Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo have announced the addition of Swiss WorldCargo to their joint venture which allows the two carriers to collaborate on distribution, pricing, contracts, and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.

Swiss WorldCargo's entry builds on the Joint Business Agreement signed in 2016 between Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo.

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo already work closely together on international routes through their hubs in Hong Kong and Germany, while cargo handling in Hong Kong is coordinated under one roof at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport.

"Under the expanded joint business agreement, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa Cargo, and Swiss WorldCargo will work closely together on network planning and in the areas of sales, IT, and ground handling," Cathay said in a statement.

It added that initially, the airlines will cooperate on routes from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt. Traffic to and from Hong Kong and the rest of Europe will be added later this year.

Cargo customers will also have access to the entire shared network via the booking systems of all three partners.

"We are very pleased about the trilateral cooperation that has now begun, which brings three well-known cargo companies to the same table and makes an even more attractive offer to our customers. Cargo customers will appreciate the opportunities for faster and easier transportation. The expanded joint venture will bring numerous benefits to our customers, as our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other perfectly," commented Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo.

Tom Owen, Director Cargo at Cathay Pacific, also welcomed Swiss WorldCargo to the joint business agreement noting that Cathay Pacific is "always looking for more ways to offer our cargo customers greater choice and more options for their shipments whenever they fly their goods with us."

"The addition of Swiss WorldCargo's flights to the already large combined network of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa will bring Hong Kong, the world's busiest air cargo hub, even closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world's great trade routes," Owen said.

Lorenzo Stoll, head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines, said taking part in the joint venture between Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific will strengthen the already close cooperation between the airlines and expand their network offering.

The joint activities will be conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws, including the competition rules of the European Union and Hong Kong, the announcement said.