Extra cargo flights from Oslo Airport to support seafood exports to Asia.
Two additional cargo flights will depart Oslo Airport in March as exporters seek to maintain shipments to Asia amid reduced global air freight capacity linked to geopolitical tensions.
Airport operator Avinor said the additional flights will operate on March 12 and March 19. The aircraft, operated by Suparna Airlines, will fly from Oslo to Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
The primary cargo is fresh seafood, including salmon and other fish, although the flights will also carry other perishables and high-value, time-sensitive goods.
According to Avinor, the additional capacity is intended to ease pressure on a market that has been disrupted by the Russia–Ukraine War and instability in the Middle East, both of which have affected global air freight routes.
Eva Beate Lande, head of cargo at Avinor, said the Middle East plays a critical role in global air freight logistics due to the presence of several major cargo hubs.
“When airspace in the Gulf or nearby conflict areas is closed or assessed as unsafe, operators effectively have no alternatives outside their existing hubs,” she said.
At present, Oslo Airport handles one weekly cargo departure, operating on Saturdays. Avinor said the additional flights have been introduced as a temporary measure, but the capacity increase could become permanent if demand persists and market conditions support it.
The closure of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian airspace to Western carriers following the war in Ukraine has forced airlines to reroute flights between Europe and Asia. At the same time, Russian carriers are barred from using European airspace.
These restrictions have lengthened flight routes, increased fuel costs and reduced the number of rotations each aircraft can complete.
Air traffic is also being affected by restrictions and temporary closures of airspace in parts of the Middle East, requiring further rerouting.
“When flights become longer and more complex, each aircraft is able to operate fewer services per week,” Lande said. “Taken together, this creates a more complex and less efficient global aviation market.”
The disruptions have particularly affected trade routes between Europe and Asia that previously relied on direct corridors over Russia and parts of the Middle East. Markets including China, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Southeast Asia have been impacted.
“For Norway this is especially important because seafood is a perishable product with a short delivery window to Asian markets,” Lande said.
Avinor said the additional cargo flights are intended to support more stable and predictable deliveries for Norwegian exporters during a period of geopolitical disruption affecting global air transport.