Maersk Air Cargo has taken delivery of the first of two new Boeing 777 that the company ordered in November 2021.
Maersk says that thanks to the new aircraft, air freight customers in China and Europe will benefit from increased capacity and efficiency. The delivery of the second aircraft is scheduled later in Q3.
Both planes will be deployed on Maersk’s existing Europe-China route with initially three weekly flights, and later up to six weekly flights. Besides offering more capacity on direct routes, Maersk states that the 777Fs will ensure shorter transit times, faster handling times and quality at origin and destination.
Commenting on the arrival of Maersk’s first new Boeing 767F, Lars Jordahn, Head of Maersk Air Cargo, said:
“We are delighted to take this important delivery and upgrade our fleet with two of the largest and most reliable freighters available on the market. With this step we are entering the premier league of cargo aviation. The B777F can transport more than double of payload on each flight compared to our 767Fs, and it is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world with the GE90 engines.”
Narin Phol, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer (CPO) for Logistics and Services at Maersk, added:
“From a commercial perspective the two Boeing 777Fs are a giant leap in terms of what we can offer our air freight customers going forward. Besides enabling a much more efficient route structuring our 777Fs will improve the availability of space for our customers as we see a growing demand for integrated supply chain solutions which include air. Due to the disruptive environment in logistics, a rising number of cargo owners are choosing to reduce the number of service providers in their supply chain. Increased visibility across fewer providers enables the cargo owners to react more swiftly and much better informed in case of disruption. Availability of air freight capacity and full asset control are important aspects here. Both increase the levels of resilience, visibility and flexibility which are essential in these disruptive times.”
According to Maersk, the Boeing 777F can fly up to 9,200 kilometres (4,970 nautical miles) and carry a maximum payload of 102,000 kilograms.
The main deck fits pallets up to 3 metres high, and all cargo decks are temperature controlled. Moreover, Maersk adds that the plane’s Onboard Network System allows connected cargo in the future.
