China News Service, Ezhou, Hubei, November 5th (by Wu Yili, Liu Xiaojin, Wang Xingyu) – Reporters learned on the 5th from Hubei International Logistics Airport Co., Ltd. that Asia’s first professional cargo airport—Ezhou Huahu International Airport—has opened the “Ezhou – UK East Midlands” cargo route.
This is the airport’s first direct cargo route to the UK, operated by B747-400 full freighter aircraft with 4 flights per week. It is expected to provide over 30,000 tons of annual air transport capacity for Ezhou Huahu International Airport. Outbound cargo primarily consists of e-commerce FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), electronic products and components, electromechanical equipment, and auto parts. Inbound cargo mainly includes UK electronic products, auto accessories, and fashion FMCG, including clothing, footwear, hats, and cosmetics.
As the UK’s second-largest cargo airport, East Midlands Airport, leveraging its geographical advantages, logistics network, and advanced facilities, has become a key logistics hub for the central and northern England region. The opening of the “Ezhou – UK East Midlands” route will further broaden the China-UK economic and trade air corridor, providing efficient logistics support for Chinese manufactured goods to access the European market.
To date, Ezhou Huahu International Airport has cumulatively opened 111 cargo routes. This includes 59 domestic cargo routes, 2 low-altitude cargo routes, and 50 international cargo routes, having attracted 18 international cargo airlines. Simultaneously, the airport continues to expand its “E-Transfer Global” air-to-air transit service brand, having successively opened 13 Fifth Freedom cargo routes such as “Ezhou – Incheon – Miami” and “Ezhou – New York – Halifax”. A hub-and-spoke cargo route network centered on Ezhou Huahu International Airport has been established.
According to statistics, from January to September this year, the cargo throughput at Ezhou Huahu International Airport hub reached 1.083 million tons, of which international cargo and mail throughput was 367,000 tons, representing year-on-year growth of 58.2% and 137% respectively. The total import and export value reached 114.68 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 115.8%, with trade partners covering 174 countries and regions globally. (End)
