Emirates has become the first airline cargo carrier to place a converted Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger-to-freighter aircraft into commercial service, the Dubai-based airline said in a press release issued Tuesday, marking a key milestone in the expansion of its cargo operations amid growing global demand for air freight.

The aircraft, registered as A6-EBK, is scheduled to begin commercial operations with a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai carrying more than 100 tonnes of cargo.

According to Emirates, the converted Boeing 777-300ERSF offers a payload capacity of 100 tonnes and a cargo volume of 811 cubic metres, around 25 percent more than the production Boeing 777-F freighter. The aircraft also provides 47 pallet positions, 10 more than the Boeing 777-F, enabling it to carry larger volumes of bulky cargo such as e-commerce shipments.

Emirates SkyCargo said the additional capacity comes as online retail continues to drive demand for air freight, with e-commerce goods accounting for about 20 percent of global air cargo tonnage.

"The induction of the first converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF into operational service represents the next step in the expansion of our fleet and operational agility," said Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president of Emirates SkyCargo.

He said the airline was converting older Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft into freighters to meet increasing demand for air cargo capacity while making more efficient use of its existing fleet.

Abbas added that, together with newly delivered Boeing 777-F production freighters, the expanded fleet has enabled Emirates SkyCargo to increase its dedicated freighter network from just over 40 destinations in February this year to 62 destinations.

The converted aircraft is the sixth freighter to join the Emirates SkyCargo fleet since March 2026, following the delivery of five Boeing 777-F freighters.

Under its fleet expansion plan, Emirates SkyCargo expects to receive five additional Boeing 777-F aircraft and another converted Boeing 777-300ERSF by the end of 2026. The carrier also plans to introduce three more converted Boeing 777-300ERSF aircraft during 2027.

Emirates said the fleet expansion is intended to strengthen its role in global trade by increasing cargo capacity and enhancing connectivity through its Dubai hub. The airline said the additional freighters would support growing demand for air cargo services while expanding links between production centres and markets across its network spanning six continents.

Source: PR