France-based container shipping line CMA CGM is set to enter the air cargo market with a fleet of four Airbus A330-200 freighters.
The aircraft will be offered through the carrier’s new CMA CGM Air Cargo division and answer growing demand for comprehensive, agile and customised solutions.
CMA CGM, which also owns top 20 freight forwarder Ceva, said the aircraft, which offer around 60 tonnes of payload, came into service between 2014 and 2016 and have a range of 4,000 nautical miles.
The CMA CGM group said in a statement that it would entrust the operation of its freighter fleet to a European airline. The shipping line said it will also partner with other airlines to offer global coverage.
Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive of the CMA CGM Group said, “In response to the growing demand from our customers for agile logistics solutions, we are creating a new division within the CMA CGM Group dedicated to air transport: CMA CGM Air Cargo.”
“This division will launch with four Airbus A330-200F aircraft and will leverage commercial partnerships with airlines in order to deliver global coverage. This is a major milestone in the development of our logistics services,” Rodolphe added. “This expansion into airfreight is a new milestone in the Group’s strategic development, with the aim of providing Group customers with a complementary range of services covering both shipping and logistics.”
