DOT Tuesday proposed to name Evergreen International Airlines as a new all-cargo entrant in the U.S.-China aviation market. Evergreen, if granted final authority, will operate six roundtrip flights per week to Shanghai from New York with additional traffic stops in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Columbus.

The U.S.-China aviation agreement concluded in May 2007 permits the U.S. to name a new all-cargo carrier to begin service in the market on March 25, 2009. Kalitta Air and TradeWinds Airlines, in addition to Evergreen, applied for the 2009 all-cargo rights.

DOT said interested parties have 14 days to object to the proposed decision, with answers to objections due 10 days afterward. After the end of the comment period the department will issue a final decision.

In the show-cause order, the department tentatively concluded that Evergreen's proposal offered the best service for the shipping public because the carrier was in the best position to compete with current all-cargo airlines in the market. Evergreen would offer the first scheduled U.S.-carrier all-cargo service to China from both New York and Columbus, the department said, also noting that Evergreen was the only applicant that would use the entire capacity of its aircraft for China services. In addition, the department cited Evergreen's experience operating in the U.S.-Asia market, including its U.S.-China charter services.

The department tentatively awarded backup authority to Kalitta in the event that Evergreen is unable to begin service.

Airlines currently operating U.S.-China all-cargo service are Federal Express, Northwest Airlines, Polar Air Cargo and United Parcel Service. All restrictions on scheduled U.S.-China all-cargo services will be lifted in March 2011.