CMA CGM Air Cargo (2C, Paris CDG) has ordered four additional A350Fs, increasing its total tally to eight of the type to be delivered in 2026 and 2027, and it will take possession of three B777-200Fs within the next 12 months.
The eight Airbus A350 freighters will enable the company to extend its reach and “operate a global network, meeting the global logistics needs of air freight customers,” it said in a statement. All eight airframes will be owned by parent entity CMA CGM, the company confirmed ch-aviation.
In addition, CMA CGM Air Cargo will take delivery of three new fully-owned B777-200Fs, with the first scheduled for delivery in June, the second in the fourth quarter of 2024, and the third in the first quarter of 2025. The first two - one of which will be operated by Atlas Air (5Y, New York JFK) - will be deployed between Europe and Asia and the United States, serving airports in Hong Kong International, Seoul Incheon, Chicago O'Hare, and mainland China. CMA CGM did not disclose where it would deploy its third B777-200F.
ch-aviation has asked CMA CGM and Atlas Air for added comment.
OO-SEA (msn 1594) completed its last long-term ACMI contract for Air France at the end of September. It flew its final single cargo charter from Marseilles to N'Djamena and return on October 5, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. It was then ferried from Brussels National to Châteauroux Déols Marcel Dassault on return to the lessor on October 16.
The aircraft was the last of four ex-Qatar Airways freighters operated by Air Belgium under a CMI deal with French logistics giant CMA CGM. The other three were already moved to the firm's in-house carrier CMA CGM Air Cargo.
The airline's cargo fleet comprises two A330-200(P2F)s and three B747-8Fs (of which one is parked for maintenance). It also operates two A330-200s and two A330-900s. The carrier is currently in judicial restructuring after exiting its "chronically unprofitable" scheduled passenger operations.
CMA CGM Air Cargo Flies First A330-200F Commercial Flight
The new air freight division of the CMA CGM Group, a French container transportation and shipping company, has just completed its first cargo flight between Europe and the United States. Based at Liege Airport (LGG), the global shipping giant flew its recently acquired Airbus A330-200F from LGG to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on March 13.
CMA CGM Air Cargo will offer daily flights from Belgium to Chicago. Photo CMA CGM Group
The aircraft, registration number OO-CMA, is the first of four second-hand freighters that CMA CGM is buying for its new air cargo division, aptly named CMA CGM AIR CARGO. Because of the huge demand for air freight, rather than waiting to purchase new aircraft, the planes were acquired from Qatar Airways Cargo. Likewise, rather than waiting to get its Air Operators Certificate (AOC), CMA CGM AIR CARGO’s aircraft will be operating under Air Belgiums AOC.
Under its plan of offering daily flights from one of the most strategically placed logistics airports in Europe, CMA CGM AIR CARGO says it offers customers the following benefits:
Unbeatable transit times for urgent shipments
Connections from Europe to Chicago with intermodal connections in several regions
Fast and agile solutions to meet all customer’s needs.
Why Liege Airport?
With its strategic location at the heart of the Amsterdam-Paris-Frankfurt golden triangle, Liege Airport handles 73% of all European air freight. Located less than a day’s drive from most European cities, Liege Airport is easily accessed by a superb network of uncongested motorways. While focusing primarily on air freight, the Liege airport operators can offer the facilities and prices that other airports cannot match.
Customers will be able to transport their shipments to other regions. Photo: CMA CGM Group
CMA CGM AIR CARGO also chose Air Belgium to operate its aircraft because its CEO Niky Terzakis used to be the boss at Liege Aiport-based TNT Airlines. So not only does Niky Terzakis know how to run an airline, but he also understands air freight logistics.
Liege Airport is happy with CMA CGM
When talking about CMA CGM Groups decision to base its aircraft at Liege Airport, CEO of Liege Airport Frédéric Jacquet is quoted by Belgium aviation website Aviation24.be of saying:
“We are really proud to be hosting a world-renowned group such as CMA CGM as it develops its cargo operations. A French family group that draws on the expertise of a Belgian company such as Air Belgium, works with Sabena Aerospace for its maintenance, and bases its aircraft at Liege Airport: what we have here is three companies coming together with the same overall ambition to grow and develop.
“The selection of Liege Airport shows once again not only that it has a prominent place in the world of cargo, but also and above all that it is playing an important role in a multimodal vision of logistics. We are delighted to welcome CMA CGM to Liège and to be partners in their projects.”
Liege Airport is playing a vital role
While acting as a vital link in delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) worldwide to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Liege Airport saw a 24% increase in cargo than 2019, with 1,120,643 metric tons passing through the facility. Liege Airport now hopes to play a vital role in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
Liege Airport has played a vital role during the pandemic. Photo: CMA CGM Group
CMA CGM AIR CARGO expects the second of its four Airbus A330-200F to begin regular flights between Liege and the United States in the coming days.
