Emirates SkyCargo and Teleport, the cargo division of AirAsia, have entered a strategic partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing global trade and e-commerce logistics. The agreement was formalized during the IATA World Cargo Symposium by Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo, and Pete Chareonwongsak, CEO of Teleport.
Trade boost
This collaboration will grant Emirates SkyCargo access to the bellyhold capacity across all AirAsia Group airlines, including carriers such as AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, and AirAsia Cambodia. In return, Teleport will benefit from Emirates SkyCargo’s extensive international network, which spans more than 145 destinations across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The partnership will facilitate seamless cargo movement and improve supply chain connectivity between Southeast Asia and global markets, with Dubai serving as a key logistics hub.
The agreement supports growing trade between Southeast Asia and the UAE, especially in light of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) the UAE has signed with countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Similar agreements are anticipated with Vietnam and Thailand. These trade ties have created demand for reliable cargo solutions in sectors such as electronics, fashion, pharmaceuticals, and machinery.
Executives from both companies emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership. Abbas highlighted Emirates’ long-standing presence in Southeast Asia and noted that the collaboration with Teleport would offer greater capacity, flexibility, and access to new markets. Meanwhile, Chareonwongsak pointed to the rising importance of e-commerce, predicting that its share of Southeast Asia’s air cargo market would grow from 11% to 20% by 2029, driven by consumer demand for rapid delivery and smaller, frequent shipments.