Emirates Skycargo boosts services to Shanghai

Emirates SkyCargo is pumping up its payload capacity to Shanghai by 50 per cent, adding a fifth and sixth frequency to the city with a Boeing 747-400F, to cope with the demands made by the country's high-growth economy. The cargo division also offers an extensive network of scheduled trucking services in China, providing customers the speed of air transport as well as the convenience of local collection and delivery.

'Made in China' labels continue to dominate world markets, and the new flights are helping Emirates SkyCargo further the country's trade with the rest of the world - exporting electronics, garments and consumer goods in the main, while importing machinery, equipment, spares, chemicals and auto components.

To better support its worldwide expansion plans and ease capacity constraints, Emirates SkyCargo has replaced one of its two Boeing 747-200Fs with a 747-400F, which offers 120 tonnes of capacity - 15 tonnes more than the -200F.

Hiran Perera, Emirates' Vice President Cargo - Freighters stated: "China is a key route for Emirates SkyCargo as the country has a strategic trade partnership with the UAE, valued at US$2 billion in 2004. What's more, the gigantic Dragon Mart in Dubai is the largest trading hub for products from China outside its mainland.

"We transport Chinese goods to Dubai and worldwide, especially to South Africa, Uganda, Turkey, Germany, and other countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia. We are confident that our new freighter services will help alleviate capacity constraints on this key trade route for the rest of the world. The introduction of a Boeing 747-400F to replace one of our -200Fs is timely, as it helps us to counter our current capacity crunch."

Emirates SkyCargo also offers belly-hold services in its daily passenger flights to Shanghai, operated by an Airbus A340-300 offering 13 tonnes of payload capacity. Combined with 14 passenger services and 10 Boeing 747 freighter flights to Hong Kong, Emirates SkyCargo now offers in excess of 2,000 tonnes of capacity every week to and from China.

In February 2006, Emirates SkyCargo will launch daily belly-hold services to Beijing in the airline's passenger aircraft.

Additional Freighter Schedule:

• Every Tuesday the freighter departs from Dubai at 04:20hrs and arrives in Shanghai at 15:40hrs, departs Shanghai at 18:40hrs and arrives in Dubai at 00:10hrs on Wednesday.

• Every Friday, the freighter departs from Dubai at 18:45hrs and arrives in Shanghai at 06:05hrs on Saturday, departs Shanghai at 09:00hrs and arrives in Dubai at 14:30hrs.