The first of the 14 new Boeing 777 Freighters ordered by DHL Express has joined the DHL fleet.
DHL 777 Freighter Delivery Cruise, Ribbon Cuttiing & Flyaway
On Saturday, May 25, the airplane took off from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), its future home operating base.
Clad in DHL’s yellow and red, the brand new 777 with the registration number N-705GT departed to Bahrain on its commercial maiden flight.
The replacement of the older intercontinental fleet with the most fuel-efficient and reliable freighter type allows DHL to meet the increasing global demand for express services.
The new Boeing 777 will strengthen DHL’s intercontinental services and connect major DHL Express hubs in Cincinnati, Leipzig, Hong Kong and others.
Operated by DHL partner Southern Air, the plane will soon start scheduled operations.
“The delivery of our first Boeing 777 Freighter marks an important milestone in our mission to overhaul our intercontinental fleet,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “This efficient, long-range and high-capacity freighter will enable us to serve even more markets with non-stop flights and significantly contributes to greater sustainability in line with our sustainability strategy ‘zero emission by 2050.’”
With a payload capability of 112 tons and a range of 9,200 km, the B777 F has the largest capacity and range of all twin-engine freight airplanes.
It is also more fuel efficient and reliable than older models, reducing CO2 emissions by 18 percent versus the aircraft being replaced.
Pearson
The older B747-400s aircraft will be gradually replaced as the new models arrive. Another three B777 F are scheduled to arrive this year.
DHL Express operates over 260 dedicated aircrafts with 17 partner airlines on over 600 daily flights across 220 countries and territories.
DHL has continued to invest in its Americas hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) due to strong growth in international shipments.
In the last two years, an investment of $58 million has allowed for a new reload sorter, new slides, outbound loose-load truck doors, material handling equipment, new technology with GPS systems to track aircraft containers, new weatherize ground support equipment.
These and other improvements in efficiencies and quality help ensure DHL Express has the capacity needed to meet the demands of the growth generated by international shipping and global trade.
The expansions and shipments growth have also created 1,600 additional jobs in the last two years – both part time and full time. When the first expansion project started in 2009, DHL Express had 1,600 employees at its CVG Hub.
DHL Express
