Singapore Changi Airport has welcomed the addition of new cargo services from AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC). The international freighter carrier, which is part of the Russia-based Volga-Dnepr Group, launched early this month twice-weekly Moscow-Singapore-Hong Kong-Moscow services with a Boeing 747-8F aircraft.
ABC’s new services to Singapore establish Moscow as a new freighter city link for Changi Airport and strengthen the airport’s connectivity to Russia and beyond, according to Changi operator Changi Airport Group (CAG).
With the addition of Singapore, which is ABC’s ninth online station in Asia, the airline will now provide over 500 weekly delivery solutions from the region, all with a delivery time of below 48 hours including handling procedures, said a CAG statement.
The airline already has a diverse business portfolio in the region, connecting clients in China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam with its cargo gateways in Europe, the U.S., and Russia.
“This new service by ABC marks a significant milestone for Changi Airport as it opens up new cargo opportunities between Singapore and Russia,” said James Fong, CAG’s assistant vice president for cargo & logistics development.
“Logistics players, who were previously limited by capacity constraints between Singapore and Russia, now have a direct option to transport large freight shipments as well as general cargo between the two countries.”
In the first half of 2015, cargo throughput at Changi Airport reached 912,300 tonnes. During this period, 1,034 tonnes of cargo was handled between Singapore and Russia. Between 2010 and 2014, air cargo volumes between Singapore and Russia expanded by an average growth rate of 16% annually.
Meanwhile, CAG said that in July this year, Changi Airport handled 147,500 tonnes of airfreight, a 4.8% decrease year-over-year.
