QANTAS Freight is to launch a new direct seasonal freight service from Darwin to Hong Kong in late August, supporting producers in Northern Australia to respond to growing demand from Asia
QANTAS Freight is to launch a new direct seasonal freight service from Darwin to Hong Kong in late August, supporting producers in Northern Australia to respond to growing demand from Asia. The new service will be the only direct cargo link between the Northern Territory and Hong Kong and will provide capacity to carry up to 50 tonnes of fresh produce such as chilled meat, seafood, dairy, fruit and vegetables, as well as general cargo.
It will provide local producers with the opportunity to get their products into Asia faster and fresher, potentially extending the shelf life and profitability of quality Australian exports, reports London's Air Cargo News.
Starting in late August, the weekly Boeing 767-300F service will depart Darwin on Sunday night and arrive in Hong Kong six hours later at 11pm local time.
Qantas Freight chief operating officer, Nick McGlynn, said: 'Producers throughout the Northern Territory often find themselves transporting large volumes of perishables via road to the east coast to meet a cargo connection to Asia. This process can take up to five days, which reduces the shelf life of the product when it arrives at its destination.'
