France’s CMA CGM firms A350 freighter order

CMA CGM Air Cargo (Paris CDG) has firmed up a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for four A350 freighters. The tentative order was first announced during last month’s Dubai Air Show and is the French logistics giant’s first direct purchase from Airbus.

While it pursues its own Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) in France, CMA CGM currently has four A330-200Fs in service using Air Belgium (KF, Brussels Charleroi) as its production platform. A spokesman has confirmed to ch-aviation that a few months back, CMA CGM bought a fifth A330-200 which is currently being transformed into a preighter. Its service entry is expected in the coming months.

CMA CGM also has two B777-Fs on order from Boeing (BOE, Chicago O’Hare) deliveries of which will coincide with the issuance of its AOC, expected in spring 2022, the spokesman added.