Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates Airline, has launched a weekly freighter service to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The service began on April 6.

The new freighter service to Cambodia’s capital is the carrier’s fifty-third destination in its worldwide freighter network and the thirteenth in the Far East.

The service will operate from Dubai to Phnom Penh on Wednesdays and in the return direction on Thursdays.

From Phnom Penh, cargo will be transported via a trucking network to reach other cities and regions in Cambodia.

“Cambodia’s air cargo market is growing at a robust rate with Europe and the United States being key export markets,” said Hiran Perera, Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo. “Establishing a presence in this market will position Emirates SkyCargo to benefit from the healthy growth potential. Our strong route network and Dubai’s location as a global cargo hub mean that we can connect our customers in Asia to 150 destinations, including 42 gateways in Europe, 14 gateways in North America and 27 gateways in Africa.”

According to Cambodia Airports, which manages the country’s three international airports, the volume of air freight shipments to and from Cambodia increased 14 percent in 2015 to 38,065 tons. The Cambodia-EU trade lane for air cargo is also one of the fastest-growing trade lanes linking emerging and developed markets with a compounded annual growth rate of 16.5 percent between 2012 and 2015. The main imports to Cambodia are expected to include fabric and leather while the main exports are textiles and garments.

Emirates SkyCargo will be starting its service with an MD 11 freighter aircraft, providing dedicated outsourced capacity for 80 tons of cargo. The aircraft’s wide body will also enable it to uplift outsized cargo and carry larger consignments.