According to Boeing’s 2022 World Air Cargo
Forecast (WACF), a biennial analysis of evolving industry
dynamics, air cargo traffic will double and the world’s freighter
fleet expand by more than 60% through 2041.
The 2022 WACF projects that the world’s
cargo fleet will require nearly 2,800 production and converted
freighters for growth and replacement through 2041.
With cargo
traffic doubling over the forecast period, operators will need to
switch to more capable, fuel-efficient and sustainable jets like
the 777-8 Freighter to meet demand, according to the Boeing
forecast.
A third of deliveries will consist of new production
freighters, while the remaining two-thirds will be freighter
conversions, such as the 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF),
providing carriers with increased flexibility in existing and
emerging markets.
The 2022 WACF also provides the following insights about
the cargo market through 2041:
– The Asia-Pacific region will take delivery of
nearly 40% of all freighters, including new and converted
freighters;
– While dedicated freighters are 8% of the
total commercial airplane fleet, they continue to carry more than
half of all air cargo, with passenger airplanes carrying the
remainder as belly cargo; and
– The global freighter fleet will grow
by more than 1,300 airplanes to more than 3,600 jets over the next
two decades.
“While the air cargo market is returning
to a more normal pace after historic demand in the last two years,
structural factors including express network growth, evolving
supply chain strategies and new cargo-market entrants are driving
sustained freighter demand,” said Darren Hulst, Boeing Vice
President of Commercial Marketing. “In the global transportation
network, air freighters will continue to be a critical enabler to
move high-value goods, in increased volume across expanding
markets.”
