period, bilateral trade between China and the EU totalled $177 billion, anincrease of 37.4% over last year, confirming the EU’s position as China’s number one tradepartner.
“Our continuous investment demonstrates TNT’s long-term confidence in China and our commitmentto enhancing our service capabilities,” said Michael Drake, Regional Managing Director of TNT NorthAsia. “With our integrated air and road delivery capabilities in China and Europe, we arewell-positioned to capitalise on the strong trading links between these two trading regions.”
“TNT has seen a significant increase in customer demand for freight services between theregions. Our current freighters between China and Europe are operating at full capacity,” said ImanStratenus, Managing Director of TNT China. “The increased dedicated freighter capacity will ensureour customers, especially those in the high-tech and fashion/life-style sectors, become morecompetitive due to shorter factory-to-market lead times and increased supply chain managementefficiency.”
TNT started to operate a B747-400 ERF on non-stop air service between China and Europe inFebruary 2007, and expanded its air service offering by linking Hong Kong to Liege in September2009. Besides international express services, TNT is developing its domestic Chinese operations,including a day-definite road service to 26 large cities.
Under its Vision 2015 strategy, one of TNT’s focus areas is on intercontinental freight flowsfrom Asia to Europe as well as from other emerging markets. The company aims to leverage itsnetworks in China and other parts of Asia together with its European air and road networks forbilateral trade between the two regions.
