The worldwide freighter aircraft fleet is predicted to reach 2,722 in 2037, with Asia and North America leading the way, Airbus predicts in its Global Market Forecast 2018-2037.

In its Global Market Forecast 2018-2037, Airbus predicts that the freighter aircraft fleet will increase from 1,650 at the start of 2018 to 2,722 in 2037.

Of these new aircraft, Airbus says 826 will be new deliveries, 1,560 will be converted freighters and 336 will be remaining aircraft already in use today.

Most of the aircraft will be in North America, which Airbus predicts will be home to 1,080 followed by Asia with 802 by 2037.

Elsewhere, Airbus says Africa will have 107 freighters by 2037, the CIS will have 93, Europe will have 405, Latin America will have 99 and the Middle East will have 136.

Airbus is predicting that 37,390 new aircraft will be needed over the next 20 years valued at $5.8 trillion, with 26,540 needed for growth and 10,850 required to replace older units.

Chief commercial officer, Eric Schulz says: “There is a growing trend to use aircraft across a broader range of operations, with today’s more capable aircraft blurring the boundaries between market segments. These realities made us develop a new segmentation with Small, Medium, Large and Extra-Large categories, reflecting more closely the way airlines operate aircraft.”