The largest air cargo carrier in Africa. From its global hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and with a Boeing 777 freighter fleet, it moves Chinese manufactures, e-commerce and high-value goods through the African gateway to Europe, the Middle East, the Americas and markets inside Africa.
Ethiopian Airlines (IATA codeET, ICAO three-letter codeETH, callsign ETHIOPIAN) is the flag carrier of Ethiopia, founded on 21 December 1945 and starting operations on 8 April 1946, headquartered in the capital, Addis Ababa. It is a core member of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and one of the carriers on the continent with the largest fleet, the widest network and the most consistent safety record.
Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services is the group's separately operated cargo unit, with Addis Ababa Bole International (ADD) as its global cargo hub and regional hubs at Lome in Togo (LFW) and Lilongwe in Malawi (LLW). The cargo unit runs the largest freighter network in Africa, serving about 70 all-cargo destinations, and uses belly capacity on the group's more than 150 passenger aircraft to reach over 140 passenger destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
At fleet level the cargo unit is built around 12 Boeing 777-200F long-haul freighters, supported by Boeing 767-300F medium freighters and Boeing 737-800F short-haul freighters, giving a full capacity ladder from intercontinental mainlines to African regional feeders. A 777F carries about 102 tonnes of payload over a range of about 9,200 kilometers, meeting demand for long-haul dense cargo and large e-commerce volumes at the same time.
Ethiopian Airlines has deep ties with the Chinese market. It opened its first passenger route to China as early as 1973, among the first African carriers to serve the mainland. Since entering the freighter era it has kept adding Chinese cargo airports, making Addis Ababa the transit gateway from China to Africa and across the Atlantic. Cargo from China distributed through ADD reaches Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg and other major African cities quickly, and connects to intercontinental points such as Sao Paulo, New York, Brussels and Dubai.
The cargo area at Addis Ababa Bole is among the largest in Africa, with multi-level terminals, customs bonded warehouses, dangerous goods rooms and temperature-controlled cold stores. Transfers at ADD are known for speed: when an inbound freighter arrives, cargo is unloaded, screened, re-consolidated and loaded onto the onward flight within hours, which suits time-critical Chinese exports to inland Africa. Ethiopian Airlines also splits West African and southern African flows through secondary hubs at Lome and Lilongwe to relieve congestion at the single ADD hub.
| Airline | Ethiopian Airlines |
| Cargo operator | Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services |
| Country | Ethiopia |
| Global headquarters | Addis Ababa |
| Founded | 21 December 1945 |
| Main hub | Addis Ababa Bole ADD |
| IATA code | ET |
| ICAO code | ETH |
| Freight model | Freighters and passenger belly |
| Official website | ethiopianairlines.com (cargo section) |
| Chinese cargo gateways | Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, Chengdu, Xiamen |
Ethiopian Airlines has passenger and cargo representative offices in major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, handling sales, capacity management and ground agent coordination in China. Because cargo is sold through appointed agents, Chinese manufacturers and cross-border e-commerce shippers usually book, request rates and track waybills through the airline's authorized Chinese forwarders.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited has long handled China-origin bookings for Ethiopian Airlines freighter and belly cargo, providing capacity reservation, document review, export declaration, cargo terminal handover and destination distribution coordination as one service. Shippers can submit a booking request through goodhope86.com or our business line; we reply with capacity and rates the same day and proactively update shipment status at departure, transit and arrival.
For large shippers who need to verify rates, capacity agreements or special cargo handling directly with the airline, we can introduce them to Ethiopian Airlines cargo sales for China and arrange a formal commercial discussion. Official cargo enquiries can be made through the cargo section of ethiopianairlines.com. Our relationship with Ethiopian Airlines is that of a cargo agent, not a subsidiary or investment relationship.
When choosing a channel, shippers should check that the forwarder holds authorized sales status with Ethiopian Airlines. We have long handled air freight to Africa and know the cut-off times at each airport, the rhythm of capacity release and the details of ADD transfers, so small shippers get the same booking response as large ones. For a first shipment we can provide past waybill samples and a description of the destination service network.
| Aircraft type | Use | Approx. number | Payload and range | Main use at Chinese gateways |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 777-200F | Long-haul freighter | 12 aircraft | Payload about 102 tonnes, range about 9,200 km | Intercontinental mainline from Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu to ADD, carrying heavy e-commerce freight and high-value cargo |
| Boeing 767-300F | Medium freighter | About 3 aircraft | Payload about 50 tonnes, medium range | Regional top-up capacity feeding secondary African points and Middle East transhipment |
| Boeing 737-800F | Short-haul freighter | 4 aircraft | Payload about 21 tonnes, short range | African regional feeder work, collecting and distributing perishables and urgent cargo at the ADD hub |
| Boeing 787 / 777 passenger aircraft | Passenger aircraft belly capacity | Multiple aircraft | Belly payload about 10 to 20 tonnes depending on type | Belly cargo on passenger routes from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou |
| Airbus A350-900 | Passenger aircraft belly capacity | Multiple aircraft | Belly payload about 10 to 15 tonnes | Belly top-up capacity on passenger routes from Shanghai and Guangzhou |
The Boeing 777F is Ethiopian Airlines' main type linking China and Africa. Its main deck takes about 27 PMC pallets (96 inch), and both forward and aft holds handle loose and palletized cargo, suiting Chinese exports of consumer electronics, textiles and clothing, e-commerce parcels, auto parts and pharmaceuticals. Freighter capacity is not affected by passenger schedule changes, so its reliability beats belly space.
On ULDs, Ethiopian Airlines positions enough standard PMC and AKE units between Chinese gateways and the ADD hub for heavy and low-density cargo to be built together. The Boeing 737-800F and 767-300F mainly fly short and medium sectors from ADD to secondary African cities, breaking down bulk Chinese cargo for final destinations, while belly capacity tops up scattered high-value freight at passenger gateways such as Beijing and Hong Kong.
Ethiopian Airlines has built a layout of eight freighter gateways in China. The table shows the current service pattern and indicative frequencies at each; times are local, schedules change with the season and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
| China ports | Airport code | Service type | Indicative schedule | Connection direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | CAN / ZGGG | Freighter | About 7 flights a week | Nonstop to ADD, distributing to Africa, the Middle East and Europe |
| Shanghai Pudong | PVG / ZSPD | Freighter plus belly capacity | About 7 flights a week | Nonstop to ADD, the main hub for East China cargo |
| Shenzhen | SZX / ZGSZ | Freighter | About 3 flights a week | South China e-commerce and electronics manufacturing cargo, nonstop to ADD |
| Zhengzhou | CGO / ZHCC | Freighter | About 4 flights per week | Cross-border e-commerce and urgent cargo, transiting ADD to Africa |
| Changsha | CSX / ZGHA | Freighter | About 4 flights per week | Manufactured exports from central-south China, distributed via ADD |
| Wuhan | WUH / ZHHH | Freighter | About 3 flights a week | Electronics and optoelectronic components from central China, nonstop to ADD |
| Chengdu | CTU / ZUUU | Freighter | Two a week (opened August 2026) | Southwest China cargo, launched 28 August 2026, two flights a week |
| Xiamen | XMN / ZSAM | Freighter | About 2 flights a week | Manufacturing belt cargo from Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou in southern Fujian, transiting ADD |
| Beijing | PKX / ZBAA | Passenger aircraft belly capacity | Belly cargo on passenger routes | High-value cargo from North China, moving in passenger belly holds |
| Hong Kong | HKG / VHHH | Passenger aircraft belly capacity | Belly cargo on passenger routes | Transit trade and international express, connecting to ADD via Hong Kong |
DefinitionsThe frequencies above are indicative, compiled from public sources; times are local. Actual schedules change with season, traffic rights and capacity and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking. The Chengdu route is a two-a-week freighter service opened in August 2026.
After uplift from a Chinese gateway, cargo clears customs, is screened and re-built at Addis Ababa, then distributes on Ethiopian Airlines regional freighters and passenger bellies to the countries and regions below. The table shows representative destinations.
| Region | Representative countries | Representative arrival airports |
|---|---|---|
| East Africa | Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | ADD Addis Ababa, NBO Nairobi, JRO Kilimanjaro, EBB Kampala |
| West Africa | Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal | LOS Lagos, ACC Accra, LFW Lomé, ABJ Abidjan, DKR Dakar |
| Southern Africa | South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique | JNB Johannesburg, LUN Lusaka, HRE Harare, MPM Maputo |
| Central Africa | Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo (Brazzaville and Kinshasa) | NDJ N'Djamena, DLA Douala, LBV Libreville, BZV Brazzaville |
| Middle East | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel | DXB Dubai, RUH Riyadh, KWI Kuwait, TLV Tel Aviv |
| Europe | Belgium, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden | BRU Brussels, LHR London, DUB Dublin, ARN Stockholm |
| The Americas | Brazil, Argentina, United States | GRU São Paulo, EZE Buenos Aires, JFK New York |
| Rest of Asia | India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam | DEL New Delhi, BKK Bangkok, KUL Kuala Lumpur, SGN Ho Chi Minh City |
The network uses Addis Ababa ADD as its only intercontinental hub. After customs and screening at ADD, Chinese cargo continues on Ethiopian Airlines regional freighters and passenger bellies. For high-volume West African destinations such as Nigeria and Ghana the airline also splits flows through a secondary hub at Lomé (LFW), and southern Africa is served through Johannesburg, Lusaka and other points. Shippers can specify the final airport at booking and we will cost the transit routing and freight.
It serves more African points than any other African carrier, so one transhipment covers the main commercial cities of inland Africa and avoids repeated customs transfers and consolidation steps.
A freighter fleet built around 12 Boeing 777Fs is scheduled independently of passenger load factors, so peak season space is more predictable than with belly-only carriers.
The Bole airport cargo area handles bulk freight and holds CEIV Pharma certification for pharmaceutical handling, with frequent onward connections into inland Africa, so overall transhipment beats routings around Europe.
Eight cargo gateways cover the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta, central China, the southwest and the southern Fujian manufacturing belt, so shippers deliver locally and save domestic trucking and warehousing.
Chinese exporters usually do not contract directly with Ethiopian Airlines headquarters but apply for space through its authorized cargo agents in China. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited sits between shipper and airline, handling rate requests, space reservation, export document review, customs declaration and inspection, ground handover and waybill tracking.
Before shipping, the shipper prepares the commercial invoice, packing list and customs power of attorney; for dangerous goods, perishables or temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, a shipper's declaration (DGD), health certificate or temperature control instructions are also required. On receipt of the booking instruction we apply to Ethiopian Airlines' cargo sales agent in China, confirm rate, schedule and cut-off times, and return the warehouse notice to the shipper.
Cargo goes to the nominated Chinese airport terminal against the warehouse notice, where the airline's ground agent completes screening, weighing and build-up, and an air waybill with the ET prefix is issued after loading. The shipper can track the shipment with the waybill number through the airline's cargo system or our customer service; at ADD the Ethiopian Airlines cargo center completes the transhipment and the cargo moves on to its destination in Africa, the Middle East or Europe.
For shippers with large monthly contracts we can apply for contract rates and block space agreements with Ethiopian Airlines to hold peak season capacity. Rates and space move with the market, so booking instructions should be submitted at least 3 to 5 working days ahead.
We also handle export clearance and domestic trucking during shipment. Shippers can deliver to our nominated warehouse for us to warehouse the cargo, or take it to the airport terminal themselves. The two options carry slightly different cost structures, which we set out in the quotation.
| Basic documents | Commercial invoice, packing list, customs declaration authorization |
| Cargo details | Pieces, gross weight, volume, commodity, HS code |
| Origin gateway | One of Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, Chengdu or Xiamen |
| Destination | ADD or an onward point in Africa, Europe or the Middle East |
| Special cargo | DGD, temperature control requirements, perishable transit statement |
| Air waybill prefix | Cargo air waybill with ET prefix |
| Contact channel | goodhope86.com business line |
Ethiopian Airlines Cargo holds IATA CEIV Pharma certification and can carry pharmaceutical products in the 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and controlled room temperature ranges. Vaccines, biological products and diagnostic reagents exported from China and transiting ADD to Africa and the Middle East can use temperature-controlled containers with monitoring throughout.
Gateways such as Zhengzhou, Changsha and Wuhan have long served cross-border e-commerce exports, and Ethiopian Airlines freighters offer dense frequencies for 3C accessories, apparel and general merchandise going from China to African e-commerce markets, taken as full or part pallets.
The Addis Ababa to China direction carries Ethiopian cut flowers, coffee and horticultural products, while the China export direction is mainly time-critical industrial goods. Balanced two-way flows help the airline cut empty flying and keep space prices relatively steady.
The Boeing 777F holds accommodate out-of-gauge cargo within limits, so Chinese machinery, vehicle chassis and engineering components can move as block space. Oversize pieces need dimensions and center of gravity measured in advance, and we confirm the loading plan with the airline.
Of these products, cross-border e-commerce parcels and temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals are the two most used by Chinese shippers. Zhengzhou and Changsha rely on local cross-border e-commerce pilot zone policy and have long offered block space to sellers shipping to Africa; pharmaceutical cargo concentrates at Shanghai and Guangzhou, where we arrange temperature-controlled containers and cold room connections at ADD in advance. All special cargo must be declared to us at booking, and the airline allocates space once it confirms acceptance.
There are currently eight freighter gateways: Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, Chengdu and Xiamen. Beijing and Hong Kong move cargo mainly in passenger bellies. The Chengdu gateway opened on 28 August 2026 with two flights a week.
No. All flights from China route through Addis Ababa ADD as the intercontinental hub; after transhipment at ADD, cargo distributes to Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg and other African cities on Ethiopian Airlines regional freighters or passenger bellies.
The airline has representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but routine bookings are normally made through authorized cargo agents. We can approach the airline's sales department on a shipper's behalf, and large contract shippers can be put into direct commercial discussion.
Yes. Ethiopian Airlines Cargo holds IATA CEIV Pharma recertification and the ADD cargo area has temperature-controlled facilities. Provide the temperature range and volume at booking and declare 3 to 5 working days ahead so we can arrange the cold chain route.
Each shipment gets an air waybill number with the ET prefix and can be tracked on the Ethiopian Airlines Cargo website or through our customer service. We report status at booking, departure, transhipment, arrival and clearance.
Ethiopian Airlines can handle dangerous goods and live animals, but they must be declared in advance with a DGD, health certificate and similar documents and are arranged once space is confirmed. For these categories please contact us at least 5 working days ahead for rates and booking.
The ADD routing suits destinations in Africa, or cargo that needs to cover both Africa and southern Europe. If the destination is only a major Western European city, carriers transiting Dubai, Doha or a European hub may offer a shorter routing. We compare ADD against other hubs against the destination and transit requirement before recommending.
E-commerce cargo concentrates in the traditional fourth-quarter peak and freighter space tightens. Contract shippers can apply through us for block space agreements; general cargo shippers should book 5 to 7 working days ahead and keep one or two alternative gateways in reserve.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, based in Shenzhen, handles booking, customs clearance, air freight, destination clearance and delivery for Ethiopian Airlines freighter and belly cargo. Rates and routings from China to Africa, the Middle East and Europe are available from our sales team.
Disclaimer:This material is produced by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Ethiopian Airlines names, codes and brand marks belong to Ethiopian Airlines, and we have no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with it. Content is compiled from public sources, and schedules and times are indicative (times are local, schedules change with the season and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking). Sources are airline publications and public news reports; the content is for reference only and is not a transport contract or commitment. Space, rates and handling details follow the actual confirmation of the carrier and its authorized agents at the time of booking.