On 20 April Air China Cargo started services between Dalian and Frankfurt, via Shanghai’s Pudong airport. This is the first air cargo service between the city in Liaoning province and Europe.

B747-400 cargo planes will fly out of Dalian each week, departing on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The opening of the Dalian-Frankfurt service is expected to consolidate Air China Cargo’s status as the largest cargo carrier between China and Europe.

Dalian is an important industrial base in northeastern China. Until now, much of the time-sensitive cargo bound for North America and Europe first has to be transported by truck to Beijing or Tianjin, or be shipped to South Korea before being loaded onto planes.