"Although the current health crisis has pushed pause on several areas of life, global trade did not stand still," says John Pearson, CEO at DHL Express. "Fueled by globalization, digitalization and the unprecedented demand of our customers during the recent peak season, our global e-commerce volume grew by more than 40 percent in Q4. With the order of eight new wide body freighter aircraft, we underline our conviction that e-commerce is an enduring megatrend. This is why we decided to act early and kick-off 2021 with this investment in our future."

The world's largest and most capable twin-engine freighter, the B777 supports future growth while providing outstanding reliability. Furthermore, the aircraft contribute to the committed sustainability goals due to their fuel efficient technology reducing CO₂ emissions by 18 percent compared to the legacy B747-400s.

"A highly efficient and reliable aviation network is key to our service capabilities enabling future growth," says Travis Cobb EVP Global Network Operations and Aviation at DHL Express. "We are committed to providing the highest quality and efficient services to our customers at the fastest possible transit times.  At the same time, we are also committed to reduce our carbon emissions by modernizing our fleet with the most efficient aircraft type that is available in the industry. The Boeing 777 fits well into our intercontinental network and perfectly complements our sustainability goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050."

The 777 Freighter is the world's largest, longest range and most capable twin-engine freighter with a range of 9,200 km (4,970 nautical miles) and can carry a maximum payload of 102,010 kg (224,900 lbs). It allows DHL Express to make fewer stops and reduce associated landing fees on long-haul routes, resulting in the lowest trip cost of any large freighter.

"DHL operates a powerful, international network that has taken great advantage of the 777 Freighter's world-class range and efficiency for more than a decade. We are honored that DHL is placing another major order for the 777 Freighter to grow their business and feed their strong commitment to connecting people and improving lives through sustainable operations. This is especially true today given the critical role DHL plays in distributing Covid-19 vaccines and meeting the increased demand for express cargo," said Ihssane Mounir, Commercial Sales & Marketing Senior Vice President of The Boeing Company.

Preceding the new order announced today, DHL Express had already taken delivery of the first ten new B777F aircraft as part of an original order of 14 aircraft made in 2018. These timely deliveries ensured that DHL could accommodate customer's unprecedented demand during the peak shipping season last year.

Boeing's 2020 World Air Cargo Forecast anticipates significant increase in demand for new and converted freighters with a fleet growth of more than 60% over the next 20 years. This reflects in the growing demand for cross border time definite shipments DHL Express is experiencing. For this reasons both companies also agreed options and purchase rights for four additional planes.

With this step DHL Express underlines its long-term commitment as an enabler of trade around the globe. The company operates over 260 dedicated aircraft with 17 partner airlines with over 600 daily flights across 220 countries and territories.