Lufthansa Cargo is feeling “optimistic” about the year ahead, as a host of factors position airfreight for a soaring 2025.
“Available forecasts for air cargo, but also for economic/trade development, indicate further growth,” the German carrier said.
It noted that the global economy was adjusting to the “new realities” following the pandemic and recent geopolitical tensions, reflected in trade patterns.
One major driving force is ecommerce, which is expected to remain a key driver of global air cargo growth this year, and Lufthansa Cargo said this was intensifying the demand for air cargo capacity, especially on routes from China to Europe and the US.
Indeed, Rotate’s live capacity database from last week shows 8% growth in cargo tonnes between Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, compared with the same period last year.
Additionally, Maersk Air Cargo recently launched a direct route between Zhengzhou, China and Billund in Denmark – the first linking central China’s Henan province to the Nordic region.
But Lufthansa Cargo believes other tradelanes will also thrive this year. As trade diversifies, markets like Vietnam and India are expected to see significant growth.
The carrier said it had recently ramped up flight frequencies to India and launched its first freighter service from Frankfurt, via Saigon, crossing the Pacific to Los Angeles, and returning to Frankfurt.
“As a global player, we have the flexibility to deploy our freighter capacity wherever customers need it most,” Lufthansa Cargo explained.
Another factor contributing to a vibrant 2025 for air cargo is the ongoing disruption in global trade – the impact of the Red Sea crisis and typhoons last year spurred greater demand as stakeholders looked for quick and reliable alternatives to ocean freight.
Lufthansa Cargo predicted that “unforeseen political, economic, or natural events” would continue to put supply chains under pressure, fuelling demand for air transport’s speed, flexibility and security.
“The increasing frequency of disruptions will continue to drive demand for the reliable, fast, flexible and secure mode of air transport,” it concluded.