Boeing and Silk Way West Airlines have announced that the private cargo operator will expand its international network with an order for five 777 Freighters. The deal marks the first purchase of the long-range, high capacity twin-engine freighter in the Caspian region and Central Asia. The airplanes will enable the airline to increase its capacity to meet growing cargo demand around the globe.
"This deal is an incremental part of our fleet renewal and our commitment to meet our customers' expectations. I am confident that the acquisition of new freighters will further strengthen our leading position on the global air freight market for the next 15 to 20 years," said Zaur Akhundov, Silk Way Group president.
Silk Way West Airlines and Boeing leaders announced the agreement during a signing ceremony in Baku that included Akhundov; Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan; and Earle D. Litzenberger, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, as well as Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"Silk Way West Airlines has been rapidly expanding the geographic reach of its network. With the global air freight market forecasted to grow more than 60% over the next 20 years, this new order bolsters their ability to meet trade and e-commerce demand in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America," said Deal. "We are honored to partner with them and look forward to introducing the market-leading efficiency and capability of the 777 Freighter to its fleet of 747 Freighters."
Founded in 2012 in Baku, Silk Way West Airlines is the largest cargo airline in the Caspian Sea region with an annual cargo turnover of 350,000 tons. Based at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, the airline operates approximately 350 monthly scheduled flights to 40 destinations around the world.