AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC) has started its twice-weekly direct Boeing 747 freighter service to Singapore from Moscow. The Thursday and Sunday flights offer onward connections to Hong Kong and the rest of ABC’s global route network.

With the addition of Singapore, ABC’s ninth online station in Asia, the airline now provides over 500 weekly delivery solutions from the region.

Robert van de Weg, ABC’s senior vice president, sales & marketing, said: “The ABC team is pleased to start connecting customers in Europe, the US and Singapore with dedicated freighter services to Changi Airport.

“With the addition of this route, ABC is continuing its strategy to provide customers with better access to point-to-point deliveries within its global route network, while providing them with on-time, reliable and high quality service levels.

Van de Weg continued: “Singapore, via ABC’s Moscow hub, will be directly connected to gateways like Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Milan without trucking.”

Changi Airport Group’s (CAG) assistant vice president for cargo & logistics development, James Fong, added: “This new service by AirBridgeCargo marks a significant milestone for Changi Airport as it opens up new cargo opportunities between Singapore and Russia.

“Logistics players, who were previously limited by capacity constraints between Singapore and Russia, now have a direct option to transport large freight shipments as well as general cargoes between the two countries.”

Changi Airport is one of the world’s busiest cargo hubs. In the first half of 2015, cargo throughput at Changi Airport reached 912,300 tonnes. During this period, 1,034 tonnes of cargo was handled between Singapore and Russia.

Between 2010 and 2014, air cargo volumes between Singapore and Russia grew by an average growth rate of 16% annually.