Chinese media outlets are reporting that Taiwan’s China Airlines (CAL), Taiwan-based shipper Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. and state-owned Chunghwa Post Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the goal of integrating air and marine shipping resources. From there, the postal service will provide door-to-door delivery service of goods received from overseas. The alliance is aimed at developing a cross-border e-commerce business platform to give Taiwan a global competitive boost.
Chunghwa Post Chairman Philip Wen-chyi Ong said the alliance was initiated by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), according to Focus Taiwan. The MOU will shorten delivery times for imported goods, which will lower logistics costs and create more e-commerce opportunities, said Hermann Yu, president of Yang Ming Transport.
The three companies are in talks to set up a website for developing the e-commerce business, which could be up and running by April 2016. Chunghwa Post brings in revenue of US$9.09 million annually from its own e-commerce business. CAL posts annual sales of approximately $50 million a year from e-commerce and duty-free business.
The MOTC ranks CAL as the world’s sixth-largest air cargo carrier, with 35 global destinations. Yang Ming Marine Transport is the world’s 13th-largest shipping company and Chungwa Post has more than 1,000 outlets in Taiwan.