Several major Chinese airlines are reportedly considering the cancellation of their services to the United States, though no final decisions have been made, according to logistics provider Dimerco.
“If these cancellations proceed, the already tight air cargo capacity from China to the US will shrink even further,” the company warned.
Kathy Liu, vice president of global sales and marketing at Dimerco Express, noted that a significant portion of freighter capacity has already been redirected to destinations like Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and other parts of Latin America, where shipping demand has been on the rise—particularly out of Mexico.
“For US-bound shipments, many shippers have hit the brakes,” Liu explained. “The uncertainty surrounding new tariffs between the US and China is prompting companies to hold off on placing new orders.”
However, Liu highlighted that demand from Southeast Asia and Taiwan has remained relatively steady. She attributed this to a 90-day tariff exemption recently granted by the US government, which is offering a temporary reprieve for exporters in those regions.
In parallel, spot airfreight rates have been trending downward. Rates from Hong Kong to the US have fallen by approximately $1 per kilogram since the beginning of the month, currently averaging around $4.40 per kg.
Industry data from WorldACD shows a continued decline in air cargo volumes from China and Hong Kong to the US, marking a fourth consecutive week of decreases. For the week ending April 20 (week 16), volumes dropped 7% compared to the previous week.
Interestingly, demand from Southeast Asia to the US is on the rise. Year-over-year data for week 16 shows a 16% drop in combined traffic from China and Hong Kong to the US, contrasting with only a 3% decline for the broader Asia Pacific region. The difference is driven by strong export growth from Vietnam (+42%), Taiwan (+30%), Thailand (+24%), and Japan (+12%). Notably, these figures exclude additional charter activity.
Source: aircargonews.com