DHL Express adds first converted Airbus A330-300 freighter to its fleet

December 2, 2017: Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture between ST Aerospace and Airbus has recently delivered the first A330-300 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) converted aircraft to DHL Express.

According to reports, DHL Express is the first operator to take delivery of the Airbus A330-300P2F after completing test flights in October, and procuring Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in November.

The New-Gen mid-sized A330 freighter is expected to benefit DHL’s international express operations, thanks to its unprecedented efficiency. Currently, DHL Express holds firm orders for eight A330-300P2F freighters, with an additional option to procure 10 A330-300s.

“We are quite thrilled to introduce the first A330-300P2F into commercial operations within our global air route,” said Geoff Kehr, SVP (global air fleet management) of DHL Express.
“The A330-300 aircraft is expected to bolster our network in the Asia Pacific region by adding capacity and efficiency to the market where we foresee a strong express cargo volume growth,“ said Kehr.

Dr Andreas Sperl, CEO of Elbe Flugzeugwerke said, “I wish to express my gratitude towards DHL Express for putting their trust in us. Today, we are pleased to reciprocate the trust by delivering the A330-300P2F as per the schedule. It also marks a milestone in the history of Elbe Flugzeugwerke. As the most modern converted freighter in the industry, A330-300 P2F is equipped with cutting-edge fly-by-wire technology, and 26 full container positions in the upper cargo deck.”

“We are sure that the A330-300 freighter will help DHL Express, and we are looking forward to the next delivery in early 2018,” said Lim Serh Ghee, president of ST Aerospace.

According to industry sources, the conversion programme of A330P2F was initiated in 2012 in collaboration with ST Aerospace, Airbus and its joint venture EFW.