Texas Business reports: DFW AIRPORT—Singapore Airlines Cargo launched its first freighter flight connecting DFW International Airport with Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Singapore Cargo's new service to Brazil represents DFW's first direct cargo connection between Asia and South America, and the first all-cargo freighter flight from DFW to South America. 

Singapore Airlines will expand the flight to twice weekly service by the fall. The flight takes a round-the-world route from Singapore to Hong Kong, Anchorage, DFW, Sao Paulo, back to DFW, Brussels, Sharjah (UAE), and to Singapore.

“This new Singapore Airlines Cargo flight to Brazil marks an important milestone for DFW, because it not only marks DFW's first freighter service into South America, it also establishes our airport as a vital transport link between Asia and South America,” said DFW International Airport chief executive Jeff Fegan in a prepared statement. “We believe this route will further demonstrate that DFW represents a tremendous gateway opportunity for international air traffic, and hopefully lead to more growth at DFW and in support of the Dallas/Fort Worth economy.”

The Singapore Airlines Cargo flight  is part of the payoff  DFW Airport's expansion of its cargo service. In the last decade, DFW's cargo service has more than tripled.  From June 2011 to June 2012, 654-thousand metric tonnes of cargo shipped from DFW, with almost half of that total shipped by international cargo carriers. DFW currently serves as home to a total of 14 dedicated cargo airlines.

Cargo airlines at DFW have two million square feet of cargo warehouse space, seven unrestricted runways, 24-hour-a-day/seven-day-a-week operations, and a central location for distribution of goods in the United States.

“These new freighter services demonstrate our confidence in the growth potential of the Brazilian market and will extend our network coverage to over 70 cities in more than 30 countries. We hope these services will give our customers more choice of flights to ship their freight between Brazil and various markets,”said Singapore Airline Cargo executive Tan Tiow Kor in a statement.

“DFW's commitment to growing its cargo portfolio is paying off with service such as this new Singapore Airlines Cargo flight to Brazil,” said Luis Perez, vice president for air service development at DFW.  “Our mission is to bring more air service to the citizens of Dallas/Fort Worth, which brings more economic opportunity, jobs and growth to our region.”