A historic flight carrying 51 tonnes of e-commerce goods took off from northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and landed in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, on Wednesday, marking the region’s first direct air cargo route to the Baltic Sea area.
This new route, operated weekly by a Boeing 767 freighter, boasts a single-trip flight time of approximately 11 hours. The aircraft offers a 30 percent increase in cargo capacity compared to conventional planes, primarily transporting light industrial products like garments and daily necessities, effectively reducing logistics costs.
“This route enables Chinese sellers to directly connect with e-commerce platforms in northern Europe, enhancing the shopping experience for consumers there,” said Feng Liang, general manager of Xinjiang Wanshengtong Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd.
Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang, has now established 20 international cargo routes to 20 cities, including 12 European routes covering major hubs in northern, eastern, and western Europe.
Between January and April this year, customs at Urumqi airport handled 1,584 cargo flights, a staggering year-on-year increase of 1,157.1 percent. Cargo throughput reached 26,000 tonnes, up 522.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
Zhao Beijing, an official with the customs, stated that the regular operation of multiple international air routes will help Xinjiang’s cross-border e-commerce firms expand into overseas markets. This development promotes exports of textiles, electronics, and other competitive industries, further facilitating trade under the Belt and Road Initiative.
