At the beginning of each year and after the Lunar New Year, it is often a slow season for the air cargo market. However, this year, as global retailers and manufacturers have turned to air cargo during the Red Sea crisis to transport more goods, the global air cargo market is appearing "off-season fire" rare scene!

    Industry experts say the phenomenon is mainly because European importers are looking to avoid delays in shipments. As Houthi attacks in Yemen have disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, a large number of container ships passing through Europe and Asia are having to avoid the Suez Canal and instead bypass Africa, causing widespread delays in the seaborn market. In this context, the surge in demand for air freight replacement has also boosted many international air cargo operators in the original off-season of the industry.

    Niall van de Wouw, chief air freight officer at transport data company Xeneta, said the demand is making "the air freight market incredibly busy" during the traditional off-season.

    The Norway-based company said it had seen double-digit growth in global air traffic in each of the last four months ending in March. There are signs of particularly strong demand on trade routes affected by the Red Sea crisis.

    Data provider WorldACD also said the Asia-Europe sea and air hubs of Dubai, Bangkok and Colombo, Sri Lanka, have been particManufacturers in particular are shifting high-priority shipments from sea to air to meet production schedules and keep factories running, said Brian Bourke, chief commercial officer at Seko Logistics, a shipowner based in Shamburg, Ill.ularly busy since the start of the year, with cargo volumes from Dubai to Europe doubling in recent weeks compared to a year ago.

    The International Air Transport Association said Middle East-Europe trade was the world's fastest growing air freight market in February, up 39.3 percent from the same month last year.

    By contrast, the number of merchant ships passing through the Suez Canal fell 45 percent in the first quarter of this year compared with a year earlier, according to the International Monetary Fund, as Western cargo ships in the Red Sea continue to be targeted by the Houthis.

    A rising tide lifts all boats

    In general, air freight costs are much higher than sea freight, but many companies are now unable to account for these extra costs - speed of delivery is becoming critical, especially as it now takes 10 days longer for a sea cargo ship to circumnavigate the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa than through the Suez Canal.

    The extended voyage has created challenges for some companies that rely on seasonal products and key components. Manufacturers, including Tesla and Volvo, suspended production at some car plants in January due to parts shortages.

    Manufacturers in particular are shifting high-priority shipments from sea to air to meet production schedules and keep factories running, said Brian Bourke, chief commercial officer at Seko Logistics, a shipowner based in Shamburg, Ill.

    On routes linking the Middle East and South Asia to Europe, average spot airfreight prices rose 46 per cent between February and March to $2.82 a kg, up 71 per cent from the same period last year, according to industry statistics. In March, the global average spot freight price for air cargo rose 7 per cent from the previous month to $2.43 per kg.

    "Disruptions to shipping through the Red Sea are clearly the main factor behind the change," said Xeneta's chief air cargo officer.

    In addition, strong demand from growing e-commerce players in Asia, such as Temu and Xiyin, is also driving up air freight prices.

    "We expect this growth in demand to continue," said Asok Kumar, executive vice president of global air cargo at a German freight forwarder.