Evergreen Air Chosen for US-China Cargo Route

The US-China aviation agreement of May 2007 permits the US to name a new all-cargo carrier to begin service in the market on March 25, 2009. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has chosen Evergreen International to be that airline.

With headquarters in McMinnville, OR, Evergreen International handles global air cargo transportation and charter services for major airlines and freight forwarders. Its hubs are at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, OH, New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport.

Citing its reasons for choosing Evergreen the DOT indicated the carrier's proposal offered the best service for shippers because it “was in the best position to compete with current all-cargo airlines in the market.” Those carriers are FedEx, Northwest Airlines, Polar Air Cargo and UPS.

DOT noted as well that Evergreen would offer the first scheduled US-carrier all-cargo service to China both from Columbus and New York. It also was the only carrier applying for the service that uses all of the capacity of its aircraft for cargo. The agency also took into account Evergreen's operating experience in the US-Asia market that includes ongoing US-China charter services. It currently operates services for the US military and US Postal Service.

If final authority is granted, Evergreen will operate six weekly round-trip flights to Shanghai from New York with additional traffic stops in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Columbus. Other airlines that applied for the rights to the service were Kalitta Air and TradeWinds Airlines. In the event that Evergreen is unable to begin the service, Kalitta will get the nod.