Mediterranean Shipping Company launches first air cargo route to Shanghai
Flight CP251 operated by MSC Air Cargo landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in the early hours of March 4, marking the official launch of the carrier's first cargo route to Chinese mainland.
MSC Air Cargo, the air freight division of the international shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company, was founded in 2022 to complement the group's container shipping network.
Shanghai Airport Authority signed a strategic cooperation agreement with MSC Air Cargo in November to leverage their respective advantages in the global air network and multimodal transport.
According to the agreement, Pudong airport will serve as a strategic gateway for MSC Air Cargo in the Asia Pacific region.
The two sides plan to deepen cooperation in areas such as supply chain upgrading, digital freight, and green and low-carbon development. They will jointly build a more efficient and sustainable air cargo ecosystem and a more resilient China-Europe air logistics system.
MSC Air Cargo is scheduled to operate two regular flights per week, traveling between Pudong Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy.
The new route will primarily transport high-value and time-sensitive goods such as cold chain products, pharmaceuticals, and fresh produce, while supporting exports from Shanghai and the wider Yangtze River Delta region.
In recent years, Shanghai Airport Authority has expanded its cargo route network. In 2025, it operated cargo flights to 63 destinations in 31 countries, with an annual cargo throughput of 4.5 million tons.
