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Airbus A350F first flight set for 29 September

Airbus has confirmed the maiden flight of its A350 freighter prototype is due to take place on 29 September. The aircraft manufacturer announced the date of the flight today in a post on social media platform X. Airbus said the A350F take off on Tuesday would be live-streamed, although the flight would be dependent on the aircraft fulfilling all operational requirements, plus suitable weather conditions. The company had recently confirmed it was in the final stages of preparing its A350F freighter prototype for flight tests Joël Rocker, chief engineer for the A350F, said in a video that the first aircraft will undergo checks in the flight line before moving to flight testing, and the second aircraft will follow the same process. Rocker said that "the aircraft will be prepared for the flight line before being handed over to the flight test community for the flight test period". He added that the second aircraft is also now in the final assembly line cycle. Last month, Airbus unveiled the livery of its first A350 freighter on a social media post, with the aircraft decked out to look like a parcel. The airframer is working towards its goal of starting to deliver the new generation model to customers by the end of next year. The company is targeting simultaneous certification from EASA and the FAA under the latest Amendment 27 safety regulations. The airframer said earlier this year that certification is targeted by the middle of next year.

Transpac rates set to stay high, despite slowdown to Golden Week

While global container shipping is entering its traditional fourth-quarter off-season, freight rates on the transpacific trade could stay high, according to Yang Ming chiefs. Yesterday, during an online investor conference, the Taiwanese shipping line executives pointed to a combination of Panama Canal constraints, limited effective capacity, persistent port congestion, and cargo shifts between US gateways as the key factors supporting rates. Since 26 August, the Panama Canal authority (ACP) has reduced the maximum draught for vessels at the neopanamax locks to 48ft, with a further reduction to 47.5ft due later this year. This limits access to ships of up to 14,000 teu. Yang Ming's management said: "Our main workhorses are 13,000 teu vessels, which can pass. However, changes in canal water levels remain an important constraint on shipping capacity and continue to influence the economics of routes connecting Asia with the US east coast." Shipments to the west coast would also benefit from continued strength in the broader transpacific market, they added. The US routes were unlikely to become completely decoupled, they said, because cargo volumes could shift between different North American gateways. Investors heard Yang Ming reported revenue of $670m for August, up 4% from July. Meanwhile, Shanghai-US East Coast rates are now above $10,000 per 40ft, a post-Covid high, while Shanghai-US West Coast rates are around $7,500 per 40ft, with rates for both lanes having surged five-fold since last year. And Linerlytica said in its report this week that transpacific rates would remain firm into next month, explaining: "Momentum remains strong for October, with sufficient cargo backlog from recent delays to keep demand high during the National Day holidays in China, aided by planned blanked sailings during the Golden Week break." Yang Ming noted that the trend toward larger vessels and port expansion failing to keep pace with fleet growth would mean port congestion would become a more common occurrence. It said: "Vessels are growing larger rapidly, but the expansion of major global ports is relatively slow. Some ports even face issues such as insufficient hinterland and depth restrictions, leading to longer loading, unloading, and turnaround times after large vessels enter port. "Yang Ming believes that if future port expansion cannot keep up with the trend toward larger vessels, port congestion will persist."

Hacis targets Vietnam cargo with road feeder route to HKIA

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is looking to capture more Vietnamese export traffic through a new road-air corridor that takes cargo from Hanoi through mainland China before connecting with flights from Hong Kong. But while Hacis, the value-added logistics arm of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), has completed the first trial movement, a regular scheduled service has yet to be launched, and will depend on customer demand. The pilot shipment was coffee beans on a customs-bonded truck from Hanoi through the Wuzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone in China's Guangxi region, before continuing to HKIA. Hacis told The Loadstar that Wuzhou acted as the transit and transfer point for the cargo, where it was transferred to a truck equipped with a Single E-lock for the remainder of the journey through mainland China into Hong Kong. The Single E-lock scheme allows customs authorities in mainland China and Hong Kong to monitor cargo using the same electronic lock and reference one another's inspection results, reducing the risk of duplicate inspections at the Hong Kong boundary. However, it does not cover the entire journey from Vietnam. Standard customs procedures still apply when the cargo enters China from Vietnam, with the Single E-lock arrangement beginning at Wuzhou. Hacis said the journey from the Vietnam-China border to HKIA took approximately 30.5 hours, although was not the complete transit time from Hanoi, including the initial road leg, border clearance, and transfer at Wuzhou. The company said the service was intended to provide an alternative where shippers did not want to rely solely on direct air connections from Vietnam, while giving them access to HKIA's extensive international flight network. Following the pilot, Hacis is working with logistics partners and customers to develop regular services, "based on market demand". Details of schedules, frequency, and expected cargo volumes have not yet been confirmed. Nor did it disclose an indicative price or quantify the claimed savings compared with flying cargo directly from Vietnam. However, it did add that it was "actively exploring opportunities to further expand the network in line with market demand and operational feasibility". The operation is being developed with Vietnamese logistics company U&I Logistics and is intended to carry freight in both directions. This would allow Vietnamese exports to travel by road to HKIA for onward flights, while imports could move through the airport and mainland China into Vietnam. Target traffic includes electronics, industrial products, garments, and agricultural commodities, as well as high-value and time-sensitive shipments. Ringo Chan, executive director of Hacis, said the Vietnam trial marked the first expansion of its SuperLink China Direct road-feeder model beyond mainland China. "By linking Vietnam with Hong Kong's extensive global air cargo network, the new service provides customers with more routing options and greater flexibility, while generating additional cargo flows through Hong Kong and creating new opportunities for the logistics industry," he added. Hacis said it was also exploring the potential to extend the road-air network into other Asian markets, although no further countries or trials have yet been identified.