Cathay Pacific Airways on July 14, announced an expansion of its freighter services in the Americas with the addition of a twice-weekly scheduled service to Portland International Airport (PDX) launching on Nov. 3, subject to government approval. Portland will be Cathay Pacific’s 18th cargo station in the Americas.
The new Portland service will operate on a Hong Kong - Anchorage - Los Angeles - Portland - Anchorage - Hong Kong routing every Thursday and Saturday, using Cathay Pacific’s newest and biggest freighter, the Boeing 747-8F. The service will meet growing demand to move a wide range of commodities from the Pacific Northwest and the United States to various parts of Asia, providing shippers with greater choice and flexibility when connecting to Cathay Pacific’s international cargo network through the Hong Kong hub.
The Boeing 747-8F aircraft offers more cargo space to carry the anticipated high volumes of semi-finished footwear and apparel, electronics, and perishables from Portland and its catchment area into Asia. Portland is also one of the fastest-growing hubs for e-Commerce related shipments in the Pacific Northwest region.
Cathay Pacific was the first Asia Pacific airline to take delivery of the Boeing 747-8F in 2011 and currently has 13 of this aircraft type in its cargo fleet. The Boeing 747-8F employs innovative technologies to bring about significant efficiency improvements to the airline’s ultra-long-haul freighter services, particularly on North American routes, and at the same time reduce the environmental impact of its operations.
The state-of-the-art Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport offers a broad spectrum of logistical solutions for the airfreight industry. Combining advanced technology with streamlined workflows to set new service benchmarks for the industry, customers benefit from extended cut-off times, last-minute cargo acceptance and reduced connection times for transhipments.
“The importance of this new service to Portland cannot be overstated,” said Philippe Lacamp, senior vice president, Americas for Cathay Pacific. “The high density of technology companies, athletic and footwear manufacturers, and exporting businesses in the region make it a natural extension to our existing Hong Kong - Anchorage - Los Angeles service. Cathay Pacific is in a prime position to link this economic hub of the Pacific Northwest to Hong Kong, one of the world’s key international airfreight hubs. We look forward to a successful partnership of increased trade and economic development between these two regions.”
Port of Portland credits the support of its International Air Service Committee and regional businesses in attracting Cathay Pacific to PDX. The new route will help grow business and support trade in the region, serving large Oregon companies like Nike and Columbia Sportswear, and small businesses as well.
“We could not be more pleased with the commitment by Cathay Pacific to launch PDX-Hong Kong service this fall,” said Keith Leavitt, Port Chief Commercial Officer. “Our goal over the past two years of recruitment has been to secure service from a world class carrier that will meet the needs of local shippers and forwarders to get Oregon exports to markets, and Cathay Pacific is that carrier.”
“It’s essential we do everything we can to help Oregon’s businesses, especially in rural Oregon, get their goods to market," said Governor Kate Brown. “Seventy percent of new jobs are created when Oregon’s existing businesses expand. When our businesses grow, Oregon’s economy grows, offering more opportunities for all Oregonians to thrive.”
“The new Cathay Pacific direct air cargo service from Portland to Asia will not only enhance trade opportunities for companies across the Pacific Northwest, it also will significantly reduce the time it takes to transport our iconic air bags, manufactured at Nike facilities in Oregon and Missouri, to factories in Asia that produce Nike footwear,” said Eric Sprunk, Chief Operating Officer, Nike Inc.
"Cathay Pacific has a tremendous reputation for quality and service around the globe. We're very excited to see this new partnership between the Port of Portland and Cathay Pacific, which will create economic opportunities for Oregon businesses and their employees and contribute to economic development for the entire region," said Peter Bragdon, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Columbia Sportswear Company.
