INTERCONTINENTAL EXPRESS FROM TNT

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/5/2008

With customers in the high-tech, equipment and machinery and healthcare sectors increasingly moving large volumes of high-value goods between Southeast Asia, China and Europe, TNT has announced it will invest 100 million euros over the next fi ve years to strengthen its network coverage, connectivity andinfrastructure.

The April 11 announcement was made to coincide with the inaugural landing of TNT’s Boeing 747-400 ER Freighter in Singapore. TNT’s new Liege-Singapore-Shanghai express service makes Singapore the fi rst country in Southeast Asia to host TNT’s physical freighter services.

With Singapore as its Southeast Asian hub, TNT’s connectivity between Europe, Southeast Asia and China will further be enhanced to tap into signifi cant trade fl ows between these regions. According to a study by TNT, Greater China is one of Southeast Asia’s largest trade partners, representing some 24 percent of total express volumes transported by air. Within Southeast Asia’s air trade, the high-tech sector alone accounts for over 76 percent of total trade value. James McCormac, Chief Operating Offi cer of TNT’s express division, said, “Our strategic objective is to build a leadership position in domestic, intra-regional and selected intercontinental express fl ows in the emerging Asian region. TNT’s volumes between China and Europe have grown over 20 percent in 2007, and we’re certain that the stop in Singapore will further accelerate this volume growth”, he added.

TNT says it is capable of moving freight between major cities in Southeast Asia to China with an average transit time of 48 hours. To Europe, the company off ers transit times as short as one day.