Workers arrange cargo at Wuxi Shuofang Airport. [Photo/Wuxi Daily]
The cargo flight route linking Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province and Chicago, the United States, has recently resumed operations, according to the signing ceremony between Wuxi Sunan International Airport Group and Ceva Logistics.
The inaugural cargo flight arrived in Wuxi on March 28, and the Chinese city celebrated this historic moment with a grand water gate welcoming ceremony.
"This is an extension of the 'air Silk Road' in the Yangtze River Delta region and a crucial move for Wuxi to integrate into the global industrial chain," said a representative from the airport group.
The flight plans to operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. As a vital channel connecting the Yangtze River Delta with the North American market, the route will prioritize high-value-added products such as integrated circuit wafers, biopharmaceutical cold chain products, and cross-border e-commerce parcels, injecting new vitality into the development of Wuxi's modern industrial clusters like the Internet of Things and biopharmaceuticals.
In the future, leveraging Ceva Logistics' extensive global network, this service can further expand to major Southeast Asian cities, achieving end-to-end one-stop transportation in Southeast Asia, Wuxi, and North America.
Market feedback has also validated the foresight of this layout. Within 48 hours of the launch of the charter flight, 100 metric tons of cargo space were fully booked, with e-commerce goods dominating a significant portion. Technology and high-end manufacturing goods in the automotive industry also accounted for a considerable proportion, fully demonstrating local customers' demand for this air freight solution.
Due to the rapid growth in regional cross-border e-commerce business, Wuxi Shuofang Airport added a cargo route to Mexico City in 2024, making it Jiangsu's first regular all-cargo flight route connecting to Latin America and the first China-Mexico cargo route operated by a Mexican carrier.
Data shows that in 2024, the international cargo throughput at Wuxi Shuofang Airport reached 22,800 tons, with cross-border e-commerce goods exceeding 10,000 tons, accounting for nearly 50 percent.
Wuxi Shuofang Airport will continue strengthening cooperation with top global logistics companies like Ceva Logistics and provide even higher quality, convenient, and efficient air cargo services for import and export enterprises in Wuxi and surrounding areas. Additionally, the airport will expand its international route network, contributing even more to the prosperity and progress of the local economy.
