A.P. Moller-Maersk’s airline unit is working with Cargo First and has chosen Bournemouth Airport (BOH) as its gateway into the United Kingdom from China for a trial of a new route.

Maersk Air Cargo has started a weekly service from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in China’s Zhejiang province to BOH, using a 45-tonne capacity Boeing 767-300 freighter.

The new route is part of Maersk’s growing air freighter network between mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. In March and April of this year, it launched a service to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) both from Hangzhou.

The Bournemouth route will initially operate until the end of the year, to meet peak demand, with potential to continue thereafter.

The airport said it is growing its ambition to become the primary entry and exit point for time-critical cargo in the United Kingdom, and the latest move is part of the company’s attempt to establish itself as an alternate gateway outside London.

Steve Gill, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said the air hub now has 500 tonnes of weekly import capacity operating between China and Bournemouth with customers taking advantage of its location and lack of slot constraints.

Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which owns the neighbouring Cargo First Logistics Park, with over 1 million square feet of warehousing development potential.