DHL Express has ordered eight incremental B777-Fs directly from Boeing with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2022. The order also includes a further four options.
"Driven by globalisation, digitisation and uniquely high demand in the high season of shopping, our global e-commerce volume grew by more than 40% in the fourth quarter. With the purchase of eight new wide-body cargo planes, we underline our conviction that e-commerce is an ongoing megatrend. We, therefore, wanted to react early and start investing in our future in 2021," Chief Executive John Pearson said.
A spokesman for the logistics firm told ch-aviation that it was too early to disclose which airline would operate the aircraft given first deliveries are only due in 2022.
DHL Express owns several airlines around the world, including EAT Leipzig (QY, Leipzig/Halle), DHL Air (D0, Nottingham East Midlands), DHL Aero Expreso (D5, Panamá City Tocumen International), DHL de Guatemala (L3, Guatemala City), and DHL International Aviation Middle East (ES, Bahrain International). It is also a 50% shareholder in AeroLogic (3S, Leipzig/Halle), a joint venture with Lufthansa Group. It also leases its aircraft to third-party carriers and charters their aircraft for DHL operations.
DHL Express ordered fourteen B777-Fs in 2018, of which it has so far taken delivery of 10. According to the ch-aviation fleets ownership module, DHL Worldwide Express owns six of these aircraft of which three are leased to Kalitta Air (K4, Detroit Willow Run), two to Southern Air (Cincinnati International), and one to AeroLogic. There are twenty-nine B777-Fs operated on behalf of DHL Express, including 17 by AeroLogic, four by Kalitta Air, and eight by Southern Air.
