The first cargo route under the fifth freedom rights. Photo by Sun Jiayi
On October 30th, the cargo route of "New York-Ningbo-Incheon-New York" successfully completed its maiden flight under the support of "the fifth freedom of the air" (the fifth freedom). This means that Ningbo Area of China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone has made significant achievements in promoting innovation in air freight and building itself into an international transit hub.
10月30日，“紐約-寧波-仁川-紐約”航線順利首航，這標志著寧波開通首條“第五航權”貨運航線。這也意味著中國(浙江)自由貿易試驗區寧波片區在推動航空運輸業務創新方面取得重大成果，為寧波打造國際開放樞紐之都貢獻力量。
The fifth freedom of the air (aka. third country traffic rights) guarantees the right to an international airline to stop and carry passengers and cargo at intermediate points along its route. Embracing the significant economic value, this flight right symbolizes a region’s business environment and opening-up level.
“第五航權”即第三國運輸權，是指一個國家的航空公司在經營某條國際航線的同時，獲得在中途第三國經停并載運客貨的權利，被業界譽為“最豐富、最具有經濟實質意義”的航權，也是衡量地區對外開放水平和營商環境的標志。
This first fifth-freedom route of Ningbo accepts two cargo flights per week, connecting Ningbo with the air cargo network of New York and Incheon and further consolidating the international influence of Ningbo’s “Air Silk Road”. Additionally, foreign flights are granted the privilege to pick up and deliver at Ningbo Airport along their routes. This potential boost to international transit cargo at Ningbo Airport will advance the city's capacity of cargo aggregation and distribution, speed up the construction of Ningbo's international air cargo network, and expand the freight market to the world.
寧波拿下的首條“第五航權”貨運航線將以每周2班的頻率，串聯起寧波、紐約、仁川三地貨運航線網絡，鞏固寧波“空中絲綢之路”的輻射力和國際影響力。而寧波機場擁有“第五航權”，意味著允許國外航司在寧波機場經停和裝卸貨物，并運往第三國。這將為寧波機場帶來大量國際中轉貨量，提高寧波貨運集散能力，加速寧波國際貨運航線網絡構建和全球貨運市場拓展。
Ningbo’s international logistics has, as Yan Guoping (general manager of China-Base Logistics Co., Ltd.) revealed, “long been in a situation of ‘busy seaports but sluggish airfreight’, but it is now making great progress.” Yan further explained that, without the airline route of New York-Ningbo-Incheon-New York, local enterprises would have to fly goods to New York with a stopover in Shanghai or other cities. Now, these small-batch, high-value, and time-sensitive e-commerce parcels can fly from Ningbo to US consumers in less than 10 days.
寧波中基國際物流有限公司總經理嚴國平告訴記者：“一直以來，寧波的國際物流呈‘大海港、小空港’的局面，終于迎來改善的契機。”嚴國平舉例道，以“紐約-寧波-仁川-紐約”航線為例，此前寧波沒有到紐約的直航，寧波企業要想把貨空運至紐約，只能繞道上海等地。現在，這些小批量、貨值高、時效性強的跨境電商包裹，不到10天就能從寧波“飛”向美國消費者。
"Being granted the fifth freedom rights, importers and exporters in Ningbo and neighboring cities will enjoy more logistics options. By virtue of its low cost and high efficiency, Ningbo Airport attracts more air cargo from cities around the Yangtze River Delta and transports them out in a flexible and coordinated manner, thus enhancing its global reach," Yan added.
“有了’第五航權‘后，寧波及周邊城市的進出口企業將擁有更多物流選擇。寧波有望憑借靈活組貨、低成本、高效率的運輸優勢，吸引更多長三角周邊城市的空運貨物集散，提升寧波空港在全球的輻射范圍和能級。”嚴國平說。
There are 16 cities in China already granted the fifth freedom rights, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Yantai, Wuhan, Xiamen, Haikou, Tianjin, Nanjing, Yinchuan, Zhengzhou, Harbin, Manzhouli, Ordos, Xi'an, and Hangzhou. This has boosted the above cities’ volume of transit cargo and strengthened their roles as transport hubs.
此前，全國已有北京、上海、廣州、煙臺、武漢、廈門、海口、天津、南京、銀川、鄭州、哈爾濱、滿洲里、鄂爾多斯、西安、杭州等16個城市開放“第五航權”，并迎來空港貨物中轉量的提升，實現交通樞紐地位的飛躍。
In September 2020, Ningbo was officially included in the expansion of Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone. The expansion plan clearly states that Ningbo Lishe International Airport (NGB/ZSNB) will be granted a wider range of aviation rights, including the fifth freedom which enables Ningbo to explore intercontinental routes and build an international transit hub.
為了拿下“第五航權”，2020年9月，寧波正式納入浙江自貿區的擴區范圍，擴區方案明確指出“推動寧波櫟社國際機場擴大包括第五航權在內的航權安排”，為寧波帶來開辟洲際航線、打造全球性空港樞紐的想象。
"The fifth freedom is the right that Ningbo has worked long and hard to secure and is vital to the future development of Ningbo Airport. With the construction of Terminal 3 and the second runway as well as the planning of Ningbo West Hub, the cargo throughput of Ningbo Airport is expected to exceed 130,000 tons and is primed for future growth," analyzed Yang Jian, director of the Institute of Management & Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology.
“‘第五航權’是寧波長期爭取的結果，也是寧波機場發展的關鍵一筆。配合T3航站樓和第二跑道建設，以及寧波西樞紐的規劃，預計明年寧波機場貨郵吞吐量有望突破13萬噸，未來將有更大的增長空間。”寧波工程學院管理工程研究所所長楊健分析道。
The grant of the fifth freedom was, according to Chen Xuqin (executive director of Development Research Center of the State Council (Dong Hai Branch)), a significant milestone in transforming Ningbo into an international transit hub:
國研經濟研究院東海分院執行院長陳旭欽認為，拿下“第五航權”，對寧波打造國際開放樞紐之都具有里程碑意義：
"It is suggested that Ningbo proactively open up intercontinental routes of ‘Japan/South Korea-Ningbo-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)’, ‘Japan/South Korea-Ningbo-Australia’ and ‘Japan/South Korea-Ningbo-Middle East’. The city should seize the opportunity of constructing Ningbo West Hub, develop both passenger and freight transport, and attract airlines to set up their regional bases or headquarters in Ningbo. All of these efforts will help Ningbo build an air-trade hub between China and CEE countries and even the rest of the world. "
“建議寧波積極開辟‘日韓—寧波—中東歐’‘日韓—寧波—澳洲’甚至‘日韓—寧波—中東’的洲際航線，抓住寧波西樞紐建設的機遇，實現客運與貨運并舉，吸引一些航空公司基地甚至總部駐扎，助力寧波打造中國與中東歐國家乃至全球性的空港貿易樞紐。”