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Silk Way West Airlines continues its long-term strategic cooperation with air freight logistics provider ACL Airshop.

Silk Way West, part of the Silk Way Group, has announced the renewal of a five-year ULD (unit load device) agreement with ACL Airshop, the world leader in cargo services and logistics serving around 200 airlines in more than 50 airports across six continents.

ACL Airshop has built a solid global reputation, particularly for customized ULD freight solutions that use specialized containers or pallets, resulting in faster loading and more efficient management of aircraft cargo capacity.

Unique aspects of the company's offering include short-term rental and leasing solutions that meet Silk Way West’s freight transport requirements. In addition to air cargo ULDs, the agreement includes provision of logistical management using innovative solutions as well as the latest technologies to provide faster service, smoother logistics and significant cost savings.

The partnership between the Silk Way Group and ACL Airshop has a long history. For over 10 years, Silk Way Group companies have been cooperating closely and effectively with ACL Airshop within a strategic partnership framework. Today, Silk Way West and ACL Airshop are working together to dramatically improve the logistical efficiency of the company's fleet through the introduction of Bluetooth innovation for real-time ULD tracking. This, together with the support of the ACL global operations center in Amsterdam, network-wide ULD control programs, and the innovative FindMyULD mobile application, provide a higher utilization rate and maximum economic efficiency for cargo transportation.

Silk Way West is committed to a lean and flexible business strategy, and continuous improvement of ULD logistics is one of the airline’s strategic priorities, as well as a driver of improved profitability. Through the development of technological innovation and an effective service model, ACL Airshop has become a key partner for Silk Way West, providing significant cost savings by increasing the efficiency of the entire fleet. “This partnership has brought tangible benefits to us and our customers,” said Emil Khasanshin, Vice President for International Cargo Operations at Silk Way West.

“We value our long-term partnership with the Silk Way Group. We are honored to continue to offer and implement our efficient, profitable and flexible solutions for Silk Way West,” said Maurice Van Terheijden, Managing Director of ACL Airshop Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Steve Townes, Chairman and CEO of parent company ACL Airshop, commented: "We welcome Silk Way West's growing engagement in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic."

Silk Way Group is a group of dynamically developing companies that plays a key role in the economy of Azerbaijan. Established in 2006 to manage air cargo operations from Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, the group currently consists of three companies providing air cargo transportation and aircraft maintenance services: Silk Way Airlines, Silk Way West and Silk Way Technics.

Silk Way West was founded in 2012 and today operates around 250 regular and charter flights monthly. The airline's fleet consists of 12 Boeing 747-400F and Boeing 747-8F aircraft equipped with the most advanced safety systems. In 2016, Silk Way West was recognised by Boeing as being the fastest-growing airline in terms of fleet numbers, geographic reach and cargo volume. Today, the airline ranks third in Europe by these three criteria.