OREANDA-NEWS. The transportation options for Basel's thriving healthcare industry will be extended from September 19 with the launch of a Boeing 747 freighter service by AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC).

Basel has one of the highest concentrations of successful life sciences businesses in the world, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical technology organisations.

ABC will operate its new Basel-Moscow Sheremetyevo service every Friday. The airline's high on-time performance and fast handling through Moscow will enable AirBridgeCargo's customers to achieve less than 48-hour connections on O&D to major cities in Asia, including Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Zhengzhou, Chengdu, Seoul, and Tokyo, via ABC hub in Moscow.

Robert van De Weg, Senior VP Marketing and Sales, ABC said: “The healthcare industry relies strongly on the speed of air cargo and its ability to maintain the integrity of products through strict temperature-control services. Operating from Basel will enable us to provide a fast and reliable link into Russia and Asia for customers in the industry as well as the other industries that have grown up to support the healthcare market in Switzerland. This new route and the connections we can offer will facilitate further growth between both regions.”

AirBridgeCargo Airlines, part of Volga Dnepr Group, with its yearly tonnage compound growth rate of 39% is one of the fastest-growing air cargo carriers. It connects the world's largest cargo flows from Asia to Europe and the United States via Russia. It operates modern and efficient Boeing 747 all-cargo fleet of 12 aircraft and maintains a high level of on-time performance which averages to 78%. Being an all-cargo carrier, ABC has an opportunity to adjust each of the four Boeing's 747 cargo compartments between 4-29 degrees Celsius, therefore ensuring safe and reliable transportation for the high-value pharma goods.

ABC is member of IATA, Cool Chain Association, TAPA, and Cargo 2000.

AirBridgeCargo is represented in Basel by its GSSA partner, RTW Air Services SA.