The traditional peak season for air cargo is from September to the end of the year, but recently, during the year-end shopping season overseas, international air cargo capacity continues to be tight and freight rates are once again at record highs.
In a logistics storage area near Shanghai's Pudong International airport, the inside of the warehouse is almost full of goods, and forklifts are busy at three exits.
Ni KAIHUA, EMPLOYEE OF A WAREHOUSE NEAR Shanghai PUDONG AIRPORT: THIS WAREHOUSE HAS MORE THAN 4,000 SQUARE meters, AND THE latter TWO warehouses are about 7,000 square meters. The current volume of goods accounts for about 70% of the warehouse area.
According to the person in charge, every morning is the warehouse's warehousing peak, recently there are often trucks lined up to unload the situation. According to Wang Zichun, a booking manager at a logistics company, it normally takes only two or three days for customers to book a flight, but the current period is stretched to seven to 10 days.
Wang Zicun, booking manager of Melion Logistics: Compared with two months ago, the number of charter customers waiting for scheduling has increased by about two to three times. At present, there are about 100 tons waiting for scheduling every week.
The reporter consults the airline to understand, the current international air transport capacity continues to strain. A number of airlines this year compared with last year's cargo volume has improved significantly.
In terms of freight rates, major air routes have also reached record highs recently. For example, the price of charter flights on a Boeing 747 between China and the United States is now more than $2 million, about 13 million yuan.
Zhao Chao, a senior analyst of the transportation industry at Changjiang Securities, said air cargo prices on routes between China and the United States have hit a record high, reaching $13.62 per kilogram, three to four times higher than in 2019. The freight prices on routes between China and Europe have also continued to rise this year, almost doubling compared with the beginning of the year.
