Lufthansa starts Australia air-sea service

Lufthansa starts Australia air-sea service Lufthansa Cargo said Wednesday it is launching a multimodal 'AirShip' service from Europe to a number of destinations in Australia on Jan. 1.
   Shipments flown daily from Europe to Shenzhen and Hong Kong can be shipped on from there by sea to the Australian cities of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Lufthansa will use so-called 'AirShipCenters' in Shenzhen and Hong Kong to speed transport, while the whole shipment will be operated under a single air waybill number.
   The German air carrier said the new service will provide options to shippers and will also allow Lufthansa to take advantage of the hub in Shenzhen operated by its subsidiary Jade International Cargo.
   Shipments have taken from six to eight weeks on the sea route from Europe to Asia. The AirShip service reduces transit time to 14 to 18 days. The quicker transit time also helps shippers untie capital faster. Lufthansa did not release details on rates, though it's expected the service would be priced in between all-air or all-sea services.