The global air cargo market is witnessing strategic pivots from major players. French shipping giant CMA CGM is recalibrating its air cargo fleet amidst ambitious expansion plans, while Japan's ANA Holdings faces regulatory delays in finalizing its acquisition of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA). Here's what logistics professionals need to know.
CMA CGM Air Cargo: Strategic Retreat or Fleet Optimization?
In late 2022, CMA CGM Air Cargo abruptly halted its U.S. operations, ceasing services to Chicago and Atlanta. The airline leased its freighters to competitors like DHL Express and Qatar Airways Cargo instead of selling space directly to freight forwarders. While this shocked partners relying on its cost-effective "deferred airfreight" service-ideal for consolidated shipments from the U.S. East Coast to Europe-CMA framed it as a temporary adjustment to "tailor solutions to customer needs."
Yet this retreat wasn't a full exit. Despite returning two aircraft, CMA is charging ahead with growth:
- Fleet expansion: From its current six freighters, it aims to operate 12 by 2026, including new Airbus A350Fs.
- New Pacific routes: Launching Hong Kong-Anchorage-Chicago and China-North America services this summer, operated via Atlas Air due to lacking U.S. traffic rights.
- Core focus: Strengthening its Paris-Hong Kong-Shanghai network, signaling European-Asian demand as its priority.
ANA's NCA Takeover: Regulatory Delays Shake Up Timeline
ANA's planned acquisition of Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA)-Japan's sole dedicated cargo airline-has hit its third delay, now pushed to July 1, 2025. Originally slated for October 2024, prolonged antitrust reviews by Japanese and foreign regulators forced repeated postponements.
Why does ANA want NCA?
- Fleet scale: NCA brings 8 Boeing 747-8 freighters (+5 outsourced 747-400Fs), boosting ANA's long-haul capacity.
- Network synergy: Combining NCA's freighter expertise with ANA's passenger belly network creates a dominant Asia-Americas/Europe connector.
- Cost pressures: NYK (NCA's current owner) cited unsustainable expenses for aircraft maintenance and crew training-challenges ANA, as an established airline, can absorb.
Contrasting Strategies: What It Reveals About Air Cargo's Future
CMA CGM Air Cargo exemplifies shipping giants' push toward end-to-end logistics. After acquiring CEVA and Bolloré Logistics, its air division targets high-demand corridors (Europe-Asia) while outsourcing complex routes (trans-Pacific). Flexibility-leasing aircraft or pausing routes-keeps capital expenditure agile.
ANA's NCA play, however, bets on scale. In a volatile market, controlling dedicated freighters + passenger networks creates pricing leverage and operational redundancy. The delayed takeover, though, risks ceding momentum to rivals like Korean Air amid booming Asia-N. America e-commerce demand.
The Bottom Line for Shippers
- Diversify partners: CMA's U.S. service suspension shows even majors can shift strategies overnight. Multi-carrier relationships mitigate risk.
- Watch Asia-Pacific: ANA-NCA integration could reshape capacity on Japan/US lanes post-July. Pre-book with flexibility if using these corridors.
- Consider secondary gateways: With CMA prioritizing Paris/Hong Kong and ANA likely focusing on Tokyo/Narita, explore alternatives like Seoul or Singapore for competitive rates.
"NCA never made money. In today's market, it would collapse-so teaming up with ANA is its best shot."
As CMA optimizes its fleet and ANA navigates regulatory headwinds, forwarders must balance opportunism with caution. The return of CMA's freighters hinges on profitability-just as ANA's NCA future rests on antitrust approvals. One thing's clear: air cargo's competitive map is being redrawn.
