• Partners with Qatar Airways Cargo for B777 freighter between Hong Kong and São Paulo via Doha

Cainiao Network has partnered with Qatar Airways Cargo to launch a weekly B777F charter flight from Hong Kong to São Paulo in Brazil to serve a fast-growing e-commerce destination in Latin America.

The first charter by the Alibaba Group logistics arm included online retail products such as beauty and fashion goods, jewellery, watches, appliances, toys, and sports equipment.

Operating once a week, the B777 freighter provides 100 tonnes of cargo capacity.

Said William Xiong, Cainiao’s Chief strategist and general manager for export logistics: “Cainiao’s mission is to deliver globally within 72 hours; a goal that can be achieved with the right logistics partners.

“In just over a year, Cainiao has established a comprehensive operation in Latin America, and we see that e-commerce retail in Brazil, in particular, is growing at a phenomenal rate. With Qatar Airways Cargo, we are in a good position to support that growth, and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

Cainiao has experienced a three-figure growth rate in its Latin American business over the past year and has driven a focused air cargo network expansion in recent months to secure smooth supply chain performance.

Guillaume Halleux, chief officer cargo of Qatar Airways Cargo, said: “There is no doubt that e-commerce is not only here to stay but is also one of the fastest-growing commodities within logistics, today. It demands versatility, speed, accuracy, and a reliable, global network.

“We are constantly enhancing our service offering. We launched specialised e-commerce products with charter programmes, among others, back in 2015, already – around the same time as we began operations to Guarulhos, São Paulo.

“We are therefore in a strong position to assist Cainiao, both with our understanding of and experience in handling fast-moving consumer goods, as well as with our established network and trained staff at all three charter touchpoints: in Hong Kong, at our state-of-the-art hub in Doha, and at São Paulo.”