Emirates SkyCargo heralds planned capacity expansion over the next decade

London-based Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo division of global airline Emirates, recently announced plans to increase its capacity over the next decade.

The company said that it has added two Boeing 747-400Fs to its freighter fleet and is also expecting 15 more freighters to become part of its fleet from previously announced orders and its freighter conversion program, in addition to what it called a boost in belly-hold capacity from new passenger aircraft deliveries, kicking off with Airbus A350s in late summer 2024, which will be followed by 777-Xs in 2025.

What’s more, Emirates SkyCargo said that over the next two decades it plans to double its existing capacity, add more than 20 new destinations to its freighter network, with a fleet mix of more than 300 wide-body aircraft made up of 777s, 777-Fs, A350s, and A380s.

“While the current market volatility may cause others to hesitate, Emirates SkyCargo is pushing full steam ahead with our plans,” said Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, in a statement. “The medium to long term projections for global air cargo show an upward trajectory of between 3-5%. Combine that Dubai’s strategy to double its foreign trade where multi-modal logistics will play a big role, and the economic activity happening in markets around the Gulf, West Asia, and Africa, and the opportunity for Emirates SkyCargo is clear.

An Emirates SkyCargo spokesperson told LM that there were multiple drivers for these expansion efforts.

“Given that the medium-to-long term projections for global air cargo show an upward trajectory of between 3%-to-5%, we are expecting continued demand that warrants a scaled-up freighter conversion program,” she said. “Combine that with Dubai’s strategy to double its foreign trade where multi-modal logistics will play a big role, and the economic activity happening in markets around the Gulf, West Asia, and Africa, and the opportunity for Emirates SkyCargo is clear.

We are confident in our plan to double freighter in the next decade, we have the new generation 350 and 777x cargo friendly aircraft alongside 5x brand new freighters. This was a decision that has been planned carefully over the last two years to ensure sustainable business growth.”

In terms of how this expansion will benefit Emirates SkyCargo customers, the spokesperson explained that the new aircrafts mean it can expand its freighter network and amplify the connectivity with the main Emirates network.

“The new fleet mix also gives us more flexibility to serve our different customers even better,” she said. “Our plans to double capacity in the next decade will help us continue to realize our ambition to lead the market in delivering specialist solutions that are fast, reliable, flexible, and efficient. Dubai is ideally positioned centrally within the globe and as a result, we’re seeing big manufacturers relocating and positioning in Dubai, so the increased capacity will help meet this demand.”