MAERSK Air Cargo, the shipping company’s new freight division, is taking off today (31 October) with the first trans-Pacific flight.

The inaugural service will operate between Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina (GSP) and Incheon, South Korea, beginning with two weekly flights.

Maersk said the service introduces the first of three newly built Boeing 767-300 freighters recently purchased by Maersk Air Cargo.

All flights between the US and South Korea will be operated by Miami-headquartered cargo airline Amerijet International.

Michel Pozas Lucic, global head of air & LCL at AP Moller – Maersk, recalled the announcement of the company’s integrated in-house air cargo carrier in April.

“With the introduction of this new service between the US and Korea, we have taken the next step in securing logistics solutions for our customers with our own aircrafts.

“Next to the new scheduled transpacific flights, we also operate own controlled capacity from Europe into the US, Mexico, South Africa, and Singapore.”

The first Maersk Air Cargo flight also marks the first scheduled air freight operation between South Carolina and Asia.

Maersk said the corridor from GSP International Airport is expected to increase trade access between Asia and the south-eastern US.

Maersk also recently opened a new Chicago Air Freight Gateway facility to add more supply chain integration opportunities for customers using Chicago O’Hare International and Rockford International.