Apr 13 | 2022
Subsidiary Expected To Be Fully Operational From H2 2022
A.P. Moller-Maersk has launched a new air freight division, as the Danish shipping firm seeks to capitalize on rising demand for air transport services.
The new carrier, known as Maersk Air Cargo, will take over operations of Maersk’s existing in-house air freight division, Star Air, which operates a fleet of 14 Boeing 767 aircraft.
The move comes at a time when air freight capacity has slumped, compounded by the crisis in Ukraine that has restricted airspace and reduced aircraft availability.
Companies originating from Russia are barred from flying in European and North American airspace, while Ukraine-based carriers have suffered grounded fleets and, in some cases, loss of assets.
The use of cargo transport aircraft meanwhile to deliver relief supplies to victims of the conflict is further squeezing capacities.
“Air freight is a crucial enabler of flexibility and agility in global supply chains as it allows our customers to tackle time-critical supply chain challenges and provides transport mode options for high value cargo,” said Aymeric Chandavoine, global head of logistics and services at Maersk."We strongly believe in working closely with our customers. Therefore, it is key for Maersk to also increase our presence in the global air cargo industry by introducing Maersk Air Cargo to cater even better for the needs of our customers."
In Europe, the subsidiary will operate two new Boeing 777F and three leased 767-300 cargo aircraft, while three new 767-300s will be added to Maersk’s US-China operations and initially handled by a third-party operator.
The new aircraft are expected to be operational between the second half of 2022 and 2024.
The carrier will use Denmark’s second largest airport, Billund, as its European air freight hub. The airport in western Denmark recently unveiled plans to more than double its airfreight handling capacity over the next two decades to some 160,000 tonnes per year.
Maersk last operated from Billund in 2005.
"We see an increased and continued demand for air cargo both today and going forward as well as a growing demand for end-to-end logistics, why it is important for us to strengthen our own-controlled capacity and advance further on our air freight strategy," said Torben Bengtsson, global head of air at Maersk.
Maersk will be exhibiting at Breakbulk Europe 2022, taking place on 17-19 May in Rotterdam.
