Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, has signed an MoU with Cainiao Smart Logistics  Network Ltd. (Cainiao), the logistics arm of the Alibaba Group, to jointly facilitate the delivery of cross-border parcels as Cainiao looks to expand its global logistics infrastructure with Dubai as a hub.

The MoU was signed by Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo and Xiaodong Guan, General Manager of Cainiao Global Business at Cainiao’s global headquarters in Hangzhou. It is a landmark agreement for both Emirates SkyCargo and Cainiao to leverage each other’s strengths in cross-border e-commerce trade and airline cargo operation. It will also support Cainiao’s broader efforts to offer enhanced customer experience. Cainiao recently unveiled plans to develop six global hubs in six cities around the globe. Dubai is one of them.

Under the terms of the MoU, Emirates SkyCargo and Cainiao will work closely to manage e-Commerce shipments in the Middle East and other neighbouring regions through Dubai. Further details of the tie-up will be announced progressively as they are developed by the two parties.

E-commerce is one of the strongest growth areas for the air cargo industry globally. Emirates SkyCargo has been exploring opportunities to collaborate with players in order to offer value-added services over and above cargo capacity between airports, using the strategic advantages of Dubai as a hub.

Emirates SkyCargo offers cargo capacity to over 155 global destinations on a modern all-widebody fleet of 267 aircraft including 14 freighters- 13 Boeing 777-Fs and one B747 F. 

Emirates operates two state of the art Emirates SkyCentral cargo terminals in Dubai to manage cargo from passenger as well as freighter aircraft. Emirates SkyCargo has developed a number of transportation solutions targeted at specific industry verticals.