Freight moves from sea to air as ship capacity tightens

WITH capacity tight and equipment scarce, shippers are switching some exports from China to Europe by air, according to TNT north Asia managing director Michael Drake.

He said volumes moving out of China on TNT's road network and via its intercontinental air freight services were performing "extremely well," and have experienced growth of around 30 per cent year on year.

"We did well last year, but this year the market is rebounding. There is restocking and there's also a sea freight shortage," he said in a report in London's International Freighting Weekly (IFW). "Volumes into Europe have been strong as has the China domestic market by road."

TNT started Boeing 747-400ER freighter service between Hong Kong and its Liege base in September that provides shippers in the Pearl River Delta, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan a direct link into its European trucking and air network three times a week. The company also runs freighters out of Hong Kong.

Mr Drake said demand from the fashion and hi-tech sectors had been leading the way this year as retailers benefited from resurgent consumer demand, the report added.
(Source:www.schednet.com)