Atlas Air, Inc., a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., today announced it has taken delivery of a Boeing 747-8 freighter, which will operate on behalf of its customer Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, as part of a previously announced long-term agreement. The aircraft will increase capacity on routes between China and the Americas. This aircraft is the first of four new 747-8 freighters that Atlas expects to receive from Boeing this year.

The addition of this 747-8F expands service for Cainiao between China, the United States, Brazil and Chile aboard the most capable, technologically advanced and environmentally-friendly widebody freighter, providing 20% higher payload capacity and 16% lower fuel consumption than the very capable 747-400F.

As previously announced, Atlas’s investment in these new aircraft underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship through the reduction of aircraft emissions, resource consumption and noise. The iconic Boeing 747 program has been in operation for over 50 years and will continue to play a critical role in keeping global supply chains moving for decades to come. The 747-8 is the only factory-built freighter with nose-loading capability in production, which will serve the long-term needs of the airfreight market.