SHANGHAI: TNT, a leading global international express company, on July 5 announced the expansion of its delivery capabilities between China and Europe with the addition of a dedicated B747 freighter service between Shanghai and its European air hub, Liege, Belgium.
Offering six flights to Europe each week from Shanghai and five from Hong Kong, TNT's 747 - 400 Freighters cater to thriving volumes from global customers and provide its customers the fastest, most consistent and most reliable transit times for shipments moving between China and Europe.
Reaffirming TNT's focus on Sino-Europe express services, this move bolsters the connectivity between TNT's extensive road and air network in China and its leading air and road network throughout Europe. TNT boasts an unrivaled service reach and network scope in the Chinese and European markets, linking more than 500 cities in China to over 400 cities in Europe.
"Our continuous investment demonstrates TNT's long-term confidence in China and our commitment to enhancing our service capabilities," said Michael Drake, regional managing director of TNT North Asia. "With our integrated air and road delivery capabilities in China and Europe, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the strong trading links between China and Europe."
The latest statistics from the Chinese General Administration of Customs indicate that China's exports to Europe have surged nearly 50 percent year-on-year. In the first five months of 2010, the total volume of imports and exports between China and the EU rose 37.4 percent to $177.49 billion, signifying the consolidation of the European Union as China's No 1 trade partner.
"As the leading express service provider between China and Europe, TNT has seen a significant increase in customer demand for express services between the regions. Our current freighters between China and Europe have seen excellent performance and are currently operating at full capacity," said Iman Stratenus, managing director of TNT China. "The increased dedicated freighter capacity will ensure our customers, especially those in the high-tech and fashion/lifestyle sectors, become more competitive due to shorter factory-to-market lead times and increased supply chain management efficiency."
The 110-ton Boeing 747-400 ERF (Extended Range Freighter) offers a very competitive ton-mile cost in the industry. TNT started operating the B747-400 ERF on nonstop air service between China and Europe in February 2007, and expanded its air service offering by linking Hong Kong to Liege in September 2009.
