New dedicated Boeing 747 freighter service from Hong Kong
Greater connectivity and faster transit time between Philippines and Europe

Manila, Philippines, 18 September 2009 – TNT started a new dedicated B747-400ER freighter service between Hong Kong and Europe. The non-stop flights, operating between Hong Kong and TNT’s European air hub in Liege, Belgium, offers its customers fast transit times, control and visibility over shipments moving between Asia and Europe, while optimising its costs and fleet utilisation.

The new B747 freighter service from Hong Kong reflects TNT’s commitment to investing and growing in Asia. With its geographical and economic proximity to the Pearl River Delta and its central location in Asia, Hong Kong is a natural choice as a hub for serving customers in the south of China, but also in neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan. It will add to TNT’s other Asian international hubs in Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing.

“With our integrated air and road delivery capabilities in Asia and Europe, we are well-placed to capitalise on the strong trading links between the two regions,” said James McCormac, regional managing director of TNT Asia Pacific. “More importantly, the addition of a dedicated freighter from Hong Kong will ensure our customers, especially those in the high-tech, telecommunications, electronics and fashion industries, become more competitive due to faster factory-to-market lead times and increasing inventory management efficiency. Our continuous investment in Asia clearly demonstrates TNT’s long-term confidence in the region and our continual commitment to raise our service capabilities on behalf of our customers.”

The introduction of the service, when combined with TNT’s existing operations in South East Asia, enhances the company’s position as the leader in integrated freight and express delivery in the region. TNT now operates two dedicated B747s between Europe and Asia, the other travelling from Europe to Shanghai via Singapore. The 110 ton Boeing 747-400 ERF(Extended Range Freighter) offers the lowest ton-mile cost in the industry. It is also the most versatile carrier for multiple loading capabilities.

Cetin Yalcin, country general manager for TNT Philippines said, “The launch of TNT’s Boeing 747 freighter service between Hong Kong and Europe offers Philippines businesses a better connectivity and faster transit time for their shipments to Europe. With Europe capturing 12.2% of Philippines’ total trade, TNT can serve our customers better, especially customers from the electronics, pharmaceutical, industrial machinery and equipment industries. ”

In the past six months, facilities offering expanded services have been launched in China, Vietnam and the Philippines, increasing TNT’s strategic advantage in South East Asia. Furthermore, the TNT Asia Road Network, the only integrated, most reliable and most secure network in the market, expanded into Cambodia. The network currently links 127 cities across six countries, from Singapore to China, and stretches more than 7,500 km.