Emirates marks a significant milestone in the expansion of its cargo fleet, as it becomes the first cargo airline* to operate the Boeing 777-300ERSF, which has been converted from a passenger aircraft to a freighter. The aircraft (A6-EBK) will enter commercial service on a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai, carrying over 100 metric tons of cargo.

Emirates’ refurbished Boeing 777-300ERSF offers a cargo capacity of 100 metric tons and a cargo volume of 811 m³, representing a 25% increase in cargo volume compared to the factory-configured Boeing 777-F freighter. With 47 pallet positions, the refurbished aircraft also has 10 additional pallet positions compared to the factory-built Boeing 777-F freighter, making it ideal for transporting bulky cargo, such as e-commerce goods, which currently account for approximately 20% of global air cargo, with projections for further growth in the coming years.

Badr Abbas, Senior Vice President of Emirates SkyCargo, said: “The entry into service of Emirates’ first refurbished Boeing 777-300ERSF marks the next step in the expansion of our fleet and our operational flexibility. We are optimizing our fleet by converting older Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to meet the growing demand for air cargo capacity, enabling us to transport goods quickly around the world.

“Combined with our growing fleet of new Boeing 777-F freighters, we have already managed to expand our global cargo flight network from just over 40 destinations in February of this year to 62 destinations today, a number that continues to grow. We provide our customers around the world with scalable cargo capacity, as well as complete flexibility and connectivity when transporting cargo to and through our hub in Dubai.”

Ambitious Fleet and Network Expansion

The refurbished Boeing 777-300ERSF is the sixth new freighter — following five Boeing 777-F freighters built specifically for cargo transport — to join the Emirates SkyCargo fleet starting in March 2026. As part of its ambitious expansion strategy, Emirates SkyCargo will also take delivery of five additional Boeing 777-F aircraft, as well as one additional refurbished Boeing 777-300ERSF, by December 2026. Emirates SkyCargo will also add three additional refurbished Boeing 777-ERSF aircraft to its fleet in 2027.

The expansion of Emirates SkyCargo’s fleet and network reaffirms the airline’s commitment to playing a more significant role in supporting global trade, connecting new destinations with businesses and strengthening connectivity with key manufacturing hubs already included in the company’s global network, which spans six continents.

*multi-purpose truck