AirBridgeCargo volumes jump 15% YTD

The airfreight carrier handled more than 575,000 metric tons of cargo in the first 10 months of 2017, with temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments soaring 153 percent, according to data from AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC).    AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) handled more than 575,000 metric tons of cargo in the first ten months of 2017, a 15 percent increase compared to the same period in 2016, according to recent data from the company.
   The airfreight carrier experienced tonnage increases in all major markets and maintains a positive outlook through the end of the year, ABC said in a statement.
   ABC’s load factor has risen 4 percent year-over-year so far in 2017, due to “the successful realization of its fleet expansion strategy, the development of special cargoes solutions and the introduction of new destinations,” the company said.
   Volume growth at ABC accelerated as bi-directional trade flows increased 36 percent from Europe to Asia lane and 37 percent on the Asia-Europe lane. The freight corridors that generated the most growth include Southeast Asia to North America, Southeast Asia to Europe, Europe to Japan and Korea, and Europe to North America, which saw increases of 53 percent, 52 percent, 49 percent and 23 percent, respectively, in general cargo and special commodities.
   The airline achieved strong gains in its special cargoes volumes, with temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments soaring 153 percent, off-size and heavy up 32 percent, e-commerce rising 22 percent and dangerous goods increasing 10 percent. In addition to market recovery and economic upturn, ABC’s growth is also attributed to the refinement of its sales structure, the company said. 
   “We have approached peak season and Q4 well prepared in terms of fleet availability with recently-deployed brand new Boeing 747-8F, which ensures we have sufficient capacity to accommodate additional volumes,” said Sergey Lazarev, general director for AirBridgeCargo Airlines. “Our well balanced network and newly-integrated destinations provide extensive transportation connections and cater to the needs of our customers worldwide, with connectivity options through our hub in Moscow Sheremetyevo airport.
   “Throughout 2017 we have been engaged in a constant dialogue with our customers, bolstering our product development in line with ABC’s network expansion, whilst improving the quality of our services and optimizing costs,” he added. “We strongly believe that these efforts will facilitate ABC’s navigation through the peak season and give a bright outlook for our annual results.”