Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing announced that the African carrier is further expanding its all-Boeing freighter fleet with an order for five more 777 Freighters.
Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO said the order is meant to address the surge in cargo demand for the airline.
"The addition of these five B777 Freighters into our cargo fleet will enable us to meet the growing demand in our cargo operation. While cementing our partnership with the Boeing Company with new orders, the growth of our freighter fleet takes the capacity and efficiency of our shipping service to the next level," Tasew added.
"Our Africa's largest cargo terminal coupled with fuel-efficient freighters and well-trained cargo handling professionals will enable our customers to get the best quality shipment service. Customers can rely on Ethiopian for wide-ranging cargo services across five continents," the Ethiopian chief added.
The carrier said in a statement that Boeing's 777 Freighter is the world's largest, longest-range, and most capable twin-engine freighter currently flying with 17% lower fuel use and emissions compared to prior airplanes.
Ethiopian Airlines currently operates a fleet of nine 777 freighters, utilizing a range of 4,970 nautical miles (9,200 km) and a maximum structural payload of 107 tonnes (235,900 lb) to connect Africa with 66 dedicated cargo centres throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
"We value the trust that Ethiopian Airlines places in the 777 Freighter to support their cargo ambitions which will provide them with increased capability and flexibility to their operations," commented Ihssane Mounir, Boeing's senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing.
"Additional 777 Freighters will enable Ethiopian to capitalize on near-term cargo demand while positioning the airline for further expansion in the future."
In early March 2022, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines also announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to purchase five 777-8 Freighters.
Ethiopian Airlines also operates three 737-800 converted freighters, as well as a combined passenger fleet of more than 80 Boeing jets including 737s, 767s, 787s, and 777s.
The carrier said Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services cover 127 international destinations around the world with both belly hold capacity and dedicated freighter services.
