CMA CGM Air Cargo has commenced a new air cargo route between Paris, France and Guangzhou, China — marking the start of the intercontinental all-cargo route launched by the airport this year.

All-cargo freighter CMA CGM Air Cargo's maiden flight departed from Paris, en route to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on April 11 at 10 p.m. local time and landed at Baiyun Airport at 2 a.m. on Thursday Beijing time.

It then left the airport at 5 a.m. on the same day, fully loaded with 58 tonnes of cargo bound for Paris, according to China's state media, Xinhua.

It added that the cargo transported through the route will mainly include e-commerce goods, electronics and fresh cold-chain goods.

The route is scheduled to operate three flights per week and is expected to bring more than 20,000 tonnes of international cargo throughput growth to the Baiyun Airport annually.

Aside from this route, CMA CGM Air Cargo — owned by French shipping behemoth, CMA CGM — also commenced a four times per week flight between Paris and Shanghai Pudong International Airport on February 17, utilising an Airbus A330-200 freighter. 

Baiyun International Airport 

Meanwhile, Xinhua said the airline network of the Baiyun International Airport covers more than 230 shipping points worldwide

In 2022, the cargo and mail handling capacity of the airport exceeded 1.88 million tonnes, ranking second among all the Chinese airports for three consecutive years since 2020.

Currently, Baiyun Airport is undergoing expansion, which is estimated to increase its total cargo terminal area to more than 1 million square meters with a terminal cargo handling capacity of 6 million tonnes in 2025.