New TNT freighter creates connectivity to European & US markets via TNT’s extensive air and road networks
Dubai, UAE, 20 January 2011 – TNT Express today announced a significant investment to power up their next phase of growth in the Middle East. TNT today confirmed the launch of a new dedicated B767 freighter service between Europe and the UAE. This new service will become a daily connection between Dubai, TNT’s European air hub in Liege, Belgium and India. From Europe another dedicated freighter will link Middle East volumes to North America via New York. With these connections, customers will enjoy faster transit times, better costs, control and visibility over their shipments.
Commenting on the upcoming inaugural landing of TNT’s B767 freighter at Dubai’s International Airport, Bryan Moulds, Regional Managing Director of TNT Middle East said, “Our new Middle East-Europe TNT freighter service is a symbol of our next phase of aggressive expansion in the region. We are committed to investing in the Middle East and want to further link our clients to Europe and the US and vice versa, via our market-leading air and road network. TNT’s volumes on our freight network between Europe and the UAE, for instance, have grown by over 30 per cent in 2010 and we are certain that this additional capacity will further accelerate volume growth. This is a complementary step in enhancing our connectivity in the Middle East, alongside investment in enhanced handling facilities in Dubai, Jebel Ali and our Middle East Road Network (MERN).”
This growth has been fuelled by customers in the hi-tech, automotive and retail sectors that are increasingly moving larger volumes of high-value goods on these trade lanes. The new daily freighter service increases time-definite capacity between Europe and the Middle East, with upto 50 tons of capacity per flight. A steady business recovery throughout the Middle East, from the difficult trading conditions of 2009, has given TNT the confidence to make this aggressive step.
In the Middle East, TNT currently operates a network that spans all GCC and Levant countries, supported by over 1200 dedicated personnel. In Europe, TNT operates an extensive, integrated air and unique Europe road network that covers more than 40 countries.