FedEx and China Southern Air Logistics plan to share their network resources to bolster global supply chain and route connectivity, June 2 press release from FedEx.
Strategic Memorandum of Understanding
FedEx Express and China Southern Air Logistics signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding to explore opportunities across five areas: cargo space, routes, fleet, operations and digitalization. The agreement was announced on June 2, 2026, and publicly reported on June 17, 2026. The partnership aims to strengthen air cargo capacity between the United States and Asia, with particular emphasis on enhancing connectivity through Guangzhou, a major aviation hub in southern China.
The MOU does not constitute a binding commercial contract but establishes a framework for joint evaluation and potential collaboration. Under the terms, both parties will assess feasibility for coordinated scheduling, shared use of aircraft belly-hold capacity, and integration of digital tracking platforms. This includes aligning data standards for real-time shipment visibility across trans-Pacific lanes and Southeast Asian corridors.
Geographic and Operational Focus
The partnership with China Southern Air Logistics could make Guangzhou a key connection for U.S. shipments to Southeast Asia, Derek Lossing, founder of Cirrus Global Advisors, said. Lossing noted that Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport handled over 2.1 million metric tons of air cargo in 2025, ranking it as the third-busiest air cargo hub in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
FedEx currently operates seven weekly freighter flights between the U.S. and China, including services to Shanghai and Guangzhou. China Southern Air Logistics operates more than 40 dedicated cargo flights across its domestic and regional network, with scheduled services to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Hanoi. The MOU explicitly identifies these four Southeast Asia destinations as priority nodes for route harmonization.
Industry Context and Precedent
This move follows DHL’s 2024 strategic alliance with China Eastern Airlines to expand belly-hold capacity on 12 routes linking Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu to Europe. It also parallels UPS’ 2025 code-share agreement with ANA Cargo covering Tokyo–Chicago and Tokyo–Atlanta lanes. data compiled by Supply Chain Dive, U.S.-China air cargo volumes totaled 1.87 million metric tons in 2025, a 4.3% increase year-over-year despite ongoing tariff adjustments and customs clearance delays averaging 37 hours at major China entry points.
For supply chain professionals, the MOU signals a shift toward asset-light network scaling: rather than investing in new aircraft or ground infrastructure, FedEx is leveraging existing capacity within China Southern Air Logistics’ fleet of 22 Boeing 777F and Airbus A330-200F freighters. This approach reduces capital expenditure while accelerating time-to-market for expanded lane coverage — particularly critical amid rising demand for time-definite medical device and high-value electronics shipments from Guangdong Province to Southeast Asia.
Source: Supply Chain Dive
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
