On March 10, 1972, Boeing delivered the first widebody freighter in its history, a 747-200, to Lufthansa. The delivery marked a new era in freight transport: the 747’s expanded capacity, with its front door that could load huge objects, meant companies and freight forwarders could deliver more goods faster than shipping by sea or truck.
“The ability to ship more goods by air changed global commerce overnight,” said Darren Hulst, vice president of Commercial Marketing. “People around the world could receive goods in days instead of months. Boeing freighters played a significant role in this and continue to define the art of the possible today in e-commerce and global commerce, thanks to their efficiency, versatility and our continuous product innovation to meet the needs of tomorrow’s market”.
Today, 90% of the world’s capacity belongs to Boeing’s freighters, which transport millions of tons of goods around the globe. According to Boeing’s Commercial Market Outlook 2021, the global freighter fleet (production and conversions) is expected to grow by more than 70% compared to 2019, totaling 2,610 new freighter deliveries over the next two decades.
The global freighter fleet is forecast to reach 3,435 planes by 2040 – including the newest member of the freighter family, the 777-8 Freighter, which is due for delivery in 2027.
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