UPS has launched a new service from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok (BKK) to its intra-Asia Hub in China’s Shenzhen airport (SZX), which will operate five times each week.

The move comes as the logistics integrator foresees growing cross-border trade between Thailand and other major markets in the region, which it says could double to over US$550 billion by 2030.

Data from the company, which look at key opportunities to unleash intra-Asia trade potential, show a strong manufacturing sector and growing domestic consumer demand position’s the country to become a key intra-Asia trade hub.

UPS said this is the third year in a row that the country has introduced flights into its Asia Pacific network. It started services to and from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2020, and Osaka Kansai in 2021.

The new service promises faster delivery across Asia Pacific, as well as extended pickup cut-off times for exporters, whilst import customers can benefit from earlier delivery times to speed up production lines, inventory management and order processing.

UPS Thailand Managing Director Russell Reed said the new flight will offer more cross-border trade opportunities for businesses using the integrator’s network as well as delivery services to other global destinations like Europe and the US.