Brazilian plane-maker eyes China's booming air-cargo market

BEIJING -- Brazilian plane-maker Embraer is optimistic about China's booming air-cargo market and is willing to support the sectors' further progress in cooperation with local partners, said senior executives of the company.

"China has played key roles in sustaining the global supply chain and industrial chain, especially during the global pandemic period, highlighting the value of the air-cargo sector," said Guo Qing, managing director of Embraer China.

The country's high-quality growth will create new market opportunities for global players, Guo added.

China's air-cargo market is a highlight in the global market, according to Guo, and like other markets, it is powered by demands from the e-commerce and logistics sectors. It also shows unique demands and market ecology in line with the country's social-economic conditions and geographical environment, he said.

In 2021, China handled up to 108.3 billion express parcels, a 29.9 percent year-on-year increase. The parcel volume accounted for half of the global total, statistics from the State Post Bureau show.

"An upgraded air-cargo market will be greatly powered by China's dual circulation development paradigm, where domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other," said Guo.

He says the country's consumption upgrade will promote the logistics industry, including the burgeoning air-freight cold-chain sector, and the industry upgrade will push forward the reconstruction of the industrial chain.

"Both upgrades will demand faster and more efficient air-logistics services. Embraer has recently launched the E-Jet series passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion project to provide small-and-crossover standard-body freighters to the market," he said.

Embraer forecasts a market demand for about 700 of the small-and-crossover standard-body freighters over the next 20 years. Among which, the Chinese market is forecast to demand 240 freighters of this size, accounting for 34 percent of the global total.

"Aside from various aircraft models, Embraer can also provide customers with full life-cycle services ranging from spare-parts support to financial leasing, among others," said Mike Xu, chief operating officer of Embraer China.

"Together with local partners, we have also established a complete pilot training network to better serve our Chinese customers," Xu added.

By the end of 2025, China will have over 270 civil transport airports, which will handle 17 million flights a year, according to a plan on the development of the country's civil aviation industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

The country's civil aviation sector will handle 930 million passenger trips and 9.5 million tonnes of cargo and parcels annually by 2025, said the plan released by Civil Aviation Administration of China.