WEEKLY NEWS EZHOU’S NEW MRO HUB


AIR CARG O WEEK


BY Ajinkya GURAV


THE launch of a major airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei marks a significant step in China’s plan to strengthen its position as a global air cargo hub. Developed by Singapore’s ST Engineering and SF Airlines, the joint venture offers line and heavy maintenance for both freighter and passenger aircraft at China’s first dedicated cargo airport.


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Capacity to support expanding networks At opening, the site features two wide-span hangars— accommodating four widebody or eight narrowbody aircraft—though only one is operational until the second is completed in late 2027. Future plans could add four more hangars, making Ezhou one of Asia’s largest MRO clusters. SF Airlines, China’s largest freighter carrier with over 80


aircraft,


is expanding into Southeast Asia and Europe. Locating


MRO capacity domestically reduces reliance on overseas facilities, lowering costs and turnaround times. Integrating the MRO within Ezhou’s cargo ecosystem supports higher fleet utilisation in a market where yields are under pressure.


Regional market positioning The Asia-Pacific MRO market is forecast to hit US$47 billion by 2030, with China a leading contributor. ICAO projects the country could handle over 19 million tonnes of freight annually by 2035. Embedding MRO capacity at Ezhou aligns with China’s dual circulation strategy—boosting domestic capability while linking to global trade lanes. The facility incorporates robotics, predictive maintenance, and


digital workflow systems to cut error rates, optimise turnaround, and enable retrofits that improve fuel efficiency. With ICAO’s CORSIA and the EU’s ETS adding costs for carbon emissions, such upgrades help operators reduce environmental compliance burdens.


Workforce and strategic impact Currently employing 200 staff, the site is expected to create 700 high-value jobs, prioritising licensed engineers, digital specialists, and composite-material technicians. Partnerships with vocational institutions will build a talent pipeline to address the global shortage of certified maintenance personnel. For operators,


in-region heavy maintenance boosts network


flexibility, especially for time-sensitive sectors such as express, pharma, perishables, and electronics. Ezhou’s central


location


offers direct access to Belt and Road trade corridors into Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Europe.


Integration into global networks Ezhou expands ST Engineering’s global MRO footprint alongside sites in Guangzhou, Singapore, and the US, enabling flexible fleet planning and resilience during disruptions. For policymakers, the facility illustrates how infrastructure, technology, and workforce development can converge to enhance supply chain reliability. For carriers, it delivers a strategically located, advanced maintenance option in one of the world’s fastest-growing cargo markets.


Did You Know ? PUTTING ON THE RITZ BY Michael SALES


IF Fred Astaire had been dancing down London’s Strand in 1797, he would probably have been arrested for a breach of the King’s peace. John Hetherington, a London haberdasher, decided to show his new invention, the top hat, during a ride through the city streets. It caused a huge crowd to form, which brought the whole city to a standstill. Children screamed and were taken indoors, dogs barked, like a scene from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: “They yolladen lyke fiendes.” He was fined £50, the equivalent of £9,800 today, an astronomical amount for such a minor offence. The top hat became an immediate and


success soon everybody was


wearing it. This stovepipe hat, made from beaver fur, was also popular throughout the mid-nineteenth century, but after the 1840s and to this day, top hats were increasingly made from silk. Beaver pelts acquired from European colonies and America were mostly bought by hat- makers in London and Paris. The furs were plucked clean of the unwanted outer layer of golden fur, called guard hairs, treated with mercury and felted into mats before being shaped into hats and other garments. Repeated exposure to mercury often caused nerve damage and mental disorders among the hatters, hence the expression, “mad as a hatter.” Beautiful top hats are today crafted


for special events such as Royal Ascot or for funerals, but formal hat-wearing has


been replaced mostly by the


ubiquitous baseball cap, worn by men and women, young and old, even by one president.


Colourful headgear made


in vast quantities in China by 1,530 manufacturers


generates over include Bangladesh the transport US$5


billion annually. Other hat-exporting countries


(US$43


million) and Mexico (US$152 million). Textiles form a major sector for all of


modes


with airfreight concentrating on high- end fashion, collections and shows. A number of specialised fashion logistics companies


are dedicated to


shows such as the Milan and Paris weeks, Moda, as well as the fast-fashion suppliers from the Far East and Spain, who depend on fast airfreight to get their goods to market. “Nice work if you can get it,” sings Fred.


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