AirBridgeCargo charter flights up a whooping 47 percent in 2016

Moscow-based AirBridgeCargo is known for its rapidly growing scheduled freighter business, but in parallel, the carrier’s charter business is also booming. Looking back on 2016, ABC says the number of charter flights it operated last year was up 47 percent year-over-year, compared to 2015.

Cargo charters are often the only supply chain solution available for industries requiring rapid transport of outsized cargo, namely within the oil & gas, energy and construction industries.

Most recently, DHL Global Forwarding arranged for ABC to transport nearly a dozen 7-tonne wooden crates from Frankfurt to Hong Kong (via Moscow) for its customer, Evatec, which manufactures advanced film coatings in China.

Sergey Lazarev, General Director at ABC, said, “We were chosen for these specific flights due to our reputation for on-time performance as well as our proven expertise in managing safe deliveries of high value production equipment. The loading process was monitored by representatives from Evatec to ensure the integrity of their cargo. This is also a strong reflection of the growing demand we are seeing for Boeing 747F charter services, which we are able to meet due to the continued expansion of our 747 fleet.”

ABC’s fleet consists of sixteen 747 freighters including four 747-400 ERFs, three 747-400Fs, and nine of 748-8Fs. Additionally, ABC’s parent company, Volga-Dnepr Group has an outstanding memorandum of understanding (MoU) for up to fifteen additional 747-8Fs from Boeing (two of which are firm order). Moving forward, ABC has said it expects to take delivery of about two -8Fs per year.

Those interested in learning more about where charters are headed in 2017, should join us at Cargo Facts Asia in Shanghai, 25 – 26 April where executives from some of the world’s premier cargo charter operators will be present.  To register, or for more information, go to CargoFactsAsia.com