United Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo have scheduled to create a more efficient transatlantic cargo network and increase the choices and benefits available to cargo shipments. Lufthansa Cargo started a similar cooperation with Japanese airline ANA in 2014 and has been looking for other partnerships ever since.

The news relating to this new cooperation comes after the first anniversary of Lufthansa’s partnership with All Nippon Airways, which saw their joint network between Europe and Japan expanded through adding new destinations in Japan – firstly Fukuoka, on the main island Kyushu in south Japan, later to be followed by Sapporo, on the north island.

Carsten Wirths, Lufthansa Cargo area manager of Europe and Africa, said: “Thanks to the joint venture we can connect the wide European network of Lufthansa Cargo with the direct connections of both partners to Japan and the continental de-feeder flights of ANA.”

Yutaka Terao, cooperation project manager at ANA Cargo, added: “Fukuoka and its region are important centers for the steel and automotive industries, as well as for semiconductor technology, electronics, environmental and biotechnology. These are sectors which substantially profit from air freight.”

The implementation of this enhanced cargo cooperation between both Lufthansa and United is still subject to the finalization of the commercial agreements and in compliance with the current EU and US regulations and governmental approvals.

Germany’s National airline confirmed their plans to cooperate on routes between Europe and the United States with United Airlines in respect of freight operations as they seek a way to make optimize their cargo business and expand their network.

Lufthansa stated a number of cooperation possibilities were under discussion, including “an alignment of information technology services and warehouse facilities. They stated that  “The planned cooperation of United Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo will create a more efficient and comprehensive transatlantic cargo network and increase the choices and benefits available to cargo customers,”