Etihad Cargo, Virginia partner to boost air freight links

Etihad Cargo and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen air cargo links and support trade between the UAE and the US.

The partnership will focus on sharing market information, exploring joint initiatives and identifying opportunities to increase air cargo and passenger activity through Washington Dulles International Airport.

The move aims to support Virginia’s pharmaceutical, perishables, energy, data centre and cloud computing industries, which rely on reliable international transport for high-value and time-sensitive goods. Stronger air cargo links can help businesses access global markets and support investment in these sectors.

Etihad Cargo’s specialised services include PharmaLife for pharmaceutical shipments and FreshForward for perishables. These services support the movement of temperature-sensitive goods across its global network.

Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad Cargo’s experience in handling temperature-sensitive, high-value and time-critical shipments gives us a strong foundation to contribute practical cargo expertise to this collaboration.”

The agreement also supports Virginia’s efforts to strengthen Washington Dulles as an international cargo gateway, connecting local businesses with global supply chains.