Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines and aircraft manufacturer Boeing have signed a letter of intent to acquire five B777-8F freighters. The carrier intends to use these to further expand its cargo business.

“We are pleased to sign this MoU with our long-term partner Boeing, which adds us to the select launch customer airlines for the fleet. In our Vision 2035, we plan to grow our freight and logistics business to become one of the largest global multimodal logistics providers on all continents. To this end, we are expanding our dedicated fleet of cargo aircraft with the latest technology, fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft of the 21st century. We have also started construction of the largest e-commerce hub terminal in Africa,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. “The new 777-8 freighters will play an important role on this long road of growth agenda. Today, our air freight services cover more than 120 international destinations around the world, with both belly hold capacities and dedicated freighter services.”

Boeing launched the new 777-8 Freighter in January and has already booked 34 firm orders for the model, which features the advanced technology of the new 777X family and the proven performance of the market-leading 777 Freighter. With a payload capacity nearly identical to that of the 747-400 and a 30 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs, the 777-8 Freighter will enable operators to run a more sustainable and profitable business.