AirBridgeCargo has launched a twice-weekly service to Singapore with a Boeing 747-8 Freighter.

“The ABC team is pleased to start connecting customers in Europe, the USA and Singapore with dedicated freighter services to Changi Airport,” said Robert van de Weg, senior vice president of sales and marketing at AirBridgeCargo. “With the addition of this route, ABC is continuing its strategy to provide customers with better access to point-to-point deliveries within its global route network, while providing them with on-time and high quality service levels.”

He added that Singapore would now have direct connections via ABC’s Moscow hub to European gateways such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Milan without trucking.

Singapore is ABC’s ninth destination in Asia, and the airline now provides more than 500 weekly delivery solutions from the region, according to ABC.

The flight, which continues on to Hong Kong before returning to Moscow Sheremetyevo, will operate every Thursday and Sunday.

James Fong, assistant vice president for cargo and logistics development at Changi Airport Group, said that ABC’s new service is a “significant milestone” for the airport because it opens up new opportunities between Singapore and Russia.

“Logistics players, who were previously limited by capacity constraints between Singapore and Russia, now have a direct option to transport large freight shipments as well as general cargoes between the two countries,” said Fong. “The enhanced air connectivity will foster further trade between both countries which is already growing steadily.”

About 1,034 tonnes of air freight were handled between Singapore and Russia at Changi Airport in the first half of 2015.