The deployment also marks the first direct and scheduled freighter connectivity between Narita and the Middle East, enabling faster and more flexible shipments.
Japan has a well-established and diverse manufacturing industry and has long been a priority market for Emirates SkyCargo, with a twice weekly freighter to Kansai International Airport (KIX). The soon-to-be-deployed freighter to Narita International Airport will boost available cargo capacity by 100 tonnes each way. Expected commodities include automobile and machinery parts, semi-conductor parts and sophisticated pharmaceuticals, transported swiftly, efficiently and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical product portfolio.
Narita International Airport is the largest air- or seaport in Japan, in terms of value of cargo handled, and, with further investment allocated to the ‘New Narita Airport’ Development Plan, the airport is set to become the region’s foremost cargo hub by the end of the decade.
Badr Abbas, Emirates SkyCargo’s divisional senior vice president said: “Expanding our dedicated freighter network is a key priority on our 10-year strategic roadmap and now, as we start to receive our all-new Boeing 777 freighters, we are able to reach new markets with enhanced capacity.
“Demand for our world-class product and services has been steadily growing in Narita, particularly for pharmaceuticals and consumer electronics, transported in the bellyhold of our daily passenger flight, while large or oddly-shaped shipments such as machinery parts were diverted to KIX. The deployment of this freighter empowers us to better support our global customers with direct connectivity to and through Dubai, while growing our operations in Japan.”