Speaking at Air Cargo China in Shanghai, Cargolux president and chief executive Dirk Reich, has stated that the cargo carrier will focus on transpacific and intra-Asia routes when it launches in late 2017. The schedule would include the first-ever Cargolux connection with Australia, at Melbourne.
Cargolux China is a joint venture owned own 35% by Cargolux, with 65% controlled by Zhengzhou-based Henan Civil Aviation and Investment Co (HNCA), which also has a 35% stake in Cargolux. Cargolux China will receive $220m in initial funding, which includes $77m from Cargolux.
Cargolux China will operate three 747 aircraft but has plans to expand to five within three years.
“Today in China we already have 21,000 tonnes on 3,360 trucks going to 32 cities. Last year we had a growth rate of 400% compared with 2014 and we plan going forward to expand our road network to at least 50 destinations,” Reich said.
Zhengzhou will be at the centre of this expansion. “Zhengzhou is at the crossroads of important highways and railways in China; ideal for building up a logistics hub,” he added.
Reich is pinning his growth ambitions on carrying perishables; Cargolux currently operated 100 charter flights a year of cherries and blueberries from Chile to Luxembourg and on to China. Cargolux China could operate this directly, he said.
“There’s fish coming: lobster, salmon, lots of produce. And Zhengzhou has decided to develop into a major perishable logistics hub, and we are 100% convinced it will do so.”