All Nippon Airways (ANA) is set to operate scheduled freighter flights connecting Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) this month as it aims to capture the growth in e-commerce.

The airline will draft its B767 freighter for the route, with maximum load capacity of 50 tonnes, on two round trip flights in June. ANA says the move comes from increased demand for cargo transport given the growth in cross-border e-commerce. The airline is looking to further support the global supply chain, particularly for electronic devices that need to be shipped to North America and Europe.

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“ANA places the same emphasis on superior customer service for our cargo flights that we do on flights transporting passengers. We understand that air transportation represents a vital link in the global supply chain, and it is encouraging to watch our network grow as the economy begins to recover,” said Toshiaki Toyama, executive vice president of ANA and President of ANA Cargo.

“Hangzhou represents a vital industrial hub, and we are excited to offer a direct link between the city and the Japanese market,” he adds.

As for the flight schedule, the 767F will depart NRT on June 20 and 27 with return trips the following day (June 21 and June 28) from HGH. The Japanese carrier plans to operate more than 2,000 cargo flights using full freighter and belly space in June. It currently has two B777 freighters and nine B767 freighters in its cargo fleet.