湖北鄂州正爆发！DB Schenker牵手阿提哈德航空，助力花湖机场开通欧洲货运直航！

德铁信可近日在湖北鄂州花湖国际机场与德国法兰克福机场之间开通了一条定期货运航线，标志着鄂州花湖国际机场作为中国首个专业货运枢纽的地位进一步巩固。该机场自2022年7月启用以来，已迅速成长为亚洲领先的航空物流中心之一。

2025年1月7日，一架满载各类商品的波音777货机从鄂州出发，开启了前往法兰克福的首次航行。这标志着华中地区与欧洲之间又增添了一条重要的空中运输通道。

这条由阿提哈德航空货运公司运营的新航线每周二从鄂州启程，在阿布扎比短暂停留后于次日抵达目的地。

根据德铁信可发布的声明，这条新开设的航线将服务于包括电子商务、高科技产品、电子设备、工业材料、消费品及汽车零部件在内的广泛货物类型。预计每年可通过此线路运送约5200吨物资，为促进中欧之间的贸易往来提供强有力的支持，并推动双方经济合作的持续发展。

公告还强调了鄂州花湖国际机场的独特地理位置对其业务拓展的重要性。位于湖北省鄂州市境内，距离武汉市仅75公里远，且处于连接长三角、珠三角等五大国家级城市群的核心位置上（飞行时间不超过90分钟）。

此外，机场周边完善的交通网络——包括三条主要铁路线、七条高速公路以及五个深水港口——构成了一个高效的多式联运体系，极大地便利了货物快速进出。

从战略层面考量，鄂州正致力于打造成为集航空物流、医疗健康、智能制造及光电信息技术于一体的新兴产业基地。这与德铁信可提供的全方位物流解决方案高度契合，为企业提供了前所未有的发展机遇。“

我们的目标是到2025年将鄂州花湖国际机场建设成为一个国际国内贸易交流平台”，市政府官员王盛泽表示：“这不仅有助于提升本地区的经济活力，也是实现高质量发展的关键所在。”

对于选择鄂州作为其在中国中部地区的主要运营基地，德铁信可大中华区高级副总裁兼航空货运部门负责人Ramon He解释说：“除了先进的硬件设施外，鄂州还具备成为全球供应链关键环节的独特优势。”

他认为，通过加强与当地合作伙伴的合作，可以更好地满足客户需求，提供更加高效可靠的服务体验。

阿提哈德货运公司副总裁Stanislas Brun也表达了对未来合作前景的美好期待：“我们将充分利用鄂州花湖国际机场的战略地位以及自身强大的网络资源和技术实力，共同构建起一条连接东西方市场的桥梁。”他补充说，这种双赢的合作模式能够帮助企业优化其供应链管理流程，使得跨境交易变得更加便捷顺畅。

DB Schenker has launched a regular cargo route between Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei, touted as China's first cargo-focused airport, and Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

On January 7, 2025, a Boeing 777 freighter loaded with diverse goods successfully departed from Ezhou, embarking on its inaugural flight to Frankfurt, establishing another significant air logistics corridor between Central China and Europe.

The regular cargo route will be operated by Etihad Cargo, departing from Ezhou every Tuesday, with a stopover in Abu Dhabi before arriving in Frankfurt the following day.

In a statement, DB Schenker said the route will accommodate a wide range of cargo categories, covering e-commerce, high-tech, electronics, industrial goods, consumer and retail products, and automotive parts.

The estimated annual cargo volume is expected to reach 5,200 tons. It will provide stable freight capacity to support Sino-Europe trade through this route and foster continuous bilateral economic cooperation.

"As the first dedicated cargo hub airport in Asia, Ezhou Huahu International Airport has shown remarkable growth since its inauguration in July 2022," the announcement said, adding that this 4E-level international airport has currently opened 30 international and 53 domestic cargo routes, connecting major economic regions worldwide.

In 2024, the airport maintained the fastest growth rate in China, ranking fifth in cargo nationwide, with a cumulative volume exceeding 1.2 million tons — demonstrating enormous development potential.

DB Schenker said the unique location of Ezhou Huahu International Airport was a key factor in DB Schenker's choice to establish operations there. The airport is situated in Echeng District, Ezhou City, 75 kilometres from Wuhan, within a 1.5-hour flight radius of five major national urban agglomerations, including the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions.

Meanwhile, the three main railway lines, seven highways, and five deep-water ports surrounding the airport constitute a comprehensive multimodal transportation network, ensuring solid support for cargo distribution.

"From a strategic perspective, the Ezhou Huahu International Airport region is accelerating the development of emerging industry clusters, including aviation logistics, healthcare, intelligent manufacturing, and optoelectronic information. This is highly compatible with DB Schenker's logistics and transportation solutions advantages, creating substantial opportunities for expanding integrated logistics services," the announcement said.

It added that the airport aims to develop into an organizational platform for international and domestic trade connectivity by 2025. It serves as an important power driving force for high-quality regional economic development.

Shengze Wang, member of Party Leadership Group of Ezhou Municipal People's Government, noted that DB Schenker's decision to establish operations at Ezhou Huahu International Airport represents a strong endorsement of Ezhou's business environment and development prospects.

"We will continue to optimize the business environment and fully support the development of international logistics enterprises such as DB Schenker in Ezhou. Together, we aim to transform Ezhou Huahu International Airport into an aviation cargo hub with global influence," Wang said.

Ramon He, senior vice president and head of air freight at DB Schenker Greater China, said the launch of the Ezhou-Frankfurt route is a significant measure for DB Schenker to deepen its layout in the Chinese market.

"Ezhou Huahu International Airport not only boasts advanced infrastructure and efficient operational systems but also serves as strategic node advantages in connecting international industrial and supply chains."

"We are optimistic about its development potential and have chosen it as our key air freight hub in Central China, enabling us to provide more efficient and reliable professional logistics and transportation solutions to our customers," He added.

Stanislas Brun, vice president of cargo at Etihad Cargo, said Etihad Cargo works closely with DB Schenker to address its capacity needs, ensuring the seamless operation of the Ezhou-Frankfurt route.

"By leveraging Ezhou Huahu International Airport's strategic location and Etihad Cargo's extensive network and operational expertise, we provide the reliability and flexibility required for successful global logistics," he added, noting that this partnership enables businesses to optimize supply chains, connecting key markets in Central China and Europe with efficiency and ease.