Boeing secured 15 orders and completed 35 deliveries of its 777 Freighter (777F) in the past year, even as the manufacturer moves to ensure the long-term marketability of the aircraft by seeking a regulatory emissions exemption beyond 2027.
Order activity reflected continued, if measured, demand for large widebody freighters. FedEx placed orders for eight 777Fs, while Qatar Airways added one aircraft to its fleet. In addition, three unidentified customers each ordered two aircraft, contributing to the year’s overall total.
Deliveries remained robust, with 777Fs handed over to 15 operators and lessors worldwide, underscoring the aircraft’s central role in long-haul air cargo operations. Recipients included Aerotranscargo (2), Air China Cargo (2), Atlas Air Worldwide (2), CES Leasing Corporation (4), China Airlines (1), China Southern Airlines (2), CMA CGM Air Cargo (2), DHL Aviation Americas (6), Emirates (3), Ethiopian Airlines (2), FedEx (2), Qatar Airways (1), Silk Way West Airlines (1), Turkish Airlines (3) and Yangtze River Finance Leasing Co., Ltd (2).
Alongside production and delivery momentum, Boeing is working to preserve the 777F’s sales runway. At the end of last year, the manufacturer filed a petition with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking an exemption from upcoming fuel-efficiency and emissions requirements. The formal filing, submitted on 19 December, would allow Boeing to continue delivering up to 35 additional 777Fs that would otherwise fall outside compliance thresholds.
Without the exemption, newly produced 777Fs would be ineligible for a Certificate of Airworthiness from 1 January 2028, as the current variant does not meet revised fuel-efficiency standards designed to curb aviation emissions.
The requested relief is intended to bridge the gap until Boeing’s next-generation 777-8F freighter enters service. Originally expected to reach the market in 2027, the 777-8F’s entry into service was pushed back to 2028, according to an update issued by Boeing in October 2024.
For cargo operators, the outcome of the exemption request will be closely watched, as the 777F remains one of the most capable and widely used long-haul freighters in the global fleet.
