A new air freight route has been launched that will link the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen with Leipzig (LEJ) in Germany, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX) announced last week.

The route will be operated by German cargo airline AeroLogic, a joint venture between DHL and Lufthansa Cargo, with six round trips each week using a Boeing 777 freighter.

Shenzhen airport said it has been coordinating with airlines since the start of the year to expand routes and increase capacity to ensure the stability of the supply and industry chain amidst the resurgence in COVID-19 cases across China.

The airport has so far opened international air freight lines reaching 35 destinations.

The opening of this new air cargo route comes amidst strong logistics demand in Shenzhen and its surrounding areas, which has compounded given the cargo disruptions in Shanghai.

Shenzhen is an R&D and manufacturing center for electronic products, high-tech equipment, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.