Emirates SkyCargo will continue to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia, boosting its connections to the world as the focus grows on the expanding role of the region in the global supply chain.

As the air cargo industry gathers in Singapore at Air Cargo Southeast Asia, Emirates SkyCargo also noted its 30 years of connecting to the region, developing trade flows and connecting manufacturers, traders and exporters with businesses all over the world.

“Markets in Southeast Asia were amongst the early additions to the Emirates network, back when we were a young airline, as we saw the opportunities to create reciprocal business opportunities for customers in the region with global economies. Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength,” said Ravishankar Mirle, vice president cargo commercial, Emirates SkyCargo – Far East and Australasia.

He added that the region is currently undergoing a “renaissance,” as global supply chains are poised for change with manufacturers, distributors and suppliers aiming to diversify their production hubs. 

“Asia is well positioned with Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia offering manufacturing capability and attractive investment incentives,” Mirle noted.

The Emirates SkyCargo executive noted that the carrier first began operations to Southeast Asia on June 17, 1990 with direct flights between Dubai and three destinations: Singapore, Bangkok and Manila. 

Over the next three decades, the airline steadily scaled operations, increasing capacity, gateways, and frequencies to better serve local and global customers and strengthening trade lanes between East and West. 

Now, in 2023, Emirates SkyCargo operates 5 freighters and 176 passenger planes into 11 destinations across the region every week. With over 140 destinations on its vast global network, Emirates SkyCargo facilitates the quick and efficient transportation of goods, supporting Asian businesses export their goods to all corners of the world.

“Emirates SkyCargo plays an essential role in global trade, keeping goods moving to and from key Southeast Asian markets. Often referred to as ‘the factory of the world’, Southeast Asia and the wider Asian continent is the backbone of global manufacturing for electronics and smart gadgets, fashion and textiles, machines and automobiles and pharmaceuticals,” Emirates said in a statement.

It added that outside of industrial manufacturing, Southeast Asia also has a thriving agricultural industry, with fresh fruit and vegetable, seafood and other perishable items comprising one of the region’s biggest exports.

Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam are the top providers of fresh produce across Southeast Asia with in-demand tropical fruit such as mangoes, bananas, coconuts and pineapples transported from farm to grocery stores around the world in as little as 24 – 48 hours.

Reflecting its confidence in the future of air logistics, and to serve its customers in a dynamic landscape, Emirates SkyCargo has laid out ambitious growth plans, including investments in digital capabilities, adding 20 new destinations to its freighter network, and doubling existing capacity over the next decade.