DSV Panalpina establishes US-China freighter route

To support customer demands in the wake of flight cancellations spurred by the novel coronavirus, DSV Panalpina will utilize its Atlas Air-operated 747-8 freighter on service between Huntsville (HSV) and Shanghai (PVG) three times per week.

DSV Panalpina estimates the widespread effort to stop the spread of coronavirus has resulted in a daily airfreight capacity reduction of about 5,000 tonnes. As a stopgap measure, the 747-8F will operate east- and westbound three times each week, with Huntsville operating as the hub for distribution of DSV Panalpina’s volumes to and from China.

“Taking advantage of the Huntsville hub-and-spoke model, we can connect all continents via our DSV-controlled charter network and ensure DSV ground handling at uncongested airports,” the third-party logistics provider said in a statement. “In Huntsville, express connections are available to and from Latin American countries and Canada.”

Published reports estimate more than 13,000 flights per day have been canceled due to the coronavirus.

While DSV Panalpina operates on an overall asset-light model, Atlas began operating the 747-8F for Panalpina in 2012. With DSV’s acquisition of Panalpina in 2019, the freighter is now operating in charter service on behalf of the combined entity.