Courtesy of Emirates SkyCargo
On 15 September 2002, Emirates SkyCargo landed its first freighter in Shanghai, which marked the cargo carrier’s entry into the Chinese mainland.
Since then, Emirates SkyCargo has been providing a continuous and robust trade link through its cargo flights for exports from Shanghai and other points in China.
This has become even more evident during the pandemic, as Emirates SkyCargo supported the transport of essential commodities like PPEs and ventilators from China to the rest of the world.
Hundreds of cargo flights were operated from Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou to cities in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa, Australasia and other parts of Asia.
“Emirates SkyCargo is an important facilitator of trade between China and the rest of the world and this is a very special milestone for us. Shanghai has been one of our main gateways over nearly the last two decades. Just between 2012 and 2019, we helped connect close to half a million tonnes of goods as exports and imports between Shanghai and the rest of the network,” said Michael Qu, Emirates cargo manager in China.
Emirates SkyCargo’s current network stands at 120 destinations (from 35 at end-March) across six continents, including 56 cities from the Belt and Road initiative.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic that shook the world, some of the main exports from Shanghai included electronic devices and equipment, pharmaceuticals and raw materials for manufacturing and industry. Meanwhile, Chinese imports comprised Norwegian salmon, lobsters from Boston and Chilean cherries.
Eighteen years after it first landed in the Chinese mainland, SkyCargo now operates 11 scheduled weekly services with eight flights to Shanghai and three flights to Guangzhou.
The carrier said it has 11 Boeing 777 freighters and runs dedicated cargo flights on passenger aircraft and cabin loading of select cargo to meet any requirement from customers in China.
