TODAY.AZ / Society

Swiss company adds cargo calls in Baku

29 April 2015 [15:35] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Swiss company "Panalpina” is adding calls in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, the company reported on April 27.

Panalpina has increased its number of charter flights, carried out by Azerbaijani cargo airline “Silk Way West” in between Luxembourg and Shanghai via Baku by four times per week.

So far, the company has carried out one mid-week charter from Luxembourg to Shanghai via Baku and back.

Panalpina has now introduced a second rotation on the weekend, as well.

“With addition of one more charter (both directions) on this weekend, their number increased to four. This decision is part of a long-term strategy to expand and optimize an air cargo, "- the company reported.

The company reported that Silk Way deploys Boeing -747-8 freighters, which are particularly well-suited for the transport of outsized oil and gas equipment and temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.

“The nose-loading capability of the Boeing 747-8 is ideal for transportation of oversized cargo. Currently, they are used to deliver Luxembourg equipment for oil and gas fields into Azerbaijan,” said Slavey Djahov, Panalpina’s head of Air Freight for the Middle East, Africa and CIS (MEAC).

Djahov said they observed increased customer demand in these areas.

“Panalpina’s cargo mix into Baku is slowly shifting, though. Most of the cargo that is offloaded in Baku is for the company’s international oil and gas customers, but volumes of technology goods, as well as pharmaceuticals, are growing. “We have observed increased customer demand in these areas,” he noted.

“Silk Way not only provides the capacity with modern freighters but it is also investing in airport facilities in Baku and thereby contributing to an efficient and secure end-to-end supply chain into Azerbaijan.”

Panalpina’s services between Luxembourg and Baku, and Baku and Shanghai, are called Caspian Star and Panda Star, respectively.

Silk Way West is included in Silk Way Holding, which combines a number of companies operating in the aviation industry and related services.

It offers scheduled flights to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Its fleet consist of 3 Boeing 747-400F, two "747-8" aircraft and 2 Boeing B767-300F.

It also cooperates closely with Silk Way Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines, using cargo space on aircrafts IL-76 and AN-12 that belongs to Silk Way Airlines and bellies of passenger aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/140296.html

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