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Riyadh Cargo, the dedicated cargo division of Riyadh Air has added three additional General Sales and Service Agents (GSSA) partners across the priority markets of Egypt, India, and United Arab Emirates taking a key step forward in its international expansion. Riyadh Cargo’s presence will be strengthened in some of the world’s most dynamic air freight markets, while supporting Saudi’s Vision 2030 ambition to position the Kingdom as a leading global hub for trade and logistics.
As part of this rollout, Air Logistics Group India has been appointed as General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) across India, Cargo Partners (dnata Cargo) as General Sales and Service Agent in the UAE, and M&C Aviation as General Sales and Service Agent in Egypt. These partnerships provide Riyadh Cargo with strong on-the-ground commercial representation and operational expertise across high-growth markets that sit at the crossroads of global trade, with activation progressing in phases in line with market readiness and network deployment.
These latest appointments build on Riyadh Cargo’s growing global partner network, which already includes key operational and commercial relationships across major international stations. This includes SATS Saudi Arabia Company as ground handling partner in KSA with Riyadh as its hub, Worldwide Flight Services in London Heathrow, Crest Cargo Services across Pakistan, Millennium Transportation in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Envotech Aviation in Bangladesh and FlyUs in the United Kingdom supporting both online and offline sales coverage across the market, including Riyadh Cargo’s recent addition of Manchester to its growing network.
Together, this expanding ecosystem of partners ensures consistent service delivery, local market expertise, offline sales reach in strategic markets, and seamless cargo connectivity across key global trade lanes, while enabling a measured ramp-up of capabilities across markets.
Egypt, India, and UAE play a critical role in shaping Riyadh Cargo’s network. Together, they offer access to high-volume trade flows across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, while strengthening onward connectivity into Europe and global markets via Riyadh. This network approach supports growing demand for cross-border trade and enables more efficient cargo movement across key sectors, including e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and perishables.
Supported by a fleet of over 180 next-generation aircraft on order and a network targeting more than 100 destinations by 2030, Riyadh Cargo continues to expand its belly-hold capacity alongside integrating multi-modal solutions such as Road Feeder Services. This ensures a more seamless, end-to-end logistics offering, while contributing to the development of a resilient and connected cargo ecosystem that supports the Kingdom’s non-oil growth ambitions.
Pravin Singh, Vice President of Cargo at Riyadh Cargo, said: “Each of these markets brings distinct strengths to our network. India offers scale and sustained demand; UAE and Egypt provide strong connectivity and opportunity to scale through direct flights that will deliver strong point-to-point capability on key trade lanes. By working with experienced partners in each market, we’re building a cargo network across both online and offline markets that is globally connected and locally grounded.”
These partnerships reflect Riyadh Cargo’s continued focus on building a strong commercial and operational platform as it expands its global reach. With an emphasis on digital integration, strategic partnerships, and network connectivity, the company is well positioned to support evolving trade flows and play a meaningful role in strengthening links between key markets and the world further advancing Riyadh’s position as a leading international logistics hub.
Launched in March 2023, Riyadh Air is a service provider that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft, aiming to connect over 100 destinations around the world by 2030.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport has surpassed the milestone of exporting one million kilograms of Scottish salmon since January 2026, highlighting the growing strength of the airport’s temperature-controlled seafood logistics operations. The achievement follows the launch of Prestwick’s dedicated Scotland-to-China seafood export service last September, supported by investments in specialised cool-chain infrastructure, temperature-controlled handling systems and dedicated personnel for perishable cargo operations. The airport’s seafood export ecosystem now includes high-capacity metal detection systems, advanced temperature monitoring and tracking technologies, along with 87 tonnes of chiller capacity designed to support time-sensitive exports. According to Ian Forgie, Chief Executive Officer, Glasgow Prestwick Airport the milestone demonstrates increasing confidence among seafood exporters in Prestwick’s ability to provide faster and more resilient market access for premium Scottish produce. "Every hour saved between the catch and final market helps protect quality, shelf life, and value for exporters, and that is exactly where Prestwick can make a difference," he noted. The cargo growth has also been supported by expanded freighter connectivity with Asia. Air China Cargo recently increased its Prestwick–Chengdu cargo services from four weekly flights to daily operations, taking the airport’s total direct cargo flights to mainland China to 15 per week. Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines introduced three new weekly Hong Kong cargo flights earlier this month, further strengthening Prestwick’s position as a strategic gateway connecting Scottish exports to high-growth Asian markets including South Korea and Vietnam. The development reinforces the growing role of air cargo infrastructure and cold-chain logistics in supporting Scotland’s premium seafood export industry and enhancing supply chain resilience across international trade corridors.
CMA CGM Group has launched a new Paris–Hanoi freighter service, reinforcing the growing strategic importance of Vietnam in global manufacturing and supply chain networks. The dedicated Boeing 777F operation connects Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, with a return routing via Navoiy, Uzbekistan, enhancing cargo connectivity between Southeast Asia and Europe. The inaugural flight departed on May 9, marking another step in CMA CGM Air Cargo’s long-haul expansion strategy as shippers increasingly diversify sourcing and production activities beyond China. Vietnam has emerged as a critical export hub for electronics, textiles, footwear, industrial machinery and e-commerce products, driving sustained air cargo demand on Europe-bound trade lanes. The new service is expected to provide supply chain planners and freight forwarders with additional capacity and greater schedule reliability at a time when manufacturers are seeking resilient and multimodal logistics solutions. Industry analysts note that Vietnam’s role in global supply chains has accelerated due to continued foreign direct investment, expanding manufacturing clusters and the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce. By integrating Hanoi into its freighter network, CMA CGM is also strengthening its end-to-end logistics strategy, combining ocean shipping, air freight and inland transport services under a unified supply chain offering. The move aligns with the group’s broader ambition to become a fully integrated logistics player capable of offering agile transport solutions for high-value and time-sensitive cargo. The routing through Navoiy further highlights the increasing importance of Central Asia as a transit and technical hub connecting Europe and Asia. The Uzbekistan stopover enables operational flexibility while supporting wider regional cargo connectivity. The deployment of the Boeing 777F on the route underscores CMA CGM Air Cargo’s focus on long-range, high-capacity freighter operations. The aircraft is widely used in global air cargo networks for transporting high-volume industrial shipments, electronics and e-commerce cargo efficiently across intercontinental trade lanes. As supply chains continue shifting toward Southeast Asia, the launch of the Paris–Hanoi service positions CMA CGM to capture growing trade flows between European consumption markets and Vietnam’s export-driven manufacturing economy. The added freighter capacity is likely to benefit exporters, logistics providers and multinational manufacturers seeking faster and more resilient cargo connectivity between Asia and Europe. 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: https://cargoconnect.co.in/ for latest news!
Emirates SkyCargo strengthened its position in the global air freight market during fiscal year 2025-26, supported by strategic freighter additions, network expansion, and resilient cargo demand across key trade lanes. The cargo division emerged as a major contributor to the Emirates Group’s record financial performance, reflecting the growing importance of air cargo in global supply chains. The Emirates Group reported a record profit before tax of AED 24.4 billion (US$6.6 billion) for FY2025-26, while revenues rose 3% year-on-year to AED 150.5 billion. Emirates airline alone generated AED 130.9 billion in revenue and retained its position as the world’s most profitable airline. Cargo operations played a significant role in this growth trajectory. Emirates SkyCargo transported approximately 2.4 million tonnes of cargo during the fiscal year and generated AED 16.2 billion in revenue, according to regional business reports. The carrier benefited from additional freighter capacity introduced over the past year as it responded to sustained e-commerce demand, pharmaceutical shipments, perishables trade, and manufacturing recovery across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The airline continued investing heavily in fleet and logistics infrastructure to strengthen its cargo capabilities. Emirates Group invested AED 17.9 billion (US$4.9 billion) during FY2025-26 in aircraft, equipment, technology, and facilities to support long-term growth plans. Industry analysts note that the addition of Boeing 777 freighters and leased cargo aircraft enabled Emirates SkyCargo to improve schedule flexibility and capacity deployment across high-demand international routes. The expansion comes at a time when global air cargo markets are stabilising after several years of disruption. Rising cross-border e-commerce volumes and increasing demand for time-sensitive shipments continue to support premium air freight services. Emirates SkyCargo has also expanded specialised logistics offerings for pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, and temperature-sensitive cargo, reinforcing Dubai’s role as a global logistics hub. Despite geopolitical tensions and operational disruptions in the final month of the financial year, Emirates maintained strong cargo and passenger demand. Group Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum highlighted the resilience of the company’s business model and its continued investments in innovation, people, and infrastructure. With additional freighters expected to join its fleet over the next few years, Emirates SkyCargo is positioning itself for further expansion as global supply chains increasingly prioritise speed, reliability, and network connectivity.
