Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services has launched a new freighter service linking Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in southwest China with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, creating a direct air cargo connection between western China and Africa.
The service commenced on 28 August, with Ethiopian Airlines’ ET3005 freighter arriving at Chengdu Tianfu from Addis Ababa, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency. The new route is Chengdu’s first direct all-cargo air link with Africa and is intended to provide additional capacity for trade between China and the continent.
The route is initially being operated twice weekly, on Mondays and Fridays, using a Boeing 777 freighter. Ethiopian and Chinese authorities expect the frequency could subsequently be increased to four flights per week as demand develops.
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Ethiopian Airlines said the new service will strengthen cargo connectivity between southwest China and Africa and support trade and economic exchanges between the two regions. The carrier announced the launch through its official social-media channels, describing the route as a new direct cargo link between southwest China and Africa.
Tang Ruibo, general manager of Ethiopian Airlines China, said the service would strengthen supply-chain connectivity between China and Africa. Through Ethiopian’s Addis Ababa hub, cargo originating in Chengdu can be distributed onward to major African markets, including Lagos, Accra, Dakar, Entebbe and Lubumbashi, as well as destinations across 54 African countries.
The launch further expands Ethiopian Cargo’s network from its Addis Ababa hub, which serves as a major transit point between Asia and Africa. The carrier’s cargo operation currently serves around 70 dedicated freighter destinations, according to its latest corporate information.
Ethiopian’s dedicated freighter fleet comprises Boeing 777, 767 and 737-800 freighters. The airline’s latest published corporate figures list 12 Boeing 777-200F aircraft, three Boeing 767-300F aircraft and four Boeing 737-800F aircraft.
The carrier handles both general and specialised cargo, including horticultural products, pharmaceuticals, valuables, live animals and e-commerce shipments. Its cargo operation is supported by a fully automated facility in Addis Ababa with an annual handling capacity of up to one million tonnes.
The Chengdu service strengthens Ethiopian Cargo’s position on the Asia–Africa trade corridor while giving exporters in southwest China a direct freighter connection into the carrier’s extensive African network.
