In a press release, CMA CGM confirmed that the first commercial flight using the company’s new B777-200F aircraft, operated by Atlas Air, took place on August 25, 2024. The service connects Hong Kong to Chicago with a technical stop in Anchorage. On the westbound leg, the aircraft operates from Chicago to Hong Kong via Seoul.
In addition to this, CMA CGM has confirmed that a second B777-200F will be received in the fourth quarter of 2024. It too will be deployed on a transpacific route connecting mainland China to North America.
Then, in 2025, a third B777F delivery will take place in 2025, taking the total number of B777F’s in CMA CGM’s fleet to 5. The other 2 Boeing 777-200F aircraft operated by CMA CGM are based at the Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub, where they serve routes between Europe and Greater China.
Commenting on the launch of the new service, Damien Mazaudier, CEO of CMA CGM AIR CARGO, said:
“The launching of this new route between Chicago and Hong Kong is a strategic milestone in the development of CMA CGM AIR CARGO. We are very proud to extend CMA CGM AIR CARGO’s reach to the United States, a strategic country for the Group. This opening comes with the delivery of a third B777 Freighter, a very efficient long-range aircraft that will allow us to serve our customers on new routes across the Pacific and to respond to dynamic market conditions. This new asset also plays a key role in contributing to greater sustainability in airfreight, in line with the CMA CGM Group’s ambitions.”