Copenhagen-based A.P. Moller-Maersk, the global shipping and logistics giant, has opened a 130,000 square-foot import/export facility midway between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. After Atlanta and Chicago, it is the third air cargo gateway launched by Maersk in North America in the last 12 months.

“Our new Los Angeles air hub positions Maersk for years of growth. LA Is a self-managed air facility that has tripled our access to (air cargo) capacity on the U.S. West Coast. Our customers will benefit from higher service levels and greater warehouse capacity,” John Wetherell, Maersk regional head of air freight-North America, said in a statement.

The facility is a Customs Bonded Container Freight Station, U.S. Transportation Security Administration ((TSA) Certified Cargo Screening Facility and is slated to receive Free Trade Zone status in 2024 to benefit from lower duties, reduced processing fees and quicker movement of goods, Maersk said. Additionally, it will handle Customs brokerage, commercial sales and freight operations including LCL transloading.

However, “there are not regular scheduled Maersk Air Freight flights at this point from LAX,” Wetherell told Air Freight News (AFN). “We are building for the future. Currently, this facility provides gateway services, both import and export, for commercial carriers.” Now, it is servicing Magma Aviation at LAX, a European cargo charter airline that operates B747-400 freighters worldwide. Maersk is not sharing its new facility with any other airlines or ground handlers.

Still, Maersk Air Freight is operationally active in North America. Wetherell said it has three new B767 freighters, each with 110,000 lb. payloads, based in the U.S., operating to China and Korea from Chicago Rockford (RFD) and Greenville Spartanburg (GSB) international airports. The airline is taking delivery of two Boeing 777 freighters in the first quarter of 2024, he added. “We are determining the routes at this time.”

Meanwhile, the Maersk air cargo official said it has “long term agreements” with B747F operators to service six flights weekly from GSB and RFD, however, he did not identify the airlines or the routes.