Emirates SkyCargo has announced that it will be launching four weekly cargo services to New Zealand from 3rd May to help connect businesses in the country to key trading partners across the globe.

The air cargo carrier is working with the Government of New Zealand as part of its International Airfreight Capacity (IAFC) scheme to help facilitate the exports of key commodities from New Zealand to the rest of the world while ensuring that essential cargo continues to be transported into the country.

Emirates SkyCargo will be operating three weekly Dubai-Auckland-Melbourne-Dubai flight rotations and a once a week Dubai-Sydney-Christchurch-Sydney-Dubai flight service operated by the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ER passenger freighters.

Emirates SkyCargo will be providing a vital cargo lane for the exports of high-quality exports from New Zealand including food items such as chilled meat, honey, dairy products, and seafood to various destinations in the Middle East and Europe.

The flight service is also expected to help transport pharmaceuticals and medical appliances to markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

"Emirates SkyCargo is delighted to working with the Government of New Zealand to help connect fresh produce of the highest quality and other key exports from Auckland and Christchurch. We consider it our responsibility to ensure that we are able to facilitate adequate supply of food and other essential commodities to markets that we serve and also support exporters in New Zealand at the same time," said Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional senior vice president, Cargo.

Emirates SkyCargo is operating dedicated cargo flights on its Boeing 777 freighters and Boeing 777-300ER passenger freighters to more than 60 destinations across six continents.

Through a mix of scheduled flights and charter operations, the air cargo carrier has helped transport thousands of tonnes of vital protective equipment and food across the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.