Silk Way West Airlines signs air cargo transport memorandum with Nippon Express
Silk Way West Airlines and Nippon Express Holdings have signed an Air Cargo Memorandum of Understanding to offer enhanced solutions to their customers and to respond more flexibly to changing supply chains. This agreement strengthens Silk Way West Airlines’ presence in the Japanese market whilst helping Nippon Express Holdings to expand its business globally by providing cargo capacity across a worldwide network.
Silk Way West Airlines has been serving the Japanese air cargo market since 2018 via weekly flights connecting Baku with Kansai International Airport. The largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region has moreover been offering regular flights to Narita International Airport, the most important air cargo gateway in Japan, since 2021. With the new memorandum between the cargo carrier and Nippon Express, Silk Way West Airlines will play an increasingly important role in the region’s freight network, constantly improving the quality of air cargo transportation services for both Japanese and international partners.
“Last year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Azerbaijan. We are delighted and honoured with the signing of this memorandum, which will contribute to the further strengthening and development of economic relations between the two countries. Moreover, the conditions of this memorandum align perfectly with the growth strategy we are pursuing to increase our footprint in Japan, and we are sure that it will be beneficial for both companies,” commentedWolfgang Meier, President of Silk Way West Airlines.
Founded in 2012 in Baku, at the heart of the Silk Road, Silk Way West Airlines operates hundreds of monthly flights across the globe via its fleet of 12 dedicated Boeing 747-8F and 747-400F aircraft based at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. On April 28, 2021, Silk Way West Airlines signed a strategic fleet expansion agreement with Boeing for the purchase of five new 777 Freighters, followed by a further agreement signed on November 10, 2022 for the purchase of two state-of-the-art 777-8 Freighters. Silk Way West Airlines also agreed the purchase of two A350 Freighters with Airbus on June 28, 2022.
The airline’s annual cargo turnover exceeds 500,000 tons, while its growing route network covers over 40 destinations across Europe, the CIS, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Asia, and the Americas.
About Nippon Express
Nippon Express Group has positioned freight forwarding as one of its core businesses in the “Nippon Express Group Business Plan 2023: Dynamic Growth” and is vigorously pursuing initiatives consistent with its air freight business growth strategies. The company leverages an extensive international service network and offer a wide range of consolidated air freight forwarding services – including collection, customs clearance, delivery and distribution operations – to a variety of destinations worldwide.
Image Source: Silk Way West Airlines