The handover ceremony
took place at Boeing’s headquarters in Seattle, US. The arrival of Maersk’s
inaugural Boeing 777F at its home base in Billund, Denmark is scheduled for
Saturday 13 July. This acquisition
signifies a significant enhancement for Maersk’s air freight customers in China
and Europe, providing increased capacity and operational efficiency. The
two Boeing 777F aircraft will initially serve Maersk’s existing Europe-China
route with three weekly flights, expanding to up to six flights per week.
Apart from bolstering capacity on direct routes,
these aircrafts will ensure reduced transit and handling times, improving
service quality at both departure and arrival points.
The Boeing 777F boasts
a range of up to 9,200 kilometres (4,970 nautical miles) and can carry a
maximum payload of 102,000 kilograms. Its main deck accommodates pallets up to
three meters in height, and all cargo decks are equipped with temperature
control. The Onboard Network System
enables potential connectivity for cargo in the future. Maersk has selected
GE90 engines for its 777F, recognized as the world's most powerful and reliable
commercial jet engines.
In addition to its
owned and controlled fleet, Maersk transports a significant portion of its air
freight volumes on commercial flights operated by other airlines. Through its
modern air freight booking tool on Maersk.com, customers can select and book directly from over 70,000 airport
pairs spanning more than 90 countries, with instant pricing and optional
value-added services.
Maersk Air Freight
ranks among the top 20 global air freight forwarders and is positioned within
the top 10 in Germany and the Netherlands.
"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," stated Lars Jordahn, head of Maersk Air Cargo.