Maersk Air Cargo is set to launch a trial service from the UK to China to meet high season demand.

The airline will operate a weekly service between Bournemouth Airport (BOH) and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) in Zhejiang province, utilizing a Boeing 767-300 freighter with a capacity of approximately 45 tonnes.

BOH made the announcement and said that Maersk Air Cargo will be working with the UK airport's in-house air freight business, Cargo First.

"The Bournemouth route will initially operate until the end of the year, helping to meet peak demand, with potential to continue thereafter," it said.

The route is part of its growing air freighter network between mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the US.

In March, Maersk Air Cargo launched a service from Hangzhou to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark, and from Hangzhou to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in the US in April.

Gary Jeffreys, managing director of Maersk Area UK & Ireland, said Maersk Air Cargo's operations in the UK represent its "integrator strategy"

Steve Gill, managing director of Bournemouth Airport, said Bournemouth seeks to become the UK's number one entry and exit point for time-critical cargo.

"We now have 500 tonnes of weekly import capacity operating between China and Bournemouth as more customers take advantage of our location, lack of slot constraints and ‘One Team’ integrated approach across all airport and cargo handling operations," he added.

Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns the neighbouring Cargo First Logistics Park at Bournemouth Airport, with over one million square feet of warehousing development potential.