行业资讯
Global Air Cargo Hits Record High as Freighter Fleet Set to Grow Two-Thirds by 2043
- 来源机构
- Gitu Aviation
- 原文发布日期
资讯概览
Global air cargo demand reached an all-time high in 2025, according to full-year data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in January 2026. Demand measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTK) rose 3.4% year on year — 4.2% for international operations — while capacity grew 3.7%. Yields eased just 1.5%, the smallest decline in three years, and remain 37.2% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Global e-commerce strength drove volumes, even as trading relationships with the US faced rising tariffs and the removal of de minimis tariff exemptions. The growth is being reshaped by structural shifts. Asia-Pacific carriers led all regions with 8.4% demand growth in 2025, while intra-Asia traffic surged 10.3% for the year — a reflection of supply-chain diversification beyond China. WorldACD data show Southeast Asia–US tonnages jumped 40% year on year in October 2025, even as China–US flows declined. AI-related goods have emerged as a new driver: IATA estimates roughly three-quarters of AI-related trade value moved by air in 2025. Long-term fundamentals remain robust. Boeing's World Air Cargo Forecast 2024–2043 projects air cargo traffic to grow about 4% annually and roughly double, with the global freighter fleet expanding from 2,340 aircraft in 2023 to 3,900 by 2043 — requiring 2,845 deliveries, about two-thirds of them passenger-to-freighter conversions. Airbus's 2025 Cargo Global Market Forecast similarly sees the dedicated freighter fleet growing 45% to 3,420 aircraft by 2044, with Asia-Pacific accounting for roughly a third of new demand. IATA expects industry tonnage of about 71.7 million tonnes in 2026, with cargo revenue rising to USD 162 billion. There is, however, a tightening constraint. According to IATA, the average widebody freighter is now 19.6 years old, and the aircraft order backlog exceeds 17,000 units — normalisation is unlikely before the early 2030s. An aging fleet flying at record utilization puts a premium on loading safety and efficiency: cargo pallet nets, restraint straps and fittings — the equipment that secures every ULD on the main deck — face rising replacement demand alongside fleet growth, creating durable opportunities for equipment manufacturers across the supply chain.