Maersk Air Cargo Chooses Bournemouth for a China-UK Route Trial

Global integrated logistics company A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has chosen Bournemouth Airport (BOH) as its UK gateway for a trial of a new route from China.

Carrier Maersk Air Cargo has started the weekly service from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in Zhejiang province to Bournemouth using a 45-tonne capacity Boeing 767-300 freighter, working with BOH’s in-house air freight business Cargo First.

It is the latest coup for Bournemouth’s fast-growing cargo operation which continues to establish itself as an alternative gateway outside London.

For Copenhagen-based Maersk, the route is part of its growing air freighter network between mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. In March it launched a service from Hangzhou to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark, and from Hangzhou to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in the US in April.

The Bournemouth route will initially operate until the end of the year, helping to meet peak demand, with potential to continue thereafter.

Gary Jeffreys, Managing Director of Maersk Area UK & Ireland, said: “It’s fantastic to see Maersk Air Cargo landing in the UK. This represents our integrator strategy and demonstrates our product offering and capabilities across all modes of transport. Whether it be time critical, capacity challenges or product launches we have the capabilities to meet our customers’ demands.”

Steve Gill, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “We’re delighted that Maersk has chosen Bournemouth for this new route as we grow our ambition to become the UK’s number one entry and exit point for time critical cargo. We now have 500 tonnes of weekly import capacity operating between China and Bournemouth as more customers take advantage of our location, lack of slot constraints and ‘One Team’ integrated approach across all airport and cargo handling operations.”

Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns the neighbouring Cargo First Logistics Park at Bournemouth Airport, with over one million square feet of warehousing development potential.

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Notes to Editors 

Photography: Shows the start of the new route being celebrated at Bournemouth Airport. 

About Cargo First 

Cargo First is the fast-growing air cargo operation based at Bournemouth Airport in the United Kingdom. Established in 2021, Cargo First has proved itself as a viable alternative London gateway for regular commercial cargo traffic to and from South-East Asia and North America, as well as having excellent connections to North West Europe. 

Cargo First has a unique One Team approach for all cargo and logistics requirements and ancillary aircraft services. With total flexibility over operations and flight schedules, Cargo First can ensure consignments are delivered quickly into the London market and beyond, without the associated inconvenience that comes from landing into a busy hub airport.  

Both Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns Coventry Airport, Exeter Airport and Norwich Airport. RCA also operates the XLR Executive Jet Centre FBO facilities at Birmingham, Bournemouth, Exeter and Liverpool airports.

www.cargofirst.co.uk  
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Contact: Jason Clark, DCA Public Relations, [email protected], +44 (0) 7980 834368

About Maersk

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) is an integrated logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. As a global leader in logistics services, the company operates in more than 130 countries and employs over 100,000 people. Maersk is aiming to reach net zero emissions by 2040 across the entire business with new technologies, new vessels, and green fuels.

For more information, please check the Maersk website.

Contact: Rainer Horn, Media Relations Manager (Europe), [email protected], +49 152 54 52 14 62