OREANDA-NEWS. Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, welcomes the arrival of its newest Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft, bringing the total number of dedicated cargo aircraft in its fleet to 15, including two Boeing 747-400Fs and 13 Boeing 777Fs. 

Its dedicated freighter fleet complements bellyhold capacity in an additional 224 Emirates passenger aircraft, offering flexibility and the capability to carry more cargo to more places around the globe. Combined, Emirates SkyCargo now serves customers in more than 147 destinations across six continents.

Emirates’ newest 777F, which left the Boeing Manufacturing Facility in Everett, Washington, in September, flew its first mission to Hong Kong. The Asian metropolis is one of the most popular in the Emirates Sky Cargo network, in addition to airports in Frankfurt, Shanghai, Chicago and Zaragoza. Since being introduced to the SkyCargo fleet in 2009, the airline’s 13 Boeing 777Fs have logged an impressive 30,250 flights totalling more than 175,000 hours.

“The Boeing 777F is the backbone of the Emirates SkyCargo fleet,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo. “It has an impressive range and payload capability, and is efficient to operate. The aircraft allows us to transport goods from remote destinations in the SkyCargo network such as Bangui, Port Au Prince and Nadi to customers in major urban centres such as London, Amsterdam and New York City.”

“Emirates SkyCargo continues to lead the industry with a modern and growing fleet, an unmatched route network and automated facilities that streamline the transport of goods around the world,” he added. “Our aim is to bring better value to our customers, and that is why we invest in a modern fleet as well as in developing new cargo solutions such as our quick dolly transfer systems and paperless technologies at our cargo hub in Dubai. This year, we’ve deployed our Boeing 777 Freighters to open new routes to Ouagadougou, Columbus, Orlando and Bamako, facilitating exports and connecting exciting new markets around the globe.”

Emirates – the world’s largest international air cargo carrier by freight tonne-kilometres flown –carries more than 45,000 tonnes of cargo per week on six continents, ranging from clothing, textiles and perishable foods; to Formula 1 racing cars, concert equipment and pets.

Earlier this year, Emirates SkyCargo relocated its hub freighter operations to Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai South, where it offers 50 scheduled freighter routes from its new cargo terminal. Its new state-of-the-art facility features an advanced storage system and cool-chain area, which can handle approximately 140,000 tonnes of perishable cargo per annum with temperatures of 18°C to 25°C.