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SEP 14, 2005 (newstodate): The world's freighter fleet will double from 1,760 to 3,530 airplanes over the next 20 years, says Boeing in its latest global air cargo market forecast.
According to the Current Market Outlook 2005, issued annually by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, 2,870 freighters will enter the fleet by 2024 and 1,100 freighters will be retired, for a net gain of 1,770 aircraft.
Freighters of all sizes will provide more than half of the world's total air cargo capacity, a slight increase from today, although as a percentage of the total world airplane fleet, freighters will decrease from 10.5 percent to 10 percent, due to an increase in size of the average freighter.
In its latest forecast, Boeing has upped its expectations for new freighters by some 100 over the period.
The share of widebody freighters is expected to increase to 64 percent of the fleet, compared to the current 47 percent. About 60 percent of the freighters that will be added to the fleet will be widebody airplanes, Boeing says.
The share of narrow-body freighters will decrease from 53 percent to 36 percent over the next two decades, partially due to preferences by operators such as express carriers for medium widebodies as a replacement for retiring narrow-body freighters.
By 2024, 720 new production freighters will enter the fleet, about 25 percent of the total growth, with the remainder being conversions from passenger and combi aircraft.
Although new aircraft will make up a minority of the world freighter fleet, many airlines prefer the technical advantages, reliability, and fuel efficiency of new aircraft. Half of these new aircraft will be in the large freighter category - greater than 65 tonnes.
According to the Current Market Outlook 2005, issued annually by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, 2,870 freighters will enter the fleet by 2024 and 1,100 freighters will be retired, for a net gain of 1,770 aircraft.
Freighters of all sizes will provide more than half of the world's total air cargo capacity, a slight increase from today, although as a percentage of the total world airplane fleet, freighters will decrease from 10.5 percent to 10 percent, due to an increase in size of the average freighter.
In its latest forecast, Boeing has upped its expectations for new freighters by some 100 over the period.
The share of widebody freighters is expected to increase to 64 percent of the fleet, compared to the current 47 percent. About 60 percent of the freighters that will be added to the fleet will be widebody airplanes, Boeing says.
The share of narrow-body freighters will decrease from 53 percent to 36 percent over the next two decades, partially due to preferences by operators such as express carriers for medium widebodies as a replacement for retiring narrow-body freighters.
By 2024, 720 new production freighters will enter the fleet, about 25 percent of the total growth, with the remainder being conversions from passenger and combi aircraft.
Although new aircraft will make up a minority of the world freighter fleet, many airlines prefer the technical advantages, reliability, and fuel efficiency of new aircraft. Half of these new aircraft will be in the large freighter category - greater than 65 tonnes.