GlobalX (G6, Miami International) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to operate its converted A330s for Chinese e-commerce logistics firm FreightCloud on routes between China and the United States.

The partnership is set to begin in the first quarter of 2023 when GLOBALX begins distributing FreightCloud shipments from its hubs at Los Angeles International, New York JFK, and Chicago O'Hare throughout the Americas using its forthcoming A321 converted freighters. At that stage, transpacific flights will continue to be operated by other carriers. Subject to the necessary approvals from the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), GLOBALX will then deploy its own converted A330s to China "sometime in late 2023". The statement did not reveal the exact routings.

"We are excited to enter into this partnership with FreightCloud, which will enable our cargo division, XCargo, to participate in the lucrative Asia to US cargo market, first with our narrowbody freighter fleet and eventually with our A330F fleet currently being planned. We are also delighted to team with Hudson Highland Partners, who will provide financing for this partnership," Chairperson and Chief Executive Ed Wegel said.

Explaining the business case for the partnership, GLOBALX said FreightCloud had chartered over 3,000 widebody freighter flights from China to the US and Europe over the past two years, moving over 150,000 tonnes of cargo.

GLOBALX announced plans to convert an unspecified number of A330s in mid-2021. At that time, it said it would target A330-300s, despite the greater availability of A330-200s on the market. It has not provided any update regarding its widebody plans since then and did not respond to ch-aviation's question.

Currently, the airline focuses on the passenger charter market using six A320-200s and one A321-200, the ch-aviation fleets module shows. It plans to add a further three A320-200s, as well as the first two converted A321-200(P2F)s/A321-200(PCF)s by the end of 2022. By 2025, the carrier plans to achieve a 50/50 split between passenger and cargo operations. It is in the process of launching two Latin American subsidiaries dedicated to cargo operations: LatinX in Ecuador and GlobalX Colombia.