FarCargo, a newly established Faroese company that transports air cargo, will begin operating a transatlantic route on March 5, 2024.
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The planned outbound route will be Billund – Faroe Islands – Newark, with a fuel stop in Keflavik (BLL-FAE-KEF-EWR) and inbound Newark – Billund (EWR-BLL). Initially, the aircraft will do two weekly rotations, increasing to five times per week in 2024. West Atlantic in Sweden will operate the aircraft on behalf of FarCargo.
The aircraft will bring fresh salmon from Bakkafrost in the Faroe Islands to the US. Bakkafrost has been exporting significant amounts of salmon to the US for several years. With the new direct route, Bakkafrost can offer daily deliveries of salmon, marketed as Superior+ Bakka Salmon, to customers in the US.
From Newark to Billund and further to the Faroe Islands, FarCargo has engaged NordicGSA – a part of the ECS Group – to sell the cargo capacity on behalf of FarCargo. Billund Airport will be FarCargo’s central hub in Denmark, connecting the eastbound and westbound routes.
The new connection from Newark will offer a new freight option directly from the US to the Faroe Islands, Denmark, and Northern Europe in general. The aircraft has cooling capabilities installed on the main deck, meaning it can safely and efficiently transport perishables, pharmaceuticals, and general cargo. For the market in the Faroe Islands, this presents a revolutionary opportunity, as this is the first cargo aircraft to operate to and from the islands. There will be significant benefits for all kinds of goods and perishables; retailers can receive more frequent deliveries of fresher fruits and vegetables, and industrial service providers can source heavy parts on short notice, to name a few new opportunities.
Billund Airport and Cargo Handling Billund Airport are delighted that FarCargo has chosen BLL as their cargo hub in Denmark, says Jan Hessellund, CEO of Billund Airport. “Adding FarCargo to the growing freighter network in Billund Airport represents unique opportunities for our regional cargo community while supporting our overall cargo strategy – to increase the share of flown cargo vs. trucked. Together with FarCargo and NordicGSA, we will work to make this route an instrumental part of Faroese and North American trade and a commercial airline success.”
Thomas Frederiksen, Managing Director at NordicGSA, says they are eager to start this new GSA service for FarCargo and have high expectations for the future. FarCargo’s air cargo aircraft is a Boeing 757-200, with a total capacity of 34 tons and 240 cubic meters. The aircraft has an excellent cabin option for particular goods.
”The FarCargo team is eager to start the operation and look forward to an excellent cooperation with NordicGSA and Billund Airport, and hope that the markets in Denmark and Faroe Islands will take advantage of this new opportunity”, says Birgir Nielsen, CEO of FarCargo.
